Discovery of a new fossil soldier beetle in Eocene Baltic amber,with the establishment of the new tribe Cacomorphocerini

Eocene forest ecosystems can be considered as rich biodiversity hotspots regarding soldier beetles (family Cantharidae). Paleogene European ambers, for instance, comprised many genera that are still extant in Europe, but also extinct forms and lineages such as the tribe established herein, or the tribe Mimoplatycini Kazantsev, 2013 that mimics the lycids. In this note, the authors describe Cacomorphocerus wiszniewskii sp. nov., and the new tribe Cacomorphocerini tri. nov. is proposed for Cacomorphocerus Schaufuss, 1892 and Sucinocantharis Ku?ka and Kania, 2010. The new tribe is characterized by antennae with 12 or 16 articles, with saucer-shaped or dilated central antennomeres and is distributed in Eocene Baltic and Rovno amber. Furthermore, Cacomorphocerus is transferred from the subfamily Dysmorphocerinae Brancucci, 1980 to Cantharinae Imhoff, 1856.     

A new dugong species (Sirenia,Dugongidae) from the Eocene of Catalonia (NE Iberian Peninsula)

A new stem dugongid species, Prototherium ausetanum sp. nov. (Dugongidae, Halitheriinae), is described based on a cranium from the middle Eocene of Mas Vilageliu (Tona, NE Iberian Peninsula). The new species displays a combination of features that enables its distinction from other halitheriines, including Prototherium veronense (type species of the genus), Prototherium? intermedium (which likely belongs to a different genus), and Prototherium? montserratense (here considered a nomen dubium), as well as Eotheroides spp. In overall morphology (e.g., dolichocephaly) the new species more closely resembles species previously included in Prototherium. However, a cladistic analysis based on craniodental features recovers the new species as the sister taxon of Eotheroides aegyptiacum (type species of this genus), further constituting a polytomy with P. veronense, Eotheroides lambondrano and the remaining Halitheriinae. Our analysis further indicates that P.? intermedium is more derived than other species of Prototherium, but it does not conclusively resolve the phylogenetic relationships between the included species of Prototherium and Eotheroides. A deeper taxonomic revision of these two genera would be required in order to better resolve the phylogeny of early dugongids.     

Mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber pelecinid wasps (Hymenoptera,Pelecinidae) support the hypothesis of an Asian origin of the family

A new species of pelecinid wasp, Eopelecinus marechali sp. nov., is described and figured from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber based on a single well-preserved female specimen. Contrary to Eopelecinus inopinatus Jouault et al., 2020a, unique other Eopelecinus known from this deposit, the new species is based on a complete female specimen. This discovery confirms that the Pelecinidae were highly diverse during the Cretaceous and highlights the underestimated diversity of the genus Eopelecinus in Burmese amber biota. Eopelecinus marechali sp. nov. differs from all other Eopelecinus species by its unique metasomal ratio. A summary on the fossil pelecinid species with distributions and ages is provided. Based on the particular geological history of the West Burmese Terrane and the fossil record of the family, the hypothesis of an Asian origin of the family is discussed. The records of Eopelecinus in both Laurasia and Burmese amber biota, during the mid-Cretaceous, suggest that possible transfers of fauna have taken place between these two geological blocks.     

Dolichopteryx minuscula, a new species of spookfish (Argentinoidei: Opisthoproctidae) from the Indo-West Pacific

A new species Dolichopteryx minuscula is described on the basis of three specimens [49.4–59.6 mm in standard length (SL)] collected from the Indo-West Pacific. The new species is characterized by pouchlike eyes with a small lens (lens diameter 2.2% SL), an adipose fin, the anal fin base originating posterior to the dorsal fin base, and 16–17 (= 5–6 + 1 + 10–11) gill rakers. Total fecundity was relatively low, only 658 ova being obtained from one specimen, despite the ovary being mature. Ovarian eggs were clearly subdivided into “undeveloped” (0.1–0.7 mm diameter classes, n = 561) and “developed” (1.0–1.3 mm classes, n = 97) groups, based on their frequency distribution. Such relatively low fecundity and frequency distributions of ovarian eggs suggest that Dolichopteryx species spawn iteratively during spawning season.     

Two new species of Chrysis Linnaeus (Hymenoptera,Chrysididae) from Iran

The Iranian species in the Chrysis pulchella and C. varidens species groups are investigated. Six species are recognized, two of which are described for the first time: Chrysis gamberoonensis Farhad, Rosa and Talebi sp. nov. and Chrysis brunneamarginata Farhad, Rosa and Talebi sp. nov.. Chrysis gamberoonensis Farhad, Rosa and Talebi sp. nov. belongs to the C. pulchella group and is recognizable within this species group by its unique blue body coloration, scattered mesosoma punctures, polished pit row with elongated pits, and a small median tooth on the lateral edge of metasomal tergum 3. Chrysis brunneamarginata Farhad, Rosa and Talebi sp. nov. belongs to the C. varidens group and is recognizable by the usually colorless apical rim of metasomal tergum 3, and the unique shape of the anterior corners of the scutellum which are enlarged, thickened and directed backward covering the axillary trough. Dichotomous keys and distributional data for Iranian species included in these species groups are provided. Chrysis schwarzi Linsenmaier, 1968 is raised to species rank. The number of Iranian Chrysis species and subspecies is raised to 122.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F419F860-3B90-4679-9A19-2CF5C255AE6B     

Mountain scorpions: a new genus and species from Tibet (China)

A new genus and species of mountain liochelid scorpion are described on the basis of a single specimen collected in Tibet (China). This is the first liochelid scorpion found in the high Himalayan Mountains of Tibet, and the first example of the family to be collected out of its typical tropical and subtropical areas of distribution. Some considerations on mountain scorpions are proposed.     

A new black fly species of the subgenus Gomphostilbia (Simulium: Simuliidae: Diptera) from India

Simulium (Gomphostilbia) agasthyamalaiense sp. nov. is described based on adults, pupae and mature larvae from a medium-flowing stream of Southern Western Ghats, India. This new species is placed in the Simulium batoense species-group of the subgenus Gomphostilbia Enderlein. This new species is characterized in the female by a scutum with three brownish-black longitudinal vittae and the hind basitarsus 5.7 times as long as wide; in the female by the large facets of upper eye with 20 vertical columns and 19 horizontal rows; in the pupa the respiratory gill with medium-long common basal stalk; and in the larva arrowhead-shaped postgenal cleft. Taxonomic notes are provided for this new species and it can be distinguished from closely related species of S. (G.) peteri. Keys are constructed to distinguish this species from ten species of the batoense species-group recorded in India.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1D1CFEE5-A762-4F68-9EAE-9E31133146C0     

Dysomma alticorpus,a new species of cutthroat eel from the Gulf of Aqaba,Red Sea (Teleostei: Synaphobranchidae)

The cutthroat eel Dysomma alticorpus n. sp. is described based on a single specimen collected in a trammel net at a depth of 350 m off Eilat, Israel, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. The new species belongs to the Dysomma anguillare species complex, which comprises species possessing a well-developed pectoral fin, intermaxillary teeth, a uniserial row of 7–15 large compound teeth in the lower jaw (which may be followed by a few smaller teeth), and an anteriorly situated anus with the trunk shorter than the head length. It is characterised by a combination of the following characters: origin of the dorsal fin well anterior to the base of the pectoral fin, predorsal length 13.8% TL; preanal length 22.8% TL; three compound teeth on the vomer; head pores: IO 4, SO 3; M 6; POP 0; AD 1, F 0, ST 0; lateral-line pores: predorsal 4, prepectoral 8, preanal 14, total 57–58, the last at the posterior two-thirds of the total length; MVF 7–16–115; total vertebrae 115. Dysomma alticorpus n. sp. is compared with other species of the genus. A revised key to the species of the genera Dysomma and Dysommina is provided.     

A new anaxyelid wood wasp (Hymenoptera: ‘Symphyta’) from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

A new genus and species of anaxyelid wasp is described and figured from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber as Curvitexis kopylovi gen. et sp. nov. The placement of this new genus within the Anaxyelidae is corroborated by its wing venation and the configuration of its mesosoma. This new genus differs from all other Syntexinae from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber biota, inter alia, owing to its forewing with the vein 1Rs curved and longer than 1M, the crossvein 1r-rs absent, the vein 2Rs + M present; the hind wing with the abscissa 2M + Cu present, the vein m-cu absent, and the cell r closed. The recently described Paraxiphydria resinata Gao et al., 2022 is transferred to Anaxyelidae: Syntexinae, and the subfamily Paraxiphydriinae Gao et al., 2022 is synonymized under Syntexinae.     

New case of lateral asymmetry in fishes: A new subfamily,genus and species of deep water clingfishes from Papua New Guinea,western Pacific Ocean

The unusual clingfish Protogobiesox asymmetricus n. gen, n. sp. is described on the basis of four specimens collected in deep water off the north coast of Papua New Guinea in 2012. The species is characterized by its 9–10 dorsal rays, 8 anal rays, 17–24 pectoral-fin rays, 15 principal caudal-fin rays, 3 gills, third arch with 3 gill rakers, 34–35 total vertebrae, with asymmetrical lateral bending starting behind the skull, bent at an angle of 85°–92°; skull asymmetrical in frontal view; skin naked, surface of head and body without striae; disc without adhesive papillae. A new subfamily Protogobiesocinae is described for this species and Lepadicyathus mendeleevi Prokofiev, 2005, which is redescribed. The new subfamily is compared within the family; keys to the subfamilies of Gobiesocidae and the species within the new subfamily are presented; its phylogenetic relationship to other gobiesocids is inferred based on a multi-locus DNA dataset.     

Le plus grand représentant du genre Eomys (Rodentia,Mammalia) de l'Oligocène de l'Europe: Eomys huerzeleri nov. sp.

Eomys huerzeleri, a new species of Eomyidae already recognized and named by H.G. Stehlin but never published is described and compared with Eomys majorFreudenberg. The stratigraphical range of both species is discussed.