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1. Two new species of the hyperdiverse geometrid moth genus Eois (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Larentiinae) from Ecuador, with descriptions of early stages

   https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1192.111275  

   Doan, Lydia M; Miller, James S; Brown, John W; Forister, Matthew L; Dyer, Lee A (February 2024, ZooKeys)

   The hyperdiverse geometrid genusEoisHübner, estimated to encompass more than 1,000 species, is among the most species-rich genera in all of Lepidoptera. While the genus has attracted considerable attention from ecologists and evolutionary biologists in recent decades, limited progress has been made on its alpha taxonomy. This contribution focuses on the Olivacea clade, whose monophyly has been recognized previously through molecular analyses. We attempt to define the clade from a morphological perspective and recognize the following species based on morphology and genomic data:E. olivacea(Felder & Rogenhofer);E. pseudolivaceaDoan,sp. nov.;E. auruda(Dognin),stat. rev.;E. beebei(Fletcher, 1952),stat. rev.;E. boliviensis(Dognin),stat. rev.; andE. parumsimiiDoan,sp. nov.Descriptions and illustrations of the immature stages ofE. pseudolivaceareared fromPiper(Piperaceae) in Ecuador are provided. 

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2. Larissimus nigricans sp. nov. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), a new reared species of a rare neotropical genus recovered through biodiversity inventory in Ecuador

   https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1156.101396  

   Carrington-Hoekstra, Pomona; Fernandez-Triana, Jose; Dyer, Lee A.; Whitfield, James (March 2023, ZooKeys)

   A new species of the rarely collected neotropical microgastrine braconid wasp genusLarissimusNixon, represented previously by only a single described species,L. cassanderNixon, was recovered by the Caterpillars and Parasitoids of the Eastern Andes in Ecuador inventory project.Larissimus nigricanssp. nov.was reared from an unidentified species of arctiine Erebidae feeding on the common bamboo speciesChusquea scandensKunth at the Yanayacu Biological Station near Cosanga, Napo Province, Ecuador. The new species is described and diagnosed fromL. cassanderusing both morphological and DNA barcode data. 

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3. No end to endemism – contributions to the difficult Nasa Weigend Series Alatae (Loasaceae). A new species from Peru and the rehabilitation of “ Loasa” calycina Benth.

   https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.252.141635  

   Henning, Tilo; Allen, Joshua P; Montesinos-Tubeé, Daniel; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Eric F; Peña, José_Luis Marcelo; Acuña-Castillo, Rafael (February 2025, PhytoKeys)

   A new species of Nasa ser. Alatae (Urban & Gilg) Weigend from Northern Peru is described and illustrated.Nasa katjaesp. nov.was at first encountered by an observation on iNaturalist and subsequently collected in the humid Andean forests near Colasay in the province of Jaén (Cajamarca, Peru). Whilst comparing the new species with closely relatedNasa loxensis(Kunth) Weigend, a taxon widespread in Southern Ecuador (and tentatively adjacent Peru), a reevaluation of the status of earlier synonymizedLoasa calycinaBenth. became necessary. Consequently,Nasa calycinacomb. nov.is rehabilitated at species level andNasa loxensisis redefined. 

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4. 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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5. 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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