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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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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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.

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.

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.

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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Global warming has emerged as the predominant trend in global climate change, with forecasts suggesting a rise in the occurrence and severity of extreme weather phenomena. As a result, ectothermic animals have become ideal model organisms for investigating the potential impacts of climate change on global biodiversity. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) is a widely used technique for gene expression analysis. However, stable reference genes suitable for accurate normalization of transcriptional data across lizard samples have not yet been established. In this study, three skink species—Scincella modesta, S. reevesii, and Ateuchosaurus chinensis—were selected as model organisms to evaluate the expression stability of eight candidate housekeeping genes (18S rRNA, EF1α, ACTB, GAPDH, HPRT1, YWHAZ, RPS15, and RPS18) under nine distinct temperature conditions (6°C, 10°C, 14°C, 18°C, 22°C, 25°C, 28°C, 32°C, and 36°C). The Delta Ct method, BestKeeper, NormFinder, GeNorm, and RefFinder were utilized to assess expression consistency and to identify the most suitable reference genes, as well as the ideal number needed for reliable normalization. The results indicated that under varying temperature conditions, the best-performing internal controls were RPS18 and RPS15 for S. modesta; RPS18 and EF1α for S. reevesii; and RPS15 and YWHAZ for A. chinensis. Furthermore, RPS18, RPS15, and EF1α were identified as a stable and commonly applicable set of internal controls for RT-qPCR normalization across all three skink species and are recommended as reliable reference genes for use in related lizards exposed to thermal stress.

In China, only one genus within the subfamily Masarinae was recorded. In this paper, the nominate genus of the subfamily, Masaris Fabricius, 1793, is newly recorded and described in detail from China, with the illustrations of the species Masaris longicornis (Kuznetzov, 1923). Meanwhile, some field observation records of M. longicornis are provided for the first time.

Liopterids (Hymenoptera: Liopteridae) are key parasitoids of wood-boring forest pests, such as jewel beetles (Buprestidae), longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) and horntails (Siricidae). In this paper, four species of Paramblynotus Cameron, 1908 are reported from China for the first time, namely P. atratus Liu & Kovalev, 2007, P. marginatus Liu & Kovalev, 2007, P. pausatus Liu & Kovalev, 2007 and P. scaber Belizin, 1951. Distributional data and an updated key to the Chinese members of the P. scaber species-group are provided, which increase the known of Chinese liopterids fauna and supply a foundation for future biocontrol studies.

Three new species of the earthworm genus Amynthas Kinberg, 1867 (Clitellata: Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae) are described from southern China using an integrative taxonomic approach, which combines morphological traits and molecular phylogenetic analyses of the mitochondrial COI gene, namely Amynthas ganzhouensis Sun & Jiang, sp. nov. (Jiangxi), A. redactus Sun & Jiang, sp. nov. (Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan), and A. yixingensis Sun & Jiang, sp. nov. (Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Anhui). A. ganzhouensis Sun & Jiang, sp. nov. is assigned to the A. morrisi-group based on two pairs of spermathecal pores (sp) located at intersegments 5/6–6/7. A. redactus Sun & Jiang, sp. nov. is placed in the A. corticis-group, exhibiting four pairs of spermathecal pores at intersegments 5/6–8/9. A. yixingensis Sun & Jiang, sp. nov. exhibits intraspecific variation in the number and position of spermathecal pores: some populations conform to the A. sieboldi-group (three pairs of pores at 6/7–8/9), while others align with the A. corticis-group (four pairs at 5/6–8/9). Molecular analyses of the mitochondrial COI gene further confirm the distinct species status of these three taxa. These discoveries expand the known diversity of Amynthas in southern China.

A new species, Anthrenus (Anthrenodes) xizangensis Zhou, Háva & Da, sp. nov., is described based on a series of specimens recently collected in Lhasa, Xizang, China. The new species is illustrated and compared with its morphological similar species: A. himalayensis Háva, Wachkoo & Maqbool, 2019, A. katrinkrauseae Háva, 2018, and A. occultus Háva, 2006. It differs in the scale coloration and pattern, as well as in the antennae and male genitalia. A comparative diagnosis and a distribution map of known similar Anthrenus species are provided.

A new species of free-living marine nematodes that belongs to the family Richtersiidae Kreis, 1929 was found in the Yellow Sea and is described herein as Richtersia sinica sp. nov. The new species is characterized by a body length of 402–430 μm; a multispiral amphidial fovea with 4–4.5 turns in males and 1 turn in females; longitudinal rows of spines beginning at the mid-pharyngeal level in both sexes; paired spicules that differ in both shape and length; the right spicule being slender and elongated, 3.9–4.9 times cloacal body diameter in length, with a bifid proximal end; the left spicule being thick and short, 1.7–2.3 times cloacal body diameter with an enlarged cephalate proximal end; the gubernaculum being plate-shaped, gradually narrowed at both ends, lacking apophyses; and the tail short and conical. An updated key for the identification of valid species of Richtersia is provided.

The genus Neoennearthron Miyatake, 1954 is newly recorded from China, with a new species, N. baoshanense sp. nov., described and illustrated. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners mainly by the morphology of the male genitalia: tegmen with a broadly rounded apex, the middle part of the apex not directly connected, only joined by tissues with low sclerotization, and concave at the middle; apicolateral corners deeply emarginate and elliptically convex with a notch in dorsal view. An updated key to all known species of the genus Neoennearthron is also provided.

Corydasialidae is one of the extinct families of Neuroptera, currently comprising six genera and ten species from several Cretaceous and Eocene deposits. Here we describe a new genus and a new species of Corydasialidae from the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, namely Punctocorydasialis zhiqiae gen. & sp. nov. The new genus can be distinguished from the other genera of Corydasialidae by the forewing with pigmented marking pattern, and the RP with all branches simple, and the A1 distally pectinated.

Three new species of the genus Microhoria Chevrolat, 1877 from Mêdog, Xizang, China are described: M. asperispina sp. nov., M. medogensis sp. nov., and M. zhugensis sp. nov. Images of the habitus and major diagnostic characters of all new species are provided as well as habitat photographs of M. asperispina sp. nov.