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1. Three new Pseudogymnoascus species (Pseudeurotiaceae, Thelebolales) described from Antarctic soils

   https://doi.org/10.3897/imafungus.16.142219  

   Childress, Mary K; Dragone, Nicholas B; Young, Benjamin D; Adams, Byron J; Fierer, Noah; Quandt, C Alisha (March 2025, IMA Fungus)

   The genusPseudogymnoascusincludes several species frequently isolated from extreme environments worldwide, including cold environments such as Antarctica. This study describes three new species ofPseudogymnoascus—P. russussp. nov.,P. irelandiaesp. nov., andP. ramosussp. nov.—isolated from Antarctic soils. These species represent the firstPseudogymnoascustaxa to be formally described from Antarctic soil samples, expanding our understanding of fungal biodiversity in this extreme environment. Microscopic descriptions of asexual structures from living cultures, along with measurements of cultural characteristics and growth on various media types at different temperatures, identify three distinct new species. In addition, phylogenetic analyses based on five gene regions (ITS, LSU, MCM7, RPB2, TEF1) and whole-genome proteomes place these new species within three distinct previously described clades:P. irelandiaein clade K,P. ramosusin clade Q, andP. russusin clade B. These results provide further evidence of the extensive undescribed diversity ofPseudogymnoascusin high-latitude soils. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on Antarctic mycology and the broader ecology of psychrophilic and psychrotolerant fungi. 

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2. Seven new species of Tetranemertes Chernyshev, 1992 (Monostilifera, Hoplonemertea, Nemertea) from the Caribbean Sea, western Pacific, and Arabian Sea, and revision of the genus

   https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1181.109521  

   Cherneva, Irina; Ellison, Christina I.; Zattara, Eduardo E.; Norenburg, Jon L.; Schwartz, Megan L.; Junoy, Juan; Maslakova, Svetlana A. (October 2023, ZooKeys)

   Andreas Schmidt-Rhaesa (Ed.)

   The marine ribbon worm genusTetranemertesChernyshev, 1992 currently includes three species: the type speciesT. antonina(Quatrefages, 1846) from the Mediterranean Sea,T. rubrolineata(Kirsteuer, 1965) from Madagascar, andT. hermaphroditica(Gibson, 1982) from Australia. Seven new species are described:T. bifrostsp. nov.,T. ocelatasp. nov.,T. majinbuuisp. nov., andT. pastafariensissp. nov.from the Caribbean Sea (Panamá), and three species,T. unistriatasp. nov.,T. paulayisp. nov., andT. arabicasp. nov., from the Indo-West Pacific (Japan and Oman). As a result, an amended morphological diagnosis of the genus is offered. To improve nomenclatural stability, a neotype ofTetranemertes antoninais designated from the Mediterranean. The newly described species, each characterized by features of external appearance and stylet apparatus, as well as by DNA-barcodes, form a well-supported clade withT. antoninaon a molecular phylogeny of monostiliferan hoplonemerteans based on partial sequences of COI, 16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, and 28S rRNA. Six of the seven newly described species, as well asT. rubrolineata, possess the unusual character of having a central stylet basis slightly bilobed to deeply forked posteriorly in fully grown individuals, a possible morphological synapomorphy of the genus. In addition, an undescribed species ofTetranemertesis reported from the Eastern Tropical Pacific (Panamá), increasing the total number of known species in the genus to eleven. 

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3. Revision of Vanuatubasis Ober & Staniczek, 2009 (Odonata, Coenagrionidae), with description of seven new species

   https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1128.89751  

   Saxton, Natalie A; Marinov, Milen G; Bybee, Seth M (November 2022, ZooKeys)

   VanuatubasisOber & Staniczek, 2009 is an endemic genus of damselfly found on the island archipelago of Vanuatu. Previously only three species were assigned to the genus. Here, all known species ofVanuatubasisare formally described and treated, including the association of females for known species. The following new congeners are also described:V. discontinuasp. nov.,V. evelynaesp. nov.,V. insularivorumsp. nov.,V. kapularumsp. nov.,V. nunggolisp. nov.,V. rhomboidessp. nov., andV. xanthochroasp. nov.from material collected across six different islands. An illustrated key to both males and females of all species withinVanuatubasisis provided as well as distributions for all known species. 

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4. Desert diversification: revision of Agroecotettix Bruner, 1908 (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Melanoplinae) with descriptions of sixteen new species from the United States and Mexico

   https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1218.133703  

   Hill, JoVonn G (November 2024, ZooKeys)

   In this study, a morphological revision was conducted ofAgroecotettixBruner, a group of grasshoppers inhabiting open xeric desert scrub, shrublands, and plains, spanning central Texas to central Mexico. The genus was originally described by Bruner in 1908, with two taxa added by Hebard in 1922.Agroecotettixhas remained unrevised despite numerous collections. This exploration, spurred by a novel discovery of significant male genitalia variation inAgroecotettix aristus aristus, suggests undescribed species. Through morphological specimen comparisons, sixteen new species are described from biologically rich regions of the South Texas Plains, Chihuahuan Desert, and Sierra Madre Oriental. The new taxa described here areA. silverheelsisp. nov.,A. xiphophorussp. nov.,A. glochinossp. nov.,A. texmexsp. nov.,A. cumbressp. nov.,A. burtonisp. nov.,A. mooreisp. nov.,A. chiantiensissp. nov.,A. dornisp. nov.,A. chisosensissp. nov.,A. turnerisp. nov.,A. quitmanensissp. nov.,A. vaquerosp. nov.,A. forcipatussp. nov.,A. idicsp. nov., andA. kahloaesp. nov.This discovery sheds light on desert biodiversity and hints at a Pleistocene radiation akin to other melanoplines, urging further exploration to enrich our understanding of this fascinating lineage and unravel the biogeographic history within these arid landscapes. 

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5. A review of Nearctic Lathrobium (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), with revision and descriptions of new flightless species from the mountains of the southeastern U.S.

   https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1198.118355  

   Haberski, Adam; Caterino, Michael S. (April 2024, ZooKeys)

   Species of the genusLathrobiumGravenhorst (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae) from North America north of Mexico are reviewed and 41 species are recognized. Morphology and mitochondrial COI sequence data were used to guide species designations in three flightless lineages endemic to the southern Appalachian Mountains, a biologically diverse region known for cryptic diversity. Using a combination of phylogeny, algorithm-based species delimitation analyses, and genitalic morphology, five new cryptic species are described and possible biogeographic scenarios for their speciation hypothesized:L. balsamenseHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. camplyacraHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. islaeHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. lividumHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. smokienseHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.Five additional species are described:L. absconditumHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. hardeniHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. lapidumHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. solumHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov., andL. thompsonorumHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.Two species are transferred fromLathrobiumtoPseudolathraCasey:Pseudolathra parcum(LeConte, 1880),comb. nov.andPseudolathra texana(Casey, 1905),comb. nov.Twenty-six names are reduced to synonymy. Lectotypes are designated for 47 species. Larvae are described where known, and characters of possible diagnostic value are summarized. Species diagnoses, distributions, illustrations of male and female genitalia, and a key toLathrobiumspecies known from the Nearctic region (including several introduced species) are provided. 

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