The vampire squid, Vampyroteuthis infernalis Chun, 1903, is currently the only extant species in the family Vampyroteuthidae Chun, 1903. However, specimens from the Gulf of Guinea, Africa, and California suggested the possibility of additional taxa. Here, we report the second species of Vampyroteuthis, collected from the South China Sea, China, which differs from V. infernalis by its tail shape, lower beak, photophores position, and the phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial COI and nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU) sequences: V. infernalis present by the lacking of the tail, photophores located approximately one-third of the points between the fins and end, and the lower beak with a broad, short wing; V. pseudoinfernalis Qiu, Liu & Huang, sp. nov. present by an acuate tail, a pair of photophores located at the midpoints between the fins and tail, and a lower beak with a broad, elongate wing.

Phylogenomics is a new field that infers evolutionary relationships of taxa at the genome-scale level. The increment of molecular data may raise the potential bias as the limiting factor in phylogenomics. It is particularly important to explore these factors in phylogenomic analyses by simple, convenient, time-saving and (relatively) robust means. Here, we construct a set of custom scripts for USCO (universal single-copy orthologs) loci extraction, multiple sequence alignment, trimming poorly aligned regions, loci filtering and creating a concatenation matrix, prior to reconstructing the phylogenetic trees, to simplify analytical pipelines and improve the accuracy of tree estimation. These scripts employed a series of computationally efficient bioinformatic tools, and were used with a universal ‘BASH’ shell or visual interface by Windows-like ‘drag and drop’ operations in LINUX systems. Most steps in these scripts are parallelized to accelerate analyses. These new custom scripts provide a convenient analytical solution for phylogenomics data preparation, data quality control, and detection of potential analytical errors. Details and scripts usage are provided at https://github.com/xtmtd/ Phylogenomics/tree/main/scripts. The virtual mirror file (.vmdk) integrates the operating system and required environment. All tools and scripts can be downloaded from https://dx.doi.org/ 10.6084/m9.figshare.21283026. Besides, the video introduction and “walk-through” for each script are provided at https://space.bilibili.com/319699648/channel/seriesdetail?sid=2682055.

Three new genera of spiders are described: Jishiyu Lin & Li, gen. nov., of Agelenidae C. L. Koch, 1837, with J. songjiang Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂, China: Yunnan) as the type species, Marusik Lin & Li, gen. nov., of Gnaphosidae Banks, 1892, with M. yurii Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂, Vietnam) as the type species and Xiaoliguang Lin & Li, gen. nov., of Phrurolithidae Banks, 1892, with X. huarong Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam) as the type species. Thirty-five new species are described in 12 families: Corinnidae Karsch, 1880: Spinirta qishuoi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, China: Guangxi); Hahniidae Bertkau, 1878: Cicurina miniae Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, Vietnam); Halonoproctidae Pocock, 1901: Latouchia wenruni Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Hainan); Liocranidae Simon, 1897: Oedignatha wuyong Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam) and Sphingius gongsunsheng Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, Vietnam); Nemesiidae Simon, 1889: Sinopesa guansheng Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂, China: Yunnan); Phrurolithidae Banks, 1892: Edelithus huyanzhuo Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), E. linchong Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), E. qinming Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), Grandilithus linglingae Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), G. yangzhi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, Vietnam), Lingulatus chaijin Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, Vietnam), L. dongping Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), L. liying Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), L. longfeiae Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), L. luzhishen Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), L. zhangqing Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), L. zhutong Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), Otacilia liuxinyei Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), O. wusong Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂, Vietnam) and O. xuning Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, Vietnam); Pimoidae Wunderlich, 1986: Pimoa zeluni Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂, China: Hebei); Salticidae Blackwall, 1841: Epeus covid Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Yunnan); Theridiidae Sundevall, 1833: Phoroncidia minlangi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, China: Fujian); Thomisidae Sundevall, 1833: Borboropactus nanda Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Yunnan), Cozyptila haocongi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), Lysiteles huyilinae Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), Massuria daizong Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Yunnan) and Zametopina wanliae Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂, Vietnam); Trachelidae Simon, 1897: Utivarachna yumaoi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂, Vietnam); Zodariidae Thorell, 1881: Asceua shuangreni Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), Cydrela likui Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), Mallinella lisongi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam), M. pingzhoui Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam) and M. sena Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam). One genus name and one species name are detected as homonyms and thereby replacement names for the preoccupied names are proposed, in accordance with Article 60 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN, 1999), i.e., Xilithus Liu & Li, nom. nov., ex Acrolithus Liu & Li, 2022 (preoccupied nomen); Araneus xiang Mi & Li, nom. nov., ex Araneus arcuatus Mi & Li, 2022 (preoccupied nomen). Therefore, all 16 species of Acrolithus Liu & Li, 2022 are transferred to Xilithus Liu & Li, nom. nov.

Four species of the genus Karstsinnectes, which live in dark, low-energy groundwater ecosystems, are currently recorded, mainly distributed in the upstream of the Pearl River, the Youjiang River and the Hongshui River. Completing biodiversity surveys is particularly difficult due to the particular cave habitats inhabited by these species. In this work, we describe a new cave fish of the genus Karstsinnectes, namely K. cehengensis Luo, Zhao & Zhou, sp. nov., collected from the Beipanjiang River, the upstream of the Hongshui River. Genetically, the four individuals of the new species form a phylogenetically separate lineage, as the sister clade of K. acridorsalis, with a 9.4–9.5% genetic difference in mitochondrial Cyt b. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics: body naked, without body color; eyes reduced, diameter 1.4–3.8% of head length; anterior and posterior nostrils adjacent, anterior nostril not elongated to a barbel-like tip; lateral line incomplete; caudal fin forked; dorsal-fin rays iii-7, pectoral-fin rays i-11–12, pelvic-fin rays i-7, anal-fin rays iii-5, with 14 branched caudal-fin rays. The discovery of this new species represents the northernmost distribution of species within the genus Karstsinnectes and the first record from Guizhou Province. All currently known species of this genus inhabited in caves, making them ideal organisms for studying historical river connectivity and cave formation process.

Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera: Bruchinae) is a destructive agricultural pest that is harmful to beans worldwide and an important quarantine pest in China. It was divided into two phenotypes based on polyphenism: normal and flight forms. In this study, we first compared the morphological structures of the compound eyes of the two forms. According to the results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), microcomputed tomography (micro-CT), and computer three-dimensional reconstruction, there are no differences in the structures of the compound eyes between the normal and flight forms except for the number of ommatidia. From the internal structure, the compound eyes have a biconvex cornea with open rhabdom and acone eye, crystalline cone directly connected with rhabdom, and no clear zone. It is a kind of apposition eye. Ommatidia facets range in shape from quadrilateral to hexagonal and some irregular shapes. On electroretinograms (ERGs), the normal and flight forms showed different spectral sensitivities: the normal form had the strongest response to ultraviolet light, whereas the flight form had the strongest response to white light. Behavioral assays revealed that the normal and flight forms showed completely opposite phototaxis behaviors; the flight form exhibited positive phototaxis, whereas the normal form exhibited negative phototaxis. This study not only enriches our knowledge on coleopteran compound eyes but also provides a foundation for in-depth research on the photoreceptor mechanisms of compound eyes, which may be useful in pest control management.

The diversity of the brown frog genus Rana may be underestimated as the high similarity of morphological characters. In this study, a new species of Rana from Guizhou Province, China is described, namely Rana zhijinensis Luo, Xiao & Zhou, sp. nov. Molecular phylogenetic analyses clustered the new species into the R. japonica group of Rana and significant morphological characters can be distinguished from the 11 recognized species of the R. japonica group. This description increases the number of recognized Rana to 57 species and the R. japonica group to 12 species, and increases our knowledge of the diversity of the genus Rana.

This study focused on and examined the traditional Lucanus fortunei group comprising more than 60% of all Lucanus taxa in China. Each species treatment includes a description, distribution, collecting methods, natural history and digital habitus and other pertinent images. A dichotomous taxonomic key was created specific to the Chinese L. fortunei group and the related groups. The Lucanus fortunei group is arguably the largest group in terms of species richness in Lucanus Scopoli; however, the group definition is unclear and needs to be critically assessed and redefined. Field work and sampling of the Chinese Lucanus fortunei species group was conducted between summer, 2017 and summer, 2022. Field sites included Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Taiwan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Xizang, Guangdong, and Guangxi Provinces. Thirty-two taxa (species and subspecies), including 473 specimens, previously considered to fall within the scope of the Lucanus fortunei group were examined by morphological study. Three new groups, the Lucanus brivioi group, the Lucanus kraatzi group, and the Lucanus parryi group are proposed and separated from the traditional Lucanus fortunei group, based on morphological characters. The subspecies, L. parryi laetus, is proposed as the synonym of the nominate subspecies.

The genus Neoseiulus Hughes, 1948 is one of the largest genera in Phytoseiidae and contains more than 364 valid species in the world. In this paper, a new species N. setarius Ma, Meng & Fan, sp. nov. is described based on both adult female and male specimens collected from Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv. (Gramineae), in Inner Mongolia of China. The adult females of the new species are characterized by having a fully reticulated dorsal shield, barbed Z5, bell-shaped spermathecal calyx with a short basal stalk. Furthermore, seta R1 is off dorsal idiosomal shield in adult males.

Four new genera in three spider families are reported, namely Langlibaitiao Lin & Li, gen. nov., of Dictynidae O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871, with Lathys inaffecta Li, 2017 (♂♀, China: Guangxi) as the type species; Huoyanluo Lin & Li, gen. nov., of Macrobunidae Petrunkevitch, 1928, with Huoyanluo ruanxiaoqi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂, China: Yunnan) as the type species and Gushangzao Lin & Li, gen. nov. and Gyro Lin & Li, gen. nov., of Theridiidae Sundevall, 1833, with Gushangzao shiqian Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Xizang) and Gyro zeppeli Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, China: Yunnan) as the type species, respectively. Further 31 new species in 19 spider families are reported, including Agelenidae C.L. Koch, 1837: Troglocoelotes doul Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, China: Guangxi) and T. ruanxiaowu Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, China: Guangxi); Dictynidae: Langlibaitiao zhangshun Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂, China: Hainan); Hahniidae Bertkau, 1878: Hahnia zhuyifani Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, China: Yunnan); Liocranidae Simon, 1897: Platnick xintongi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Xizang); Macrobunidae: Funny yanqing Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Xizang) and Huoyanluo zhangzezhongi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂, China: Yunnan); Mysmenidae Petrunkevitch, 1928: Phricotelus yangxiong Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Chongqing); Nemesiidae Simon, 1889: Raveniola shixiu Lin, Wang & Li, sp. nov. (♀, China: Guangxi) and R. xiezhen Lin, Wang & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Yunnan); Nesticidae Simon,1894: Speleoticus sicet Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Sichuan); Ochyroceratidae Fage, 1912: Speocera yiduoi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂, China: Guangdong); Oecobiidae Blackwall, 1862: Uroctea chenyui Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Guangxi); Oonopidae Simon, 1890: Orchestina xiebao Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, China: Chongqing); Philodromidae Thorell, 1869: Apollophanes lujiani Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Guangxi) and Psellonus dawanqu Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Guangdong); Salticidae Blackwall, 1841: Coccorchestes spark Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Indonesia, West Papua), Onomastus zhuwu Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Chongqing) and Synagelides huangxin Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Chongqing); Sparassidae Bertkau,1872: Thelcticopis chongzu Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Yunnan); Symphytognathidae Hickman,1931: Kirinua zhengqi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, China: Guangxi); Synotaxidae Simon,1895: Tekellina haosiwen Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Chongqing) and T. huihangi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Zhejiang); Theridiidae: Chrosiothes pengqi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, China: Chongqing), Coscinida hantao Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Chongqing), Gushangzao goemon Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Japan, Iriomotejima Island), Theridion chenzhangfui Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Zhejiang) and Yaginumena xuanzan Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Chongqing); Theridiosomatidae Simon, 1881: Coddingtonia chenyufengi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♀, Vietnam: Hai Phong) and Sennin zhangxinae Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, Vietnam: Hai Phong); Zodariidae Thorell, 1881: Mallinella zhoushengboi Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀, China: Chongqing). Four new combinations in three spider families are proposed: Philodromidae: Psellonus kianganensis (Barrion & Litsinger, 1995) comb. nov.; Theridiidae: Gushangzao pelorosus (Zhu, 1998) comb. nov. and Dictynidae: Langlibaitiao chishuiensis (Zhang, Yang & Zhang, 2009) comb. nov. and L. inaffectus (Li, 2017) comb. nov.

Planarian is an excellent model for studying several scientific issues, and planarianology has become an active research field in the world. Researchers at home and abroad have conducted a lot of in-depth studies on planarians in various areas. This paper outlined the panorama of planarian research in China and summarized the advances from three aspects of taxonomy, molecular phylogeny and phylogeography, regeneration, tissue homeostasis and immunity as well as toxicology. Furthermore, the current problems and future development direction and tendency of planarian research in China are briefly analyzed and prospected. Importantly, the catalogue of planarians in China is also presented.

Four species of the tribe Mesosini Mulsant, 1839 are recorded from Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China: Agelasta (Mesolophus) marmorata (Pic, 1927), Mesosa (Perimesosa) atrostigma Gressitt, 1942, M. (P.) hyunchaei Yamasako & Hasegawa, 2009, and M. (Mesosa) myops (Dalman, 1817). M. (P.) hyunchaei Yamasako & Hasegawa, 2009 is recorded from China for the first time, including Beijing and Jiangsu.

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In this study, two new species of Typhloplanidae, viz Phaenocora shenda Huang & Wang, sp. nov. and Mesostoma jilinensis Wang & Huang, sp. nov. collected from northeastern and southern China, were identified and described through an integrative approach combining morphological, histological, and molecular (18S and 28S rDNA) data. Phaenocora shenda Huang & Wang, sp. nov. is morphologically characterized by the presence of an unarmed penis papilla, a genito-bursal duct and a burso-intestinal duct. The individual of P. shenda Huang & Wang, sp. nov. can be in green color or colorless, depending on whether it contains the endosymbiotic zoochlorellae or not. Mesostoma jilinensis Wang & Huang, sp. nov. is morphologically characterized by a relatively large penis papilla of the copulatory organ. A prepharyngeal pit is present. The paired uteri are connected to the common genital atrium. Phylogenetic analyses inferred from nuclear 18S and 28S rRNA genes have provided insights into the phylogenetic position of these two new species.

We present a comprehensive catalog with an updated database of the fossil record of Diplopoda in the world. Taxonomic data was collected from descriptions and reports published from 1854 to the present. We also include new records from Mexican amber (Upper Oligocene-Lower Miocene), counting 83 unknown fossil inclusions, with the first records of the orders Polyxenida, Platydesmida, and Julida, as well as the families Sphaeriodesmidae and Trichopolydesmidae within Polydesmida. According to our results, Diplopoda counts 413 records featuring 299 distinct taxa ranging from the Middle Silurian to the Upper Pleistocene, representing three subclasses, two subterclasses, six superorders, 25 orders, 15 superfamilies, 55 families, 93 genera, and 161 fossil species. To date, no fossils of the order Siphonocryptida have been reported. The fossil record extends over three geological eras: the Paleozoic, with 161 taxa, including 97 species; the Mesozoic, with 53 taxa and 22 species; and the Cenozoic, with 85 taxa and 42 species. The referred material shows different forms of fossil preservation. It comprises 123 impressions, 99 compressions, 26 ichnites, predominantly from Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments, and 165 amber inclusions from late Mesozoic and Cenozoic sites. Thus, this catalog allows us to estimate the size and taxonomic composition of Diplopoda in the fossil record worldwide.

The history of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas (QTPH) region makes it a ‘living laboratory’ for understanding how the Earth’s abiotic evolution has shaped regional biotas. However, no studies to date have attempted to investigate general macro-scale biogeographical patterns and biogeographical affinities of the QTPH terrestrial fauna in a global context. Based on the analyses of the global distributions of QTPH Aphidomorpha species, we examined generalized distribution patterns for them and investigated the biogeographical affinities between the QTPH and other regions. Track analysis and cluster analysis of the global distributions of 298 Aphidomorpha species in the QTPH identified seven generalized biogeographical tracks and eight general distribution patterns. Both approaches detected similarly generalized distribution patterns. Four marginal areas where the generalized tracks intersect, i.e. the eastern Himalayas, the western Himalayas, the Hengduan Mountains, and the northeastern QTPH, were identified as biogeographical nodes. The generalized distribution patterns indicate the biogeographical affinities between the QTPH and other regions and suggest the complex nature of the QTPH fauna. A spatial congruence between the nodes and diversity centres detected by previous studies indicates the four marginal areas have been key areas in fauna evolution as centres for faunal exchange as well as glacial refugia. Based on the biogeographical patterns, the geological history of the QTPH and the evolutionary history of Aphidomorpha, we propose an evolutionary scenario for the evolution of the QTPH aphid fauna in which faunal exchanges, vicariance due to the uplift of geographical barriers, environmental heterogeneity and Quarternary glaciations have shaped the diversity patterns and fauna in the QTPH.

A new species of Torrenticola (Acari: Hydrachnidia) is reported from China, namely T. (T.) gladiusirostrum Jia, Gu & Guo, sp. nov. And T. (Megapalpis) distans K.O. Viets, 1981 is recorded in China for the first time. Both descriptions and illustrations of these species are provided. The new species is characteristic by: dorsal plate arrangement 2+1; infracapitular bay U-shaped, deep and wide, V2 almost at same level of Ap; gnathosoma ventral apodeme short and blunt, rostrum flat and sword-shaped; P-2 and P-3 ventral processes smooth and pointed, and P-2 ventral process curved upwards, P-4 with two ventral extensions.

Myxozoans are common microscopic endoparasites in fish, and some are highly pathogenic to their wild and farmed fish hosts. In the present study, myxosporeans infection in the kidney of silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes, 1844) from Lake Taihu, was investigated, and two dominate species, Myxobolus lieni (Nie & Li, 1973) and M. varius (Achmerov, 1960), with infection prevalence 60.2% and 35.2%, respectively, were well characterized based on morphological, histopathological and DNA sequence data. M. lieni formed small roundish plasmodia in the epithelial cells of renal tubules. The mature myxospores appeared suborbicular, slightly flat in frontal view and fusiform shaped in sutural view. Dispersed myxospores of M. varius were found in the renal interstitium without forming plasmodia structures and enclosed within melano-macrophage centers. The spore appeared elliptical in frontal view, with wider anterior than posterior and shuttle shaped in sutural view. Interestingly, the occurrence of myxozoans in the kidney detected with SSU rDNA PCR and clone sequencing, revealed co-infection of five Myxobolus species. BLASTn search indicated SSU rDNA gene sequences obtained here were not identical to any sequence available in GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the five Myxobolus species detected here were clustered together, forming a separate clade of cyprinid-infecting myxozoans.

The genus Ophthalmothrips from China is reviewed here, with the description of a new species, O. elongatus Li & Dang, sp. nov., which was collected from the roots of weeds in Hunan Province. An illustrated key is given here to all five species known from China.

Three species of Dryomyzidae namely, Dryomyza anilis Fallén, 1820, Dryope decrepita (Zetterstedt, 1838) and Paradryomyza spinigera Ozerov, 1987, and the genus Dryope are recorded in China for the first time. A key to the extant species of China is provided. Photographs of the external and genital characters are presented.

Scale insects comprise a diverse group of insects within superfamily Coccoidea in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, many of them are important pests of economic crops. The advent in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has revolutionized conventional phylogenomic researches, causing a rapid accumulation of sequenced insect mitochondrial genomes. However, there have been few studies on the mitochondrial genome of diverse scale insect groups. By using NGS methods, the complete mitochondrial genome of Nipponaclerda biwakoensis was obtained in this study, representing the first mtDNA of the family Aclerdidae. The whole mitochondrial genome is 16,654 bp in length with an A+T content of 81.3%, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal RNAs, 17 transfer RNAs and a control region. All PCGs begin with typical ATN codons and use standard TAA as their termination codons, except nad1 gene stopping with TAG. Meanwhile, this mitochondrial genome shows a unique gene rearrangement with a long fragment (trnP-trnC-trnI-nad2-trnY-trnT) insertion in the conserved region nad6-cob, which is novel to Hemiptera, even Insecta. The phylogeny reconstruction of Sternorrhyncha based on 13 PCGs and 2 rRNAs under Bayesian Inference method support a robust topology that Aleyrodoidea is the earliest branch of Sternorrhyncha, with Psylloidea as the sister group of the (Aphidoidea?+?Coccoidea) clade.

Each species within the order Thysanoptera has a distinct mitochondrial gene order displaying a high level of gene rearrangement, particularly massive in Phlaeothripidae. To understand the evolutionary patterns of rearrangement in this family, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of Psephenothrips eriobotryae, a notable potential pest of loquat trees. Its mitogenome is a circular DNA molecule (15,413 bp in size) composed of 37 genes: 13 PCGs, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs, and two putative control regions (CRs). By comparing with the ancestral mitogenome of arthropods, P. eriobotryae exhibits notable gene rearrangement variations. However, it shares four conserved gene blocks with three closely related species in Phlaeothripinae. In the phylogenetic tree, P. eriobotryae was clustered with these three leaf-feeding Phlaeothripinae species. The presence of more similar conserved gene blocks probably indicates a strong correlation between gene rearrangements and the phylogeny within Phlaeothripidae. Furthermore, the mitogenome of P. eriobotryae shows some characteristics: (a) two putative CRs in which CR2 is the copy of partial CR1 with 99.62% sequence similarity, and CR1 consists of two 237 bp repeat unites; (b) high A+T content of 82.6% in overall base composition; (c) trnS1 lacking a complete dihydrouridine (DHU) arm; (d) the protein coding gene, atp8 started with TTG instead of the more common ATN, while nad3 terminated by TAG rather than TAA; (e) translocations and inversions observed in fifteen of the 37 genes.

Eleven new species of Ourapteryx Leach, 1814 were described: O. curta Jiang & Han, sp. nov., O. triangulata Cheng & Han, sp. nov., O. cawarongensis Cheng & Jiang, sp. nov., O. arcuata Jiang & Cheng, sp. nov., O. longiacutata Jiang & Cheng, sp. nov., O. linzhiensis Jiang & Cheng, sp. nov., O. aniqiaoensis Cheng & Zhu, sp. nov., O. incurvata Cheng & Jiang, sp. nov., O. concava Cheng & Han, sp. nov., O. alba Cheng & Han, sp. nov., O. motuoensis Cheng & Zhu, sp. nov. Diagnoses for these new species are provided, with illustrations of external features and genitalia.

Here I explore the biological relevance, origin and meaning of the concept of cladogram (rooted, directed branching diagrams representing the hypothesized phylogenetic relationships among the terminal taxa under study) and argue that cladograms do not necessarily entail synapomorphies, but synapomorphies are required to test and ultimately falsify cladograms. Both cladograms and synapomorphies are required to achieve phylogenetic explanation. I conclude that within a phylogenetic, scientific context, testability refers to the logical relationship among cladograms (hypotheses), synapomorphies (evidence), and background knowledge (descent with modification). It is the relationship between evidence and hypothesis that underlies a logically consistent relationship between synapomorphies and cladograms. The capacity of a given cladogram, as a hypothesis, to explain synapomorphies complements this relationship and conforms phylogenetic explanation.

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Species are not only the fundamental units of taxonomy but also the basic units of pest management. Insects of Conogethes are important agricultural and forestry pests. However, species boundaries within Conogethes often appear obscure. In the present study, we re-evaluated the species status of Conogethes by applying three species delimitation approaches based on the mitochondrial DNA sequences, with particular emphasis on the yellow peach moth C. punctiferalis (Guenée, 1854). We first optimized species delimitation and inter-species genetic divergence threshold using a DNA barcoding dataset. The results revealed that several nominal species of Conogethes species harbored deeply diverged mitochondrial lineages which were recognized as independent species by the species delimitation methods. The p-distance between the delimited putative species ranged from 0.0159 to 0.1321 with a mean of 0.0841. Then we refined the species status of C. punctiferalis using the smallest interspecific distance threshold based on a geographically comprehensive population-scale dataset. This procedure narrowed the species concept of C. punctiferalis to a genetically coherent unit. Further investigation of its intraspecific divergence in the geographic context revealed that the refined C. punctiferalis was still widely distributed with the same or highly similar mitochondrial haplotypes occurring across South and East Asia.

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A new freshwater opecoelid species, Sphaerostoma tamarae sp. nov., is described from Rhynchocypris percnura mantschurica caught in the Syumnyur River (Amur River basin, Russia). This parasite species differs from all other congeners in the distribution of the vitelline follicles (restricted to the hindbody) and the morphology of the ventral sucker (strongly protuberant). Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on 28S rRNA gene sequences and the morphological analysis allow to tentatively assign the new species to the genus Sphaerostoma, without closing the question regarding the true genus affiliation of this species. In addition, the authors provide an argument for renaming the Plagioporinae to the Sphaerostomatinae.

In this study, we review the Rheotanytarsus acerbus species group based on adult males from China. Two new species, R. cangshanensis Lin & Yao, sp. nov. and R. yamamotoi Lin & Yao, sp. nov., are described. R. adjectus (Johannsen, 1932) is re-described for its new record from China. A world key to adult males of acerbus species group is provided for the first time.

Here, a new species collected in the coastal area of Southern China is described, namely Bolbochromus vespertialis sp. nov. The species belongs to the subgenus Bolbochromus Boucomont, 1909, distinguished from the other two subgenera by possesses a frontovertex with punctate augmentation, an unmodified clypeus and aedeagus with distinct parameres (Krikken & Li, 2013)

Based on available records, a comprehensive overview of the biodiversity and geographical distribution of Collembola in China is presented. A total of 735 species, 155 genera and 20 families were recorded in the checklist, including current name information, synonyms, geographical records, and bibliographic references. Taxonomic notes were added where necessary and Chinese translations were provided for genera and families. The following new combinations are proposed: Rambutsinella grinnellia (Wang, Chen & Christiansen, 2004) comb. nov. for Pseudosinella grinnellia Wang, Chen & Christiansen 2004; Rambutsinella hui (Wang, Chen & Christiansen, 2003) comb. nov. for Pseudosinella hui Wang, Chen & Christiansen 2003; and Rambutsinella tridentifera (Rusek, 1971) comb. nov. for Pseudosinella tridentifera Rusek 1971. In addition, certain species have been merged with their synonyms. This checklist includes articles published up to August 2023.

The genus Diomus Mulsant, 1850 (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Diomini) from China is herein revised. Five species of Diomus are occurring in the Chinese fauna to date, including a new species from the Dafushan Mountains Forest Park, Guangzhou, Guangdong, namely D. dafushanensis Bi, Peng & Chen, sp. nov. Nomenclatural history, diagnosis, illustrations and distribution were provided for each species. A key to the native species of Diomus from China is also presented.

Males of Platycnemis latipes (Platycnemididae, Odonata) have enlarged tibiae (fans) and patrol using a special longitudinal zig-zag flight. By means of focal observations and experimental manipulations of the colour of abdomen and fans of mature males, we suggest that the zig-zag flight is used to avoid unnecessary harassment from other males and has not the function to attract females. The fans of P. latipes are mainly used as a tool to threaten rivals, but their effectiveness seems limited. Both abdomen and fans of a mature male can reflect UV light strongly.

As the largest continent in the world, bound by the Pacific, Indian, and Arctic Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea, Asia is well-endowed in its geological and biological diversity. Not surprisingly, spiders abound in the vast expanses of its tropic and temperate forests, lofty mountain ranges and plateaus, and flood plains of its many river systems. However, it is only over the past two decades that we have begun to make a concerted effort to undertake the study of spider taxonomy, and correspondingly, to discuss the issue of conservation of their habitats.

A species of the genus Nephrotoma from Xizang, China is described as new to science, namely N. zhuolonggouensis Men, sp. nov., which differs from its relative species by the structures of outer gonostylus, median lobe of sternite eighth and gonapophyses. Hypopygiums of another six species, N. concava Yang & Yang, 1990, N. geniculata Yang & Yang, 1987, N. hirsuticauda Alexander, 1924, N. martynovi Alexander, 1935, N. nigrostylata Alexander, 1935 and N. virgata (Coquillett, 1898), are redescribed based on additional characters.

Two new species of the tribe Eryciini of subfamily (Diptera: Tachinidae: Exoristinae) from the eastern part of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China are recognized, described and illustrated: Drino latifrons sp. nov. from NE Sichuan and Lydella gannanensis sp. nov. from S. Gansu, China. All the type specimens studied are deposited in Insect Collection, Shenyang Normal University.

A new species, Sclerodermus alternatusi Yang, sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), is described and illustrated. Its cerambycid host, Monochamus alternatus Hope, a severe wood borer attacking many pine trees (Pinus spp.), is also a vector of pine wood nematode, Bursaphelencus xylophilus, which cause severe damages to pine forests in China. The new species is a gregarious ectoparasitoid of junior larva of M. alternatus. The number of adult wasps reared from a single host larva ranges from 6 to 45. The ratio of female to male is 20 : 1. The new parasitoid species has a high potential in using as a biocontrol agent for the wood borer. Diagnosis of the new species with comparisons to its related species, S. pupariae Yang & Yao and a key to known species of Sclerodermus from China is provided.

A new genus and species, Sananicoccus nanophytoni gen. & sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on its adult female, adult male, first-instar nymph and pupa, collected on the leaves of Nanophyton erinaceum (Pall.) Bunge (Chenopodiaceae) from Xinjiang. The new genus is similar to the genus Synacanthococcus Morrison, 1920, but differs by the absence of ostioles and dorsal cerarii, and no cerarii situated on a prominent sclerotized area.

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