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Three species of the genus Arrenurus Dugès, 1834 are described in detail from China, of which Arrenurus (Arrenurus) ancoralis Zheng & Guo sp. nov. and Arrenurus (Arrenurus) unguiculus Zheng & Guo sp. nov. are new to science, and Arrenurus (Truncaturus) isikliensis Boyaci & Özkan, 2004 is recorded for the first time for the Chinese fauna. Arrenurus (A.) ancoralis can be distinguished by D3 on big humps and each with a small protrusion bearing D3 gland; the petiole is well-developed, the middle part contracted, slightly enlarged posteriorly; the ligulate process extending beyond the posterior margin of the petiole and triangle-shaped. Arrenurus (A.) unguiculus can be distinguished by the ligulate process extending beyond the posterior margin for half of petiole length, and nail-shaped. Arrenurus (A.) isikliensis is recorded for the Chinese fauna for the first time. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of the new and the newly recorded species are given in this paper.

A single specimen of Spotted frillgoby, Bathygobius cyclopterus (Valenciennes, 1837), was collected from a tidal pool on Jeju Island, Korea, in October 2017. The species is characterized by five upper free rays of the pectoral fin, a lower jaw with a mental frenum with a slightly curved posterior margin, and a small flap on the anterior nostril. Mitochondrial DNA 12S rRNA revealed that it corresponds to B. cyclopterus than other congeneric species by 100% identity. This species is the third Bathygobius species of the fish fauna of Korea, and the new Korean name proposed for the species is “Eol-lug-mu-nui-mang-dug”.

Thrissina supra sp. nov. is described based on 15 specimens collected from Sindh, Pakistan. The new species is closely related to Thrissina whiteheadi (Wongratana 1983), which is herein redescribed, both species having a relatively long upper jaw with the posterior tip slightly beyond the opercle posterior margin, the snout tip above the eye center level, similar numbers of gill rakers, ventral scutes, and fin rays, and the first supramaxilla absent. However, the former is characterized by higher counts of longitudinal scale rows (45–47 vs. 40–42 in T. whiteheadi), transverse scales (12 or 13 vs. 10 or 11), total gill rakers on the first, second, third, and fourth gill arches [35–39, 33–37, 22–24, and 18–22, respectively vs. 30–34 (rarely 36), 29–32 (34), 19–21 (23), and 15–18 (14, 19), respectively], and branched anal-fin rays [42–45 (rarely 40) vs. 39–42 (43)], a longer snout (3.7–4.1% SL vs. 3.1–3.6%), pelvic fin (9.0–10.4% SL vs. 7.7–9.0%), and mandible (17.3–18.3% SL vs. 15.4–17.2%), a shorter pelvic-fin insertion to anal-fin origin distance (17.0–18.8% SL vs. 19.1–24.2%), and distinct paired dark lines along the dorsum from the occiput to the caudal-fin base (vs. uniformly distributed dorsal melanophores).

Multiple calcareous worm-like boring casts occur on the inner surface of the calcitic external layer of the bivalve Leptodesma sp. from the Kaugatuma Formation (lower Přidoli, Upper Silurian) of Saaremaa Island, Estonia. Most of the boring casts are oriented with their apertures towards the posterior margin of Leptodesma sp. The worm-like casts were originally borings in the aragonitic layer of the valve. The borings were filled with sediment and the aragonitic layer of the bivalve later dissolved. The orientation of the borings indicates that they were likely made during the life of Leptodesma. The boring worms likely used the feeding currents of the bivalve to capture suspended nutrients, so they may have been kleptoparasites. Based on the morphology of borings in Leptodesma, they likely housed some type of filter-feeding polychaete annelid.

The nymph ofCloeodes dantasp. nov. is described from male and female nymphs collected from highland streams in the Caribbean Slope of the Costa Rica Central Volcanic Mountain Range. Adults are unknown. In addition,C. excogitatusandC. redactusare recorded for the first time in the country.Cloeodes dantasp. nov.can be differentiated from all described species by the predominantly brownish coloration on females and a similar coloration on males but with segments VII–IX light yellow and light brown, with no conspicuous marks or patterns; abundant scale-bases throughout most parts of the body; hindwings pads absent; the presence of three spines in the corners of the posterior margin of sternum III, and the posterior margin of tergum III with 28–30 spines on each side of the middle line (spine with a base width up to 0.5× spine length).

A new snailfish, Paraliparis flammeus, is described on the basis of 18 specimens collected off the Pacific coast of Tohoku District, northern Japan at depths of 422–890 m. The new species is distinguished from 28 species of Paraliparis described from the North Pacific by the following combination of characters: mouth oblique; uppermost pectoral-fin base below horizontal through posterior margin of maxillary; 60–63 vertebrae, 54–58 dorsal-fin rays, 50 or 51 anal-fin rays, six principal caudal-fin rays, and 17–20 pectoral-fin rays. A maximum likelihood tree based on 106 COI gene sequences (492 bp) of Paraliparis recovered a monophyletic group comprising P. flammeus, Paraliparis cephalus, and Paraliparis dipterus. Paraliparis cephalus is similar to P. flammeus in having an oblique mouth, but it has four caudal-fin rays (vs six rays) and the uppermost pectoral-fin base above a horizontal through the maxillary posterior margin. Paraliparis dipterus differs from P. flammeus in having a horizontal mouth, 12–14 pectoral-fin rays, and lacking pyloric caeca (present in P. flammeus). Paraliparis flammeus is most similar to the eastern North Pacific Paraliparis mento in having an oblique mouth and the uppermost pectoral-fin base below a horizontal through the posterior margin of the maxillary. However, P. flammeus differs from P. mento in having six caudal-fin rays (vs five rays) and greater preanal length (29.9–35.3% SL vs 26.7–28.5% SL). A poorly known species, Paraliparis mandibularis, previously known from only two specimens collected from Tosa Bay, southern Japan, is redescribed based on the holotype and seven newly collected specimens. It is also similar to the new species but has 27–30 pectoral-fin rays and a shorter pectoral-fin lower lobe (13.8–15.9% SL in P. mandibularis vs 16.7–23.4% SL in P. flammeus).

A new atherinid fish, Doboatherina palauensis, is described based on the holotype and 31 paratypes, 36–51 mm in standard length, collected from the marine lakes and outer lagoon in Mecherchar Island, Republic of Palau. The new species can be distinguished from all congeners by a short, blunt ascending process of the premaxilla (height about twice maximum width), premaxilla with a single lateral process, posterior upper margin of dentary with a small process, palatine toothed, no crenulation along posterior margin of lateral and predorsal scales, smaller eye (diameter 9.2–11% of standard length), 37–39 midlateral scales, 38–41 total vertebrae, narrower midlateral band (about 1/2 width of midlateral scale, its upper and lower margins not reaching to upper and lower margins of midlateral scale row at the level of anal-fin origin, respectively). The new species resembles Doboatherina aetholepis (Kimura, Iwatsuki and Yoshino 2002), Doboatherina bleekeri (Gunther 1861), Doboatherina valenciennei (Bleeker 1854) and Doboatherina woodwardi (Jordan and Starks 1901) in sharing a comparatively slender body in the genus Doboatherina. The former is distinguishable from D. aetholepis by having only a short spatular outgrowth on posterior margin of predorsal and/or interdorsal scales or almost lacking the outgrowth (vs. a long spatular outgrowth on posterior margin of most predorsal and interdorsal scales in D. aetholepis) and narrower midlateral band (lower margin not reaching to lower margin of midlateral scale row vs. reaching), from D. bleekeri and D. valenciennei by lacking crenulated lateral and predorsal scales (vs. having crenulated lateral and/or predorsal scales) and a single lateral process on premaxilla (vs. two processes), and from D. woodwardi by having lower ascending process (height about twice maximum width vs. three times) and a single lateral process on premaxilla (vs. two processes). Doboatherina bleekeri has more numerous total vertebrae (42–47) than D. palauensis (38–41).

A new species of goatfish, Parupeneus williamsi, is described on the basis of 12 specimens (43.9–234.3 mm in standard length) collected from the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. The species closely resembles Parupeneus multifasciatus (Quoy and Gaimard 1825) in sharing white to yellowish barbels, its tips usually extending beyond the posterior margin of the preopercle, two or three blackish vertical bands (including indistinct bands) on the trunk, and a blackish saddle on the upper caudal peduncle. However, the new species is distinguished from P. multifasciatus by having all of the bands and saddle very indistinct, dense melanophores uniformly distributed on the anal-fin membranes (preserved specimens), upper jaw slightly slender and shorter in specimens larger than 50 mm SL, and slightly longer second anal-fin soft ray. The morphological differences between the two species are supported by a previously published molecular analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences. Although P. multifasciatus is widely distributed in the eastern Indian and Pacific oceans, P. williamsi is endemic to the Marquesas Islands.

Thrissina belvedere sp. nov. is described from 14 specimens collected in Ha Long Bay, northern Vietnam. The new species is closely related to Thrissina chefuensis (Gunther 1874) (redescribed herein), both species having a short upper jaw with the posterior tip slightly shortened to the posterior margin of the preopercle, an indistinct black blotch on the nape (but not on the dorsum just before the dorsal-fin origin), and similar numbers of scutes on the ventral edge of the body. However, the former is characterized by higher total gill-raker counts on the first, second, third, and fourth gill arches, and the third gill arch posterior face (59–66, 53–59, 33–37, 25–29, 7–10 respectively vs. 50–57, 44–52, 29–35, 23–27, and 5–8 in T. chefuensis), fewer branched anal-fin rays [24–27 vs. 24–30 (usually 27–29)], a deeper body (body depth 25.6–27.9% SL vs. 21.9–26.0%, the distance between the dorsal and anal fin origins 29.6–31.7% SL vs. 26.1–30.2%, and the caudal-peduncle depth 10.5–11.7% SL vs. 8.8–10.6%).

Lepadichthys coccinotaenia Regan 1921 (Gobiesocidae: Diademichthyinae) is redescribed on the basis of 60 specimens, including the holotype, and a new species of Lepadichthys, previously misidentified as L. coccinotaenia, described from Japan. Lepadichthys trishula sp. nov. is characterized by the following combination of characters: 10–12 (modally 11) dorsal-fin rays; 9–11 (10) anal-fin rays; 23–26 (23) pectoral-fin rays; upper end of gill membrane level with base of 8th to 10th (usually 10th) pectoral-fin ray in lateral view; 6–8 (7) gill rakers on each arch; 32 or 33 (32) vertebrae; snout somewhat short and slender, its length and depth 7.4–9.4 (mean 8.4) and 4.0–6.5 (5.1) % SL, respectively; upper jaw not sharply pointed or projected, its length 5.5–7.7 (6.5) % SL; side of lower-jaw teeth with hook-like tips; head depth 7.2–10.4 (8.5) % SL; disc size moderate, its length 14.0–18.2 (16.8) % SL; dorsal and anal fins with weak membranous connections to caudal fin; head sensory canal pores well developed, including 2 nasal, lacrimal and postorbital, and 3 preopercular pores; and three narrow white stripes from snout to vertical through posterior margin of disc, including two lateral and one on the dorsal midline. The new species is currently known only from Japan, whereas L. coccinotaenia occurs only in the southwestern Indian Ocean.

A new species of Platybaetis viz., P. selvai sp. nov. is described herein based on larval collections from Tangon stream in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in Eastern region of Indian Himalaya. It can be differentiated by the following combination of characters: (i) posterior margin of abdominal segments I–X with rounded ‘U’ shaped spines; (ii) anterolateral margin of gills I–VII with minute setae; (iii) claw with 7–8 denticles; (iv) paracercus composed of 10–11 segments; (v) hindwing pads reduced, small. Brief ecological notes are appended.

Geometric morphometric methods are powerful tools to discriminate between closely related ostracods taxa as well as to study the relationship between their morphological variations, taxonomy and paleoecology. In this study, valve outline analysis allows the discrimination between the non-marine ostracod C. silvestrii and R. whatleyi juveniles, pointing out differences in the posterior valve area and surface ornamentation. Modern female specimens of C. silvestrii from 23 sites located in a spatial transect (41 to 51 °S) exhibited extensive morphological variability, on the basis of which three morphotypes (acuminated, transitional, subtruncated) were determined. Multivariate analyses showed that acuminated and transitional shapes are not arranged in groups but the subtruncated morphotype, previously described as E. cecryphalium, seems to be associated with low water conductivity (372 µS cm-1), dominant cold (5 oC) and windy (8.6 m s-1) climatic conditions. The fossil cluster which included nine cores spanning the last 15.6 kyr, only covered acuminated and transitional shapes, which may indicate that these lineages might be older than the subtruncated morphotype. In addition, morphological differences between reproduction modes suggested that parthenogenetic females exhibit de posterior margin more acuminate than sexual females. These results set the ground for more precise ecological and paleoenvironmental studies in Patagonia., Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo

A new perchlet, Plectranthias ryukyuensis, is described on the basis of four specimens (41.2–61.6 mm standard length: SL) from the Okinawa Islands, Japan. Plectranthias ryukyuensis can be distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: X, 15 or 16 dorsal-fin rays; 14 pectoral-fin rays, all unbranched; lateral line complete, with 29 or 30 pored scales; 3 scale rows above lateral line; 5 or 6 diagonal rows of large scales on cheek between eye and corner of preopercle; preopercle with two antrorse spines on ventral margin, 20–29 serrae on posterior margin; margins of subopercle and interopercle with a few serrae (weak in large individuals); minute flaps at tips of first to ninth dorsal-fin spines; caudal fin shallowly emarginate, with some ray branches distinctively elongated past fin margin; fourth dorsal-fin spine longest, its length 110.6–128.6% that of third spine; body pinkish-white with two longitudinal rows of irregular orange-red blotches on upper half of lateral surface when fresh (rows close together in smaller than ca. 50 mm SL), blotches interconnecting anteriorly on upper and lower rows, and posterior half of lower row; four faint orange-red vertical bands below lateral line on posterior half of body and two distinct yellow blotches on cheek in fresh specimens; body uniformly yellowish-brown with two longitudinal rows of irregular dark blotches on upper half of lateral surface in preserved specimens (faint in small specimens). A key to the Japanese species of Plectranthias is given.

Se describe una especie nueva perteneciente al género Epimeria de material colectado durante la expedición del B/I John Elliott Pillsbury en las aguas profundas del Golfo de Panamá. Esta nueva especie puede ser distinguida de las otras especies del género por la combinación de los siguientes caracteres: rostro largo, alcanza la mitad del artejo 2 de la antena 1; ojos ausentes; coxopodito 4 con margen anterovental casi recto dirigido hacia abajo; coxopodito 5 con esquina posteroventral puntiaguda extendiéndose hasta el pleonito 2; pleonitos 5?7 con dientes mediodorsales agudos dirigidos hacia atrás; margen posterior del telson, liso. Este es el primer registro de un representante de la familia Epimeriidae para el Golfo de Panamá.

Two crocodilian anterior cranium parts from Takut Khon Village sand pit, Chaloem Phrakiat District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, are presently described. Their morphology indicates that the specimens belong to a single species based on the presence of several similar characters such as a hole for the reception of the first dentary tooth at the anterior edge of the premaxillary bone; anterior tip of nasal elongate and projecting into the posterior margin of the external nares; wavy suture line between the posterior part of the nasal with the anterior margin of prefrontal and frontal processes. The cranium morphology is extremely close to Crocodylus siamensis Schneider, 1801 (Siamese crocodile) and conforming the existence of C. siamensis from the Middle Pleistocene in Thailand.

This work deals the systematic and paleobiologic studies on malacostraca siluro-devonian in two outcrops of the Manacapuru Formation, located at Belo Monte site, Para state, Amazonas Basin. Were identified the taxa Paranebalidae indet. A and Paranebalidae indet. B, phyllocarids, as well as Stenasellidae indet. isopod. During the siluro-devonian times these malacostraceans were very rich and diverse, cosmopolitan, lived in all marine regions and common elements of the benthic life. The specimens had robust and articulated carapaces with fragmentation and abrasion low grades that suggest low energy during the burial and less time of permanence in the taphonomic active zone. The pleopods and uropod articulated in Stenasellidae indet. and the exopodit and pleonite articulated with the pleopod in Paraneballidae indet. B suggest stronger articulations or fast burial and catastrophic death of these elements of biocoenosis. The isolated exopodite of Paraneballidae indet. A reveals weaker articulations among the others epipodites and exopodites, as well as short distance transport before the final burial, due the preservation of delicate spines of posterior margin and therefore considered as an element of thanatocoenosis. The pattern of the fossiliferous record may be related to siliciclastic sediments in the rocks of Manacapuru Formation, which does not lead to accumulation of animals with poorly mineralized body.

The fragment of the skull cap of placoderm Livnolepis heckeri (Luksevics) from the Bilovo Formation (Famennian, Upper Devonian) near the Bilovo Village of Tver Region has been described. The character of the passage of sensory grooves on its external surface is unusual as for this species as for all other bothriolepidids. The oblique cephalic pit-line (or central sensory) groove normally passes from the nuchal on the lateral bones. The left branch of the obhque cephalic pit-line groove on the studied specimen runs from the nuchal onto the paranuchal and only then on the lat­eral. The right branch of this pit-line groove reaches the posterolateral margin of the nuchal, passes along the suture between the nuchal and paranuchal and then transfers into the lateral bone. The branches of the obhque cephalic pit-line groove are subparallel to the posterior margin of the nuchal bone in the Bilovo specimen. The pit-line grooves, which run parallel and subparallel to the posterior margin of the nuchal and anteriorly to the supratemporal (supraoccipital) cross-commissural pit-lines, were earlier determined in some bothriolepidids {Bothriolepis cellulosa (Pander), B. paradoxa (Agassiz) and others) as the middle grooves but not the obhque cephalic. The paranuchalswith the obhque cephalic pit-line grooves were earlier unknown. The unusual character of the passage of the sensory lines is refered to the individual variability in the exoskeleton of L. heckeri. Types of the bothriolepidid exoskeletal variability have been briefly considered. The passage of the pit-line grooves on the external surface of the bothriolepidid and asterolepidid skull roofs has been discussed.

A New species of sand bees, Andrena bakrajoensis sp. nov. was described from Iraq. This species differs from closely related species A. vetula Lepeletier, 1841 by, the body and metanotum are brown-reddish colors; anterior and posterior margin of labrum strongly of convex; mandibles without dentition. The important taxonomic characters have been described and illustrated.

The new species Belostoma inusitatum is described and illustrated based on specimens from the west side of the Araguaia-Tocantins basin, in Mato Grosso state in central-western Brazil. This new species is assigned to the B. triangulum species group and compared with its congeners. A key and distribution map for the species of this group are included. The three-articulated antenna without lateral projections of B. inusitatum n. sp. is documented for the first time in Belostoma. Also, the uncommon shape of the prosternal keel, the distinct reduction of the hemelytral membrane, and the diverticulum of the phallosoma sharply incised at the posterior margin are reported for this new species. A discussion about the reduction in the number of antennal articles and the size of the hemelytral membrane in Belostoma and Abedus is presented.

The new anchovy Stolephorus grandis n. sp., described on the basis of 10 specimens collected from Papua, Indonesia, and Australia, closely resembles Stolephorus mercurius Hata, Lavoué & Motomura, 2021, Stolephorus multibranchus Wongratana, 1987, and Stolephorus rex Jordan & Seale, 1926, all having double pigmented lines on the dorsum from the occiput to the dorsal-fin origin, a long maxilla (posterior tip just reaching or slightly beyond the posterior margin of preopercle), and lacking a predorsal scute. However, the new species clearly differs from the others in having fewer gill rakers (35–39 total gill rakers on the first gill arch in S. grandis vs. > 38 in the other species), a greater number of vertebrae (total vertebrae 42–43 vs. fewer than 41), longer caudal peduncle (21.9–23.7% SL vs. < 20.8%), and the depressed pelvic fin not reaching posteriorly to vertical through the dorsal fin-origin (vs. reaching beyond level of dorsal-fin origin).

Linguliformean brachiopods often exhibit a clustered occurrence. Because there has been no detailed analysis of whether these clusters represent death or living assemblages, we exemplified the burial processes of the Middle Permian discinid brachiopods from the Hoso-o Formation with the systematic descriptions of Orbiculoidea verum sp. nov. and Discinidae gen. et sp. indet. There were three types of discinid occurrences: 1) articulated Orbiculoidea in a ventral-side-down orientation, 2) disarticulated valves of both species in a convex-up orientation, and 3) disarticulated ventral valves of the Orbiculoidea in a convex-down orientation. The articulated specimens occurred in laminated mudstone and must have been autochthonous, while the disarticulated specimens with a convex-up orientation were para-autochthonous, resulting from turbiditic or storm flow. The specimens with convex-down ventral valves always occurred at the base of the sandstone beds with their ventral apexes slightly penetrating the underlying mudstone. This is the argument for an autochthonous ventral valve, whereby only the dorsal valve was transported after death. The distribution of epibionts suggests that the life posture of the Orbiculoidea was a ventral-side-down orientation, with its anterior half slightly higher than the sediment-water interface, which was advantageous for the feeding flow and the clearance of sediments around the posterior margin. Although dense monospecific assemblages of Orbiculoidea occur only as disarticulated valves, the exclusive occurrence of articulated individuals in the underlying mudstone suggest that the animal inhabited the specific environments opportunistically, which has never been explored in other fossilised organisms.

Three new species of harvestmen are described based on morphology. Taito mayoruna spec. nov. from Jenaro Herrera province, Loreto, Peru is differentiated from other species of Taito Kury & Barros, 2014 by features such as anal operculum armed, and femur IV with two retro-distal spines. Taito curupira spec. nov. from Porto Velho, Rondonia, Brazil is recognized by an H-shaped color pattern, femur IV curved dorsally and armed with medial prolateral and retrolateral tubercles. A third species herein described, Eulibitia chacuamarei spec. nov., from Trinidad, Casanare, Colombia is distinguished by the absence of a ladder mask and by the presence of blunt tubercles on areas I, III and the posterior margin. Penial morphology is described, and SEM micrographs are included.

Three snailfish species of Careproctus (Cottoidei: Liparidae), including two new species, are described from the deep Pacific Ocean off northern Honshu Island, Japan. Careproctus cyanogladius sp. nov., collected from the depths of 2,698–3,223 m, can be distinguished from congeneric species by having the following combination of characters: vertebrae 63; dorsal-fin rays 57–58; anal-fin rays 50; principal caudal rays 7; pectoral-fin rays 29–31; pectoral fin without a notch; uppermost pectoral-fin base below a horizontal through posterior margin of maxillary; pelvic disk oval; chin pores well separated; teeth simple; pyloric caeca 6–10; body pale blue or gray when fresh. The other new species, Careproctus orri sp. nov., collected from depths of 640–808 m, can be distinguished from congeneric species by having the following combination of characters: vertebrae 58–60; dorsal-fin rays 52–53; anal-fin rays 47–49; pectoral-fin rays 34–35; pectoral fin with a distinct notch; cephalic pores 2-6-7-2, chin pores single, unpaired; gill slit extending ventrally to 5th or 6th pectoral-fin ray; teeth strongly trilobed; peritoneum dark, stomach white. In addition, one specimen of Careproctus brevipectoralis Chernova, Thiel & Eidus, 2020 was newly collected from Japan, and is redescribed here in detail with comments on intraspecific variations.

A new species, Lanelater andamanensis (Coleoptera: Elateridae), is described from Little Andaman Island, India. Lanelater Arnett is recorded from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the first time. This species is similar to the Indonesian species Lanelater sobrinus (Candeze, 1887), but differs in pubescence, elytral length ratio, grooves and punctures on the prosternum, shape of the mesal posterior margin of the metacoxa and elytral apex.

BackgroundIsopods shape features are sensitive and respond to several selective pressures which may result in variations of these features. These pressures might reflect the heterogeneity of the environment where an animal lives. Land isopodsPorcellionides pruinosuswere collected from an agricultural field. Landmarks geometric morphometrics was applied to evaluate its shape changes during two different seasons. The present work aims to (i) assess and characterize morphological changes in body shape ofP. pruinosusas a response to seasonal variations, (ii) determine differences in the body shape during ontogeny, (iii) examine the effect of intraspecific allometry to interpret the observed variations in the species, and (iv) clarify whether the body shape ofP. pruinosuscan be used as a sexual differentiating trait.ResultsJuveniles showed no seasonal variations in the body shape, which were detected among adults, females and males as shown by PCA, DFA, and MANOVA.The adult winter forms have large bodies, small heads, broad pereons, and short but wide telsons. The adult summer forms have small slender bodies, slightly stretched heads, and relatively long telsons. Juveniles’ growth to adulthood showed body shape changes in the head and pereon, that include shrank of the head in the anteroposterior direction and its level became slightly lower than the body. The pereon becomes broader and the two anterolateral projections of the first pereonite extend anteriorly, reaching a little beyond the posterior margin of the eyes. Present species showed a shape sexual dimorphism which includes the broader body and more convex pereon in females and a small waist between the second and third pleonites in males. Shape sexual dimorphism was attributed to reproductive activity. Both allometric trajectories of juveniles and adults (ontogenetic allometry) and of sexes (static allometry) were parallel.ConclusionsThe landmark geometric morphometric technique was able to reveal the seasonal shape variations in terrestrial isopodP. pruinosus. Also, this method provides information about shape variations between juveniles and adults, as well as about shape sexual dimorphism.

The genus Procerobaetis Kaltenbach & Gattolliat, 2020 is reported for the first time from Thailand, and Procerobaetis totuspinosussp. nov. is described as a new species based on larvae. It can be easily distinguished from other known Procerobaetis species by the presence of triangular spines at the posterior margin of tergites VI–IX. COI sequences were obtained from all known species. The genetic distances (Kimura 2-parameter) between the new species and the other species are between 20% and 23%. The morphological characters of the new species and its closely related species are discussed; larval key to all species of the genus Procerobaetis is also provided.

A new species and a key to 10 species of the genus Lemba Huang, 1983, namely Lemba wushanensis sp. nov. is described in this paper from China. The new species is similar to L. sichuanensis Ma et al, 1994, but differs from the latter by the length of tegmen 2.7 times width in male, length of interspace of mesosternum 3.5 times width in male, posterior margin of epiproct straight; ancorae of epiphallus not inward tilt and vertical diameter 1.8 times subocular furrow in female. The type specimens are deposited in the Northwest Plateau Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China.

Tardigrades from Argentina are poorly known. Two new species from the Salta province are described in the present contribution: Pseudechiniscus saltensis sp. nov., and Doryphoribius cephalogibbosus sp. nov. The former species belongs to the novaezeelandiae group and, apart from the nominal species of the group, it is similar to nine congeneric species by the following characters: the absence of spines on legs I and lateral papillae, the scapular plate with a transversal fold, the presence of projections at the posterior margin of the pseudosegmental plate, caudal plate not faceted, and cuticular ornamentation in the form of heads (capituli) of endocuticular pillars, protruding through epicuticle and joined by striae. However, the new species differs from all of them in important qualitative (e.g. colour, different division of plates, details of cuticular ornamentation, claws etc.) and morphometric characters. The new species exhibits a unique morphology of gonopore and anus. Doryphoribius cephalogibbosus sp. nov., by the presence of two macroplacoids, dorsal gibbosities, and inhabiting terrestrial environment, belongs to the flavus group and differs from all members of the group in having ten, instead of nine, rows of gibbosities (X:2-4-6- 6-6-6-6-4-2-2+2[LI–III]), with as a peculiar exclusive character, the presence of the two cephalic gibbosities, never reported in other Doryphoribius species. Moreover, the new species differs from the other species of the group by morphometric and more detailed morphological characters. The new species description also gave an occasion to discuss the issue of gibbosity arrangement in other species and address the morphology of claw accessory points.

A new species of ghost knifefish, Apteronotus, is described from high-energy environments in the Rios Mapuera and Trombetas (at Cachoeira Porteira waterfalls), Brazil. X-ray microcomputed tomography (μCT scan) was used to access the internal anatomy of the type series. The new species is distinguished from all congeners by the anteriormost position of the anus, with its posterior margin extending less than one eye diameter beyond the vertical through the caudal limit of the posterior nostril, the low number of anal-fin rays (117-125) and the reduced number of branchiostegal rays (three). A series of modifications associated with secondary sexual dimorphism on the preorbital region of mature males are depicted and discussed. In addition, comments on homologies of the branchiostegal rays in Apteronotidae are provided.

Plectorhinchus makranensissp. nov. is described on the basis of 16 specimens from the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, in the Northwest Indian Ocean. The new species can be distinguished from congeners by a combination of dorsal fin rays XII, 18–20, pectoral-fin rays 16–17, tubed lateral-line scales 55–57, gill rakers count (10–12 on the upper limb and 16–17 on the lower limb), 17–18 scales between the lateral line and the first anal-fin spine, 30–31 circumpeduncular scale rows and color pattern. Plectorhinchus makranensissp. nov. is distinguished from P. schotaf by having the posterior margin of the opercular membrane grey (vs. red in P. schotaf), fewer circumpeduncular scale rows, and a shorter base of the soft portion of the dorsal fin, 27.6–29.4% of standard length (SL) (vs. 31–32.3% of SL in P. schotaf). The new species resembles P. sordidus but is differentiated from it by having more gill rakers, a smaller orbit diameter 27.5–32.1% of head length (HL) (vs. 35.5–37.2% of HL in P. sordidus), a longer caudal peduncle 19.2–21.3% of SL (vs. 17.1–17.9% of SL in P. sordidus), and the first to third pectoral-fin rays light gray (vs. dark gray in P. sordidus). The new species can also be distinguished from the other species, including P. schotaf and P. sordidus, based on COI and Cyt b molecular markers. The phylogenetic position of this new species indicates that it is a sister taxon of P. schotaf.

A second species of the genus CerochusaYin & Nomura, 2012, C. gesinae Yin & Kleeberg, sp. nov., is described and illustrated from Chiang Mai, Thailand. The new species can be easily distinguished from C. ciliocepsYin & Nomura, 2012 from China and Thailand by the less strongly modified male head, distinct discal striae of the elytra, dense pubescence along the posterior margin of the elytra, and different shape of the aedeagus.

Vietnamella chebalingensis Tong, sp. nov. is described based on larval stage from China. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: body purple black with mottled white markings; length of inner pairs of cephalic projection approximately half of the outer pairs; posterior margin of abdominal tergites I–VI and VIII–X each with a pair of pointed projections, but tergite VII bearing only a single projection. The morphological evidence and molecular data (COI, Kimura 2-parameter) support that this new species represents the sixth species of the genus Vietnamella. An identification key to known larvae of the genus Vietnamella is provided.

Profundulus chimalapensis, una nueva especie de ciprinodóntido (Cyrpinodontiformes: Profundulidae) del Río Coatzacoalcos, México. Introducción. La familia Profundulidae es representante de la ictiofauna neotropical del orden Cyprinodontiformes, se considera endémica de la región Mesoamericana. Está representada por los géneros Tlaloc y Profundulus. Objetivo: En este trabajo se describe una nueva especie, Profundulus chimalapensis sp. nov., endémica de México. Métodos: Se recolectaron ejemplares en los tributarios de la Cuenca superior del Río Coatzacoalcos, los cuales se depositaron en colecciones de referencia. Se obtuvieron las medidas corporales y merística correspondientes, así mismo una muestra fue diafanizada y teñida para el análisis de su morfología esquelética. Resultados: La nueva especie se diferencia de sus congéneres por tener los siguientes caracteres: 13 radios en la aleta dorsal, 16 radios anales y 15 pectorales; banda de color oscuro en los costados; aleta anal con un margen distal claro; margen anterior y posterior del proceso alveolar del premaxilar cóncavo; procesos epióticos cortos y anchos. Conclusión: Se describe una nueva especie de Profundulus con distribución restringida a la vertiente atlántica del Istmo de Tehuantepec.

Lepidepecreoides stoddartae sp. nov. is described from the Falkland Islands. Previous reports of Lepidepecreoides K.H. Barnard, 1931 species usually include only a few specimens. The material examined is considered a large collection, with 12 individuals collected during benthic sampling by commercial oil and gas exploration. Lepidepecreoides stoddartae sp. nov. is the seventh species described in the genus, and can be presently defined by the gnathopod 1 propodus palm acute, pereopod 7 basis posterior margin serrations, and variation in the position, size and sculpturing of the projections on the pereopods 5 basis, pleonites and urosomite 1. An updated world key to the known species of Lepidepecreoides K.H. Barnard, 1931 is provided.

The cory catfishes (Callichthyidae) are small, South American armored catfishes with a series of dermal scutes that run the length of the fish from posterior to the parieto-supraoccipital down to the caudal peduncle. In this study, we explore the anatomy and functional performance of the armored scutes in the three-striped cory catfish, Corydoras trilineatus. The lateral surface has a dorsal and a ventral row of scutes that interact at the horizontal septum. The scutes have little overlap with sequential posterior scutes (~33% overlap) and a deep ridge in the internal surface that connects to the underlying soft tissue. The internal surface of C. trilineatus scutes is stiffer than the external surface, contrary to the findings in a related species of cory catfish, C. aeneus, which documented a hypermineralized, enamel-like, non-collagenous, hyaloine layer along the external surface of the scute. Clearing and staining of C. trilineatus scutes revealed that the scutes have highly mineralized (~50% mineralization) regions embedded in between areas of low mineralization along the posterior margin. Puncture tests showed that posterior scutes were weaker than both anterior and middle scutes, and scutes attached to the body required 50% more energy to puncture than isolated scutes. Corydoras trilineatus has the strongest armor in areas critical for protecting vital organs and the external armored scute receives synergistic benefits from interactions to the soft underlying tissue, which combine to provide a tough protective armor that still allows for flexible mobility.

Here we describe the hitherto unknown female of Epipleoneura spatulata Rácenis, 1960 and present a table of characters (all illustrated) to distinguish it from other known congeneric females. We suggest that the main diagnostic character of the female of E. spatulata is the shape of posterior margin of prothorax, which is flat medially with smoothly curved erect lateral projections.

Samples collected from Monte Hermoso, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina revealed the presence of specimens of the genus Franciscideres Dal Zotto et al., 2013, previously known only from Brazil. This morphotype seems to differ from the only known species, Franciscideres kalenesos Dal Zotto et al., 2013, in the following characters: (1) presence of ventrolateral tubes on segment 1, (2) introvert features, (3) each segment composed of a closed cuticular ring, (4) trunk cuticle ornamented by a secondary fringe of knob-like structures, (5) posterior margin of segment 10 ventrally terminating in two lateral and one broad triangular lobes, (6) posterior margin of segment 11 centrally terminating in four lobes (7) lateral terminal spines armed with thorn-like processes, (8) pores/sensory spots/gland cells distribution and (9) sexual dimorphism in segments 10 and 11. Because of the lack of full information about F. kalenesos from Brazil, we consider the new exemplars as Franciscideres cf. kalenesos. Additionally, we provide new information about the movement of this species using light microscopy and we compare these movements with those of other meiofaunal inhabitants. Fil: Rucci, Kevin Alen. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; Argentina Fil: Neuhaus, Birger. Staatliches Museum fur Naturkunde Stuttgart; Alemania Fil: Bulnes, Verónica Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur; Argentina Fil: Cazzaniga, Néstor Jorge. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; Argentina

A new species of Acartia (Odontacartia), A. (O.) edentatasp. n., was collected from Leyte Island in the Philippines. Morphologically, the new species resembles A. (O.) pacifica Steuer, 1915. The female of the new species differs from other species of the A. (O.) erythraea Giesbrecht, 1889 species group in the absence of a pair of sharp spines on the posterior border of the genital double-somite and absence of setules on the lateral margins of urosomites 1–3. Unlike other congeners of the species group, males of the new species lack fine setules along the posterior margin of the prosome. Comparison of the new species with A. (O.) pacifica by pairwise distance data for the 16S (282 bp) gene indicates that these species differ by 20–21%, while the COI gene (636 bp) indicates a difference of 16–17%. The new species seems to be a coastal, occurring in warm waters having a salinity of 33.5.

A new species of the genus Baetiella is described based on larvae collected from Arunachal Pradesh, India. Baetiella subansiri Vasanth, Selvakumar & Subramanian n. sp. can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: (i) gills (or gill sockets) on segments I–VI; gills I–V elongate, without tracheation, with numerous scattered pores on the surface and smooth fine simple setae along margin; gill VI reduced; (ii) posterior margin of metanotum and abdominal terga I–II each with a single posteromedian protuberance, terga III–IX each with a pair of much longer protuberances; and (iii) claw with two rows of denticles, outer row with 6–7 acute denticles increasing in length apically, inner row with 6–7 short and blunt denticles medially, subequal in length. New records of Baetiella armata Braasch, 1983, B. ausobskyi Braasch, 1983, B. imanishii Braasch, 1983, B. marginata Braasch, 1983 and B. spathae Shi & Tong, 2015 from Arunachal Pradesh, India are presented based on the collection of larvae. The four species of Baetiella described by Braasch (1983) are redescribed based on freshly collected material. The Known distribution of genus Baetiella from Arunachal Pradesh, India is also provided.

The new anchovy Encrasicholina sigma n. sp. is described on the basis of 20 specimens collected from Sulawesi, Indonesia. Although the new species can be distinguished from all other congeners except for Encrasicholina pseudoheteroloba (Hardenberg 1933) by having a long upper jaw reaching to posterior margin of preopercle, dorsal and anal fins with two unbranched rays, an exposed bony urohyal, and spine-like scutes on the abdomen, E. sigma is distinguished from E. pseudoheteroloba by lower total gill-raker counts on the first, second, third, and fourth gill arches, and on the posterior face of the third gill arch (37–42, 31–35, 18–23, 16–20, and 4–7, respectively vs. 45–55, 34–45, 22–29, 19–25, and 4–9 in E. pseudoheteroloba) and a longer head (25.2–27.0% of SL vs. 22.8–27.5%) and shorter anal-fin base (12.9–14.8% of SL vs. 13.8–18.7%).

We describe a new species of Dryocalamus based on two specimens collected from the wet zone rainforests of southwestern Sri Lanka. Dryocalamus chithrasekarai sp. nov., is distinguished from congeners by its colour pattern (anterior body with solid white bands and a checkered appearance on the posterior lateral body, with consecutive bands coalescing along the ventrolateral margin; posterior margin of the nuchal band flat); the absence of a preocular scale; loreal in contact with supraocular; dorsal scales smooth and in 15 straight rows; cloacal shield divided. In addition, we find that previous records of Dryocalamus gracilis are probably spurious.

A new monotypic genus Wichanraran gen. nov. is described from Chile, based on the type species W. izquierdii (Bartlett-Calvert, 1893) comb. nov. The new genus is characterized by the following unique differential features: postmedial band with triangular extension projecting towards the external margin on both wings; male genitalia with quadrangular anellus with a medial cleft at its posterior margin; female genitalia with a heavily sclerotized and pedunculated signum at the base of the corpus bursae. Characters of imago and male and female genitalia are described and illustrated.

A new species of the TipulasubgenusMediotipula is described from the south-eastern part of Albania, south-eastern Europe. Morphologically, the new species is most similar to T. (M.) stigmatella Schummel, 1833, but differs mainly with respect to males, having a distinctly shaped posterior margin of tergite 9–10, a widened outer gonostylus and a series of details of the inner gonostylus (anterior end of the anterior arm, shape of the posterior arm), as well as having more bulbous and rounded hypogynal valves in the females. Further morphological differences of the male terminalia between allopatric populations of T. (M.) stigmatella in the Carpathians and Balkans, south-eastern Europe, are discussed.

A new species of theRhadinaeadecoratagroup is described based on two specimens from the Sierra Madre del Sur, Guerrero, Mexico. The new species differs from all other members of the genusRhadinaeaby having: eight supralabials; 149–151 (male) ventrals; 63–77 (male) subcaudals; two large pale nuchal blotches, forming an incomplete collar that occupies two scales laterally and is bissected along the dorsal midline; a postocular pale marking consisting of a well-defined, narrow line beginning behind the upper posterior margin of the eye and extending posteriorly nearly horizontally until connecting with the nuchal blotches; and the dark ground color of the flanks extending to the lateral portion of the ventrals. The large nuchal blotches distinguish the new species from the other members of theR.decoratagroup, except forR.cuneataand some individuals ofR.hesperia(pale nuchal marking one-scale wide inR.marcellae, absent in the other species). The condition of the postocular pale marking distinguishes it fromR.cuneataandR.hesperia(postocular pale marking wedge-shaped inR.cuneata, not connected with the pale post-cephalic markings inR.hesperia). Furthermore, the number of subcaudals and the coloration of the lateral portion of the ventrals distinguish it fromR.omiltemanaandR.taeniata, the remaining congeners found in Guerrero (85–90 in males ofR.omiltemanaand 91–121 inR.taeniata; dark color of the flanks not reaching ventrals in the former species, occasionally and faintly inR.taeniata). Additionally, a new combination forR.stadelmaniis proposed. The new species is the first described in the genusRhadinaeain more than 40 years.

New records of Late Cretaceous cenomanocarcinid crabs are presented. A single, isolated carapace from the middle Santonian of Austria exhibits several distinct features, including a smooth posterolateral margin, and absence of two conical inflations in the intestinal region on both sides of the axial ridge that do not reach the posterior margin. Based on these unique characters, it can be differentiated from all other congeners and described as a new species, Cenomanocarcinus lenzenwegeri . This record is considered to be the youngest European occurrence of the genus known to date. Cenomanocarcinus sp. is recorded from the lower Turonian of Germany, on the basis of a single individual preserved in ventral aspect, previously identified as a tentative representative of the Carcineretidae. The new European occurrences presented herein document the persistence of the genus in that part of the world at least into the Santonian.

A new genus and species of the Elcanidae (Orthoptera, Elcanoidea), Cascadelcana virginiana n. gen. n. sp., is described based on a forewing specimen from the Upper Triassic (Norian) Cow Branch Formation in the Solite Quarry Lagerstätte near the North Carolina-Virginia boundary, USA. It is distinguished from other elcanid species by its RP+MA1 with six branches, M with two branches before stem MA1 fused with RP, and short CuA almost vertical against the posterior margin. This fossil represents the earliest definitive record of the family Elcanidae and the first orthopteran described from the Triassic of North America. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses show that the veins and a pterostigma-like structure on the wing of C. virginiana n. gen. n. sp. are preserved as carbonaceous compressions. The presence of a pterostigma-like structure in elcanids indicates that they may have evolved a particular flight mechanism distinct from those of other orthopterans.UUID: http://zoobank.org/49526c99-5da4-48e3-ba6e-7018b8f9b1ae

A taxonomic review of the clingfish genus Kopua (Gobiesocidae: Trachelochisminae) in Japan recognizes three species: K. japonica Moore, Hutchins and Okamoto 2012, K. vermiculata Shinohara and Katayama 2015 and K. yoko sp. nov. Kopua japonica and K. vermiculata are redescribed with revised diagnoses on the basis of 20 specimens (10.4–30.4 mm standard length; SL) and the holotype, respectively. Kopua japonica is similar to K. vermiculata in head sensory pore characters (normally single nasal and postocular canal pores). However, the former differs distinctly from the latter as follows: 6–8 (modally 7) gill rakers (vs. 4 or 6); 31–33 (33) vertebrae (vs. 35); anus slightly closer to posterior margin of disc than to anal-fin origin (vs. much closer to posterior margin of disc); snout length 5.3–8.7 (mean 7.0) % SL (vs. 9.2 % SL); disc length 21.2–24.0 (22.8) % SL (vs. 18.8 % SL); pre-dorsal- and anal-fin lengths 72.9–78.4 (75.2) and 78.1–82.8 (80.1) % SL, respectively (vs. 67.5 and 73.6 % SL); and two stripes on cheek (vs. a triangular blotch). Kopua yoko sp. nov., based on 14 specimens (17.7–28.8 mm SL) from the Pacific coast of southern Japan, Sea of Japan and the East China Sea, is characterized by the following combination of characters: 6 or 7 (modally 6) dorsal-fin rays; 4–6 (5) anal-fin rays; 21 or 22 (21) pectoral-fin rays; 4–6 (5 or 6) gill rakers; 31–33 (31) vertebrae; a single (rarely two) nasal canal pores; two lacrimal and preopercular canal pores; snout length 6.5–7.9 (mean 7.1) % SL; gill opening depth 5.8–7.1 (6.5) % SL; least interorbital width 2.0–3.7 (2.6) % SL; disc length 20.3–25.0 (23.1) % SL, disc region D without flattened papillae; caudal-peduncle depth 8.1–10.2 (9.2) % SL; anus slightly closer to posterior margin of disc than to anal-fin origin; pre-dorsal- and anal-fin lengths 71.6–77.1 (73.9) and 77.0–83.7 (80.4) % SL, respectively; post-dorsal-caudal length 12.6–15.0 (13.8) % SL; arch-shaped blotches on lateral aspect of body; and two reddish-orange stripes on cheek. Morphological changes with growth in K. japonica and K. yoko sp. nov. are also described.

The Sarcastic Fringehead (Neoclinus blanchardi, Teleostei) exhibits an extreme version of a common aggressive display, the "gaping display," in which an open mouth is presented toward an opponent. Males of this species have extremely long jaws that extend posteriorly well past the posterior margin of the head and are flared laterally during the gaping display. In this study, we explored morphological traits related to this extraordinary display in this and related species of blennies. Morphological modifications include enlargement of the buccopalatal membrane, elongation of the maxilla via an uncalcified posterior extension, and evolution of a novel hinge between the anterior maxilla and lacrimal bones permitting lateral movement of the upper jaw. Geometric morphometry using the truss network system, thin-plate spline, and PCA of three closely related species of Neoclinus indicate that the elongate maxilla of N. blanchardi most likely evolved via acceleration (faster growth compared to outgroups) and hypermorphosis (continued growth to a larger body size), both forms of peramorphic heterochrony. Coloration and fluorescence of the buccopalatal membrane may also serve to amplify the extraordinary gaping display of the Sarcastic Fringehead.

Petroleuciscus ninae sp. nov. is described from the Buyuk Menderes River drainage. The new species is distinguished by having a black lateral stripe from head to base of caudal fin, stripe distinct anteriorly and posteriorly, wider than eye diameter; numerous black pigments on anal-fin rays; body depth at dorsal-fin origin 27-30% standard length (LS ); head width at posterior margin of eye 16-19% LS ; and eye diameter smaller than snout length. Petroleuciscus ninae is also distinguished from other species in adjacent waters by having six fixed diagnostic nucleotide substitutions in the mitochondrial DNA coI barcode region.

Simulium (Asiosimulium) saeungae sp. nov. (Diptera: Simuliidae) is described based on females, males, pupae, and mature larvae collected from Nan Province, Northern Thailand. It is characterized by the medium-long cerci in the female, enlarged hind basitarsus, and broad ventral plate with its posterior margin not deeply concave in the male, arborescent pupal gill with 42-56 filaments in the pupa and smaller number of primary rays of the labral fan (30-33) in the larva. This is the fifth species of the subgenus Asiosimulium, the second smallest among 10 subgenera in the Oriental Region. Taxonomic notes are given to distinguish this new species from the three known species from Thailand and one from Nepal.