China has the sixth-largest bee fauna with over 1,300 documented species. Yet countless more are expected, making taxonomic work an imperative. Here, we outline the history of bee taxonomy in China and discuss how best we can move into the future and describe all of the many undescribed species remaining. Key challenges include the difficulty of accurately assigning species names due to overseas type material as well as a general need for increased internationalization such as in specimen and data sharing. Only with sustained funding for basic taxonomy will it be possible to know and protect China’s unique bee fauna.

Four cynipid gall wasps belonging to three genera are reported with descriptions of their host plants and galls, i.e., Belizinella vicina Kovalev, 1965, Cerroneuroterus folimargo (Monzen, 1954), C. monseni (Dettmer, 1934) and Neuroterus hakonensis Ashmead, 1904. The genus Belizinella and three species, B. vicina, C. monseni and N. hakonensis, are recorded in China for the first time. The species B. vicina is redescribed for the missing or incongruent features from its original description. In addition, the gall host for Ufo rufiventris Wang, Guo, Wang, Pujade-Villar & Chen is also recorded here for the first time.

The amber sites from the Chiapas Highlands in southwestern Mexico constitute an Oligo-Miocene Amber-Lagerstätte (ca. 24 Ma) whose mines and pits at Simojovel, Totolapa, and Estrella de Belén yield exceptionally preserved fossil inclusions, notably insects from an estuarine wetland. A comprehensive cross-referenced catalog of insects and their close relatives (Arthropoda: Hexapoda) recorded in Mexican amber has been compiled. The catalog comprises 589 fossil records, including 21 orders, 180 families, 230 genera, and 193 species. Data show the fossil diversity of insects based on 65 years of taxonomic descriptions. The catalog also consists of an online database for consultation and permanent updating. Accordingly, the taxonomic composition of Hexapoda in Oligo-Miocene Mexican amber is a significant addition to the current knowledge of the diversity of Lagerstätte taxa distributed worldwide.

Siberian taimen Hucho taimen (Pallas, 1773) is a broadly distributed and popular sport fish with high economic value. However, low abundance and hard-to-reach habitat make the Siberian taimen a relatively understudied species. Here we describe the morphological variability of two size groups of Siberian taimen juveniles from the eastern (Amur River basin) and western (Kama River basin) parts of the species distribution. The largest morphological differentiation of Siberian taimen juveniles was observed at the inter-basin level. In the Amur River basin, Siberian taimen juveniles also differed morphologically even at sites located at a distance of 20 km from each other, which may be explained by a small home-range inhabitation of juveniles leading to the formation of their morphotype determined by local environmental conditions. The pattern of allometry varies in taimen from different rivers, which could be related to the ontogenetic shift of ecological niches and the level of heterogeneity of the river environment.

This study provides detailed descriptions and illustrations of a new species, Psilota nigritarsa Huo & Zhao, sp. nov., and a newly recorded species in China, P. nigripilosa Shiraki, 1968. It also offers additional measurements for Psilota bashanensis Huo, Zhao & Liu, 2022. The paper proposes a reclassification of the P. innupta-group in the Palaearctic Region into two subgroups based on the morphology of the male genitalia. An updated taxonomic key for the species of the P. innupta-group within the Palaearctic Region is also provided.

Dentisphaera Páll-Gergely & Jochum, 2017 is a troglobitic land snails genus known to harbour only one species found in a single cave in North Vietnam. Based on recently collected specimens from China, three species, Dentisphaera lagredeae Chen, Grego & Páll-Gergely, sp. nov., Dentisphaera shzha Chen, Grego & Páll-Gergely, sp. nov. and Dentisphaera zhoui Chen, Lin & Páll-Gergely, sp. nov. are introduced as new to science. The distribution range of Dentisphaera is extended based on the collecting records of these new species.

Eucotylidae is a family of microphalloid digeneans parasitising as adults in the urinary system of birds. There are few molecular data on members of this family, and phylogenetic relationships of its genera and species are still unclear. Here we present new morphological and molecular data on a eucotylid species Tanaisia atra (Nezlobinsky, 1926). Specimens of T. atra were found in Eurasian Coot Fulica atra Linnaeus, 1758 in European and Asian parts of Russia and examined using optical and SEM microscopy and molecular techniques. We report the presence of a well-developed cirrus sac and different types of tegumental scales in this species for the first time. All molecular markers used in our study (ITS2 region, 28S rRNA and cox1gene) indicate that T. atra isolates from European and Asian parts of Russia are conspecific. In phylograms based on ITS2 region and 28S rRNA gene sequences, T. atra clustered with other Tanaisia spp.

In the Homoneura (Homoneura) picta group, H. (H.) dahanshanensis Liu & Shi, sp. nov. is described as new to science and H. (H.) picta (de Meijere, 1904) is supplemented with detailed descriptions of significant intraspecific variations in abdominal striping patterns and structures of the syntergosternite and hypandrial apodeme. Photographic illustrations of these variations are also provided. A key to the 7 species of the group in China is presented.

The subgenus Dendrotipula was distributed in Palaearctic Region. Only eight species of the subgenus Dendrotipula Savchenko, 1964 were known to occur worldwide, two species were described in China. Based on new collections, we described one new species from Southwest China, Tipula (Dendrotipula) dorsigera Q.C. Yang, sp. nov. A key to the species of Tipula (Dendrotipula) from world is presented.

The taxonomic status of Episoriculus umbrinus has been contentious. This study aims to clarify its taxonomic position through mitochondrial genome analysis. Specimens of E. umbrinus were obtained from Liupanshui City, Guizhou Province, China. Genomic DNA was extracted, and 15 primer pairs were designed to amplify and sequence the complete mitochondrial genome of E. umbrinus. The results revealed that the mitochondrial genome of E. umbrinus is a circular double-stranded structure with a length of 17,073 bp, comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 1 control region, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes, and 1 origin of L-strand replication. Compared with E. caudatus, differences were observed between the two species in terms of replication origins, gene overlap regions, base lengths, and termination codons. Genetic distance analysis of mitochondrial protein-coding genes showed that the genetic distance between E. umbrinus and E. caudatus ranged from 0.069 to 0.125. A phylogenetic tree constructed based on the concatenated sequences of the 13 protein-coding genes indicated that E. umbrinus clustered as a distinct branch with the other three species within the genus Episoriculus. This study confirmed at the molecular level that E. umbrinus is an independent species rather than a subspecies of E. caudatus. The mitochondrial genome sequence of E. umbrinus provides an important supplementary information for the genetic research of this species and offers new evidence for the phylogenetic study of the tribe Nectogalini.

Trophic interactions, the fundamental links in food webs, are an important modulator of biodiversity structuring and ecosystem functioning. However, interactions between scorpions and insects remain poorly understood despite their high biomass and diversity in natural ecosystems and more than 410 million years of evolutionary history. Here we summarize three trophic interaction types from 95 scorpion-insect species pairs in which both scorpions and insects were identified at least to the genus level. Predator-prey relationships were the most documented trophic interactions between scorpions and insects, involving 45 scorpion species from 9 families and 79 insect species from 11 orders. Prey-predator interactions were recorded between 11 species pairs of insects from four orders and scorpions from five families. Parasitiodism was documented between four dipterans (3 families) and five scorpions (3 families). The mega-diversity of insects and the high biomass of scorpion species in natural ecosystems imply that their complex trophic interactions await to be characterized.

The Mediterranean invasive species Calanipeda aquaedulcis Kritschagin, 1873 was discovered for the first time in Svyatoe Lake in the Nizhny Novgorod Region (Russia). This species had not previously been found north of the Kama River estuary near Kazan city (Middle Volga). For comparison, the population from the Tsimlyansk Reservoir (Don River, southern Russia) was also analyzed. Both populations were studied using morphology and genetics (12SrRNA, CO1, nITS and 18SrRNA genes), which showed no differences between them. A morphological description of a male and female invader from Svyatoe Lake with illustrations is provided. Comparison of the invader population by the CO1 gene with material from the Bilbao estuary, Spain (GenBank) showed a difference between these populations of 8.2% nucleotide substitutions, which excludes the Spanish population as a donor for introduction into Russia. Possible sources of invasion and prospects for the dispersal of the invader are discussed.

A new tintinnid ciliate, Salpingella subarctica Zhang, Li & Li, sp. nov. was discovered in waters from the subarctic north Pacific Ocean to the Arctic Ocean during six research cruises conducted between July and September over the past decade. Distinct lorica characteristics justify the establishment of this new species, distinguishing it from previously known species: an average lorica opening diameter (12.6 μm), an average posterior lorica opening diameter (3.6 μm), a smaller lorica length (41.8–69.5 μm), a prominent posterior opening, and 8–10 longitudinal fins extending parallelly from the opening to the posterior end. It occurred in water with temperature of -1.6–20.5°C and salinity of 25.3–34.4, and preferred to salinity of 32, temperature of 11°C in open ocean in Pacific Ocean, and 0°C in Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea.

Hyleoglomeris xini sp. nov. is described from Hubei, China, as new to science. It is different from other species of the genus by its ommatidia, more elongated Tömösváry’s organ and different posterior telopod. A checklist of the genus Hyleoglomeris in China of total 37 species is provided, including their locations and microhabitats.

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A new species of free-living marine nematode, collected from subtidal sediments in the Yellow Sea, China, is described herein as M. sinica sp. nov. The species is characterized by a slender body of 2450–3670 µm long; three small teeth nearly equal in size; short spicules almost straight, cephalated proximally and conical distally; a small gubernaculum without apophysis; the absence of precloacal supplements and setae; and the presence of three small precloacal pores. Morphological characteristics of males of all Meyeria species are provided.

Chinese bees of the subgenus Anthophora (Anthomegilla) Marikovskaya, 1976 are reviewed. Eleven species are confirmed to occur in China, two of which are described and illustrated as new species: A. (Anthomegilla) nailungensis Niu, sp. nov. and A. (A.) gyiruensis Niu, sp. nov. The female of A. (A.) beijingensis (Wu, 1986) and the male of A. (A.) flavonigra (Wu, 1988) are described for the first time. Diagnoses, updated synonymies, materials examined, global distributional data and floral associations of each species are provided along with illustrations and a key to known species in China.

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The study describes a new species, Syndiamesa fanduangularis Fu, sp. nov., representing the first record of the genus Syndiamesa from the Oriental Region. A detailed description of the new species is provided, including morphological data and illustrations. Molecular data (COI gene) were obtained and deposited in NCBI GenBank, providing a DNA barcode for species identification. The study also provides an updated key to adult males of the genus Syndiamesa globally.

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A monogenean was discovered parasitizing the bladder of Hylarana maosonensis, an amphibian species that was not previously recorded in Yunnan Province, China. Through numerical taxonomy and comparative analysis, the monogenean was identified as a previously undescribed species of the genus Diplorchis within the family Polystomatidae and was named as Diplorchis yunnanensis Fan & Meng, sp. nov. Detail descriptions and illustrations are provided. The typical materials are deposited in the School of Life Sciences at Yunnan Normal University.

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Three new genera, Kongaraneus gen. nov., Qianaraneus gen. nov. and Zangaraneus gen. nov., and twenty-one new species of the family Araneidae from Qomolangma National Nature Reserve, Xizang, south-west China are described: Araneus cheni sp. nov. (♂♀), A. guoi sp. nov. (♂♀), A. jinhuai sp. nov. (♂♀), A. lidiae sp. nov. (♂♀), A. luoi sp. nov. (♂♀), A. subluoi sp. nov. (♂♀), A. wangi sp. nov. (♀), Kongaraneus lii sp. nov. (♂♀), K. fani sp. nov. (♂♀), K. mengfeiae sp. nov. (♂♀), K. shenghangi sp. nov. (♂♀), K. shilini sp. nov. (♂♀), K. yongxiangi sp. nov. (♀), K. zhangae sp. nov. (♀), Pronoides liqii sp. nov. (♂♀), P. xiaoi sp. nov. (♂♀), Qianaraneus kejii sp. nov. (♂♀), Zangaraneus liui sp. nov. (♂♀), Z. pani sp. nov. (♂♀), Z. shikaii sp. nov. (♂), and Z. zhui sp. nov. (♂). Moreover, three species, Kongaraneus bicavus (Zhu & Wang, 1994) comb. nov., K. papilioformis (Qin, Mi & Liu, 2024) comb. nov. and Qianaraneus cucullatus (Mi & Li, 2022) comb. nov. are transferred from Araneus Clerck, 1757.