Prodasineura yulan is described from a male from Maludam National Park, Betong Division, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. It is allied to Prodasineura interrupta.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
We provide illustrated dichotomous keys for the identification of final (4th) instar larvae of south-east Asian genera of Chironomidae (Diptera), predominantly from aquatic (freshwater and maritime) habitats. The region considered comprises oriental China, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia (west and east), Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia. Eight subfamilies are represented and phylogenetically validated tribes are keyed. Terminal taxa, listed in the sequence used in this guide, comprise 28 genera of Tanypodinae, 71 of Chironominae, 2 of Podonominae, 1 of Buchonomyiinae, 8 of Diamesinae, 2 of Protanypodinae, 5 of Prodiamesinae, 2 of Telmatogetoninae and 61 of Orthocladiinae. The morphology terminology is standard for larval Chironomidae to which users are referred. Illustrations of selected features are provided as photographs with important details labelled. Short summaries of ecology and concise details of selected species and regional / global distribution are provided in brackets under each entry. Some suspect new synonymy is alluded to, but will be addressed formally in more detail elsewhere.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
Benthopanope indica (De Man, 1887) was originally described from the Mergui Archipelago and has subsequently been reported from many Indo-West Pacific localities. The identity of this species is herein clarified. The re-examination of the type female, fresh specimens collected from Chilika Lake, Odisha State, India, as well as material from other locations, revealed that B. indica is not a Benthopanope species but should be assigned to Pilumnopeus instead. Pilumnopeus indicus comb. nov. is now restricted to the Indian Ocean and is reported from the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia for the first time. Heteropanope pearsei Rathbun, 1932, described from East Asia, previously synonymised under P. indicus by Sakai (1965), is here shown to be valid species of Pilumnopeus, and all previous records of "B. indica" from Japan, China, Taiwan, and Korea must be referred to this species. The two species can be differentiated by characters of the carapace, epistome, chelipeds and gonopods. Lectotypes are also designated for both species.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
The genus Keratodegnathus Pace includes two species known to occur in Malaysia (Sabah and Pahang). A third species, Keratodegnathus javanicus sp. n. is described, based on a female specimen from Indonesia (West Java Province). As the morphology of Keratodegnathus was previously inadequately described, a detailed scanning electron microscopy examination was carried out to characterize the new species. Keratodegnathus mirabilis Pace, 2014 was transferred by Assing to Orphnebius Motschulsky, resulting in a secondary homonymy with Orphnebius mirabilis (Bernhauer, 1911). Orphnebius mirabilides nom. n. is proposed as a replacement name for Orphnebius mirabilis (Pace).
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
Loeblites is a small genus of Oriental Scydmaeninae, currently comprising only five species distributed in Thailand, Malaysia (Sabah), China (Yunnan), and the Philippines (Mindanao). Loeblites anaiensis sp. n. (Sumatra), L. umphangensis sp. n. (Thailand), L. pseudominor pseudominor sp. n. (Borneo, Thailand), and L. pseudominor sumatrensis subsp. n. (Sumatra) are described. New records for L. sabahensis Franz in Sarawak are reported, a species so far known to occur only in Sabah. Identification key to species of Loeblites is given.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
The genus Pedionis with its species Pedionis (Pedionis) rufoscutellata Huang & Viraktamath, 1993 is recorded for the first time from Malaysia. A new species Pedionis (Pedionis) spiculata sp. nov. is described and illustrated. An updated species checklist with distribution of the genus Pedionis is also provided.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
Three new species, B. catopuma sp. nov. (♀) (Borneo, Malaysia), B. musang sp. nov. (♂♀) and B. tangalunga sp. nov. (♂) (both from Mindanao, Philippines), are described. Species of shakeit group are recorded outside of Borneo for the first time (Philippines). The females of Bowie neukoeln Jäger, 2022 and Bowie shakeit Jäger, 2022, and the male of B. hosei (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) are redescribed. Detailed descriptions, digital photographs and a distributional map are provided.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
A new genus Esexalata gen. n. and two new species (E. beljaevi sp. n., type species, and E. natalyae sp. n.) are described and illustrated from East Malaysia. Males of the new taxa possess unique metathoracic and abdominal androconial structures and wing-like structures on the metascutum. The taxonomic position of the new genus within the family Gelechiidae is discussed.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
The Copelatus latipes species complex is introduced for Oriental species of Copelatus Erichson, 1832 belonging to the C. irinus group and characterised by the presence of processes on the ventral side of the median lobe of the aedeagus, forming a "beak-shaped" structure. The complex comprises six species, including two newly described taxa: Copelatus bezdeki Sheth, Ghate & Hájek, 2018 (India), C. brivioi Rocchi, 1976 (Bangladesh, India, Nepal), C. kopetzi sp. nov. (Nepal), C. lanxangensis sp. nov. (Laos), C. latipes Sharp, 1882 (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia) and C. schereri Wewalka, 1981 (India, Sri Lanka). All species are diagnosed, and their habitus and male genitalia are illustrated.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
Five new species of Heteropoda (Araneae: Sparassidae, Heteropodinae) from Southeast Asia are described: H. acris spec. nov. (male, female; Vietnam), H. cuspidata spec. nov. (male; Malaysia), H. papilionacea spec. nov. (female; Malaysia), H. pilata spec. nov. (female; Thailand), and H. verticalis spec. nov. (male; Malaysia). The female of H. jasminae Jäger, 2008 is described for the first time (locality: Vietnam). All these new species are diagnosed, described, and illustrated. Additionally, a distribution map for all species is given.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
Three new species of the genus Viettherchnus Kirejtshuk, 1985 are described and illustrated: Viettherchnus apriculus sp. nov. (Malaysia), V. helferi sp. nov. (Indonesia: Kalimantan, Malaysia, Myanmar) and V. orszuliki sp. nov. (Nepal); the latter represents the first species of the genus known from the Himalayas. An identification key to all Viettherchnus species is provided.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
Four new species, Arixyleborus halabala Sittichaya, Beaver & Smith sp. nov., Arixyleborus longicauda Sittichaya, Beaver & Smith sp. nov., Arixyleborus vellus Sittichaya, Beaver & Smith sp. nov. are described from Thailand, and Arixyleborus liratus Sittichaya, Beaver & Smith sp. nov. from Thailand and East Malaysia (Sabah). With the inclusion of the species described here, the diversity of Arixyleborus is increased to 46 species, of which 20 occur in Thailand. A synoptic list with distributions and habitat types is provided.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
From the Malay Peninsula (West Malaysia) 18 species of the genus Laena Dejean, 1821 are known so far. Additional two species are described herein as new: L. johoria sp. nov. and L. ledangica sp. nov. They originate exclusively from the southernmost, hitherto less explored Malaysian Federal State of Johor. Some new records of known Malaysian species are also listed.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
A new species of gekkonid lizard is described from Phnom Khpoh, an isolated karstic hill within an extensive karstic archipelago in Battambang Province, western Cambodia. Phylogenetic analysis using a 1041 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial gene ND2 recovered Hemiphyllodactylus khpoh sp. nov. as the sister species of H. pardalis, found 335 km to the west in southern Thailand. Analyses of meristic, morphometric, and categorical characters of morphology and color pattern differentiated H. khpoh sp. nov. from both the morphologically distinct H. pardalis and the very similar Hemiphyllodactylus sp. from Phnom Kulen, approximately 130 km to the northeast in Siem Reap Province. The statistical morphological analyses and comparisons also showed that H. khpoh sp. nov. is well-differentiated from the recently described H. bokor and H. samkos from the nearby Cardamom Mountains as well from species in clade 6-a recently designated lineage from China, Laos, and Vietnam to which H. khpoh sp. nov. + H. pardalis compose the sister lineage. The discovery of H. khpoh sp. nov. highlights the rich but understudied biodiversity of karstic landscapes, emphasizing the need for continued research in the extensive unexplored karstic archipelago of western Cambodia. This region is poised to reveal unparalleled gekkonid diversity, comparable to that observed in the similarly sized karstic archipelago of the Salween Basin in southern Myanmar. Although karstic landscapes are proving to be some of the most biodiverse habitats on the planet, less than 1% of them are afforded any formal protection.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
Sphenomorphus stellatus was once thought to be a wide-ranging species distributed across many parts of Indochina, the Thai-Malay Peninsula and Borneo. However, recent integrative taxonomic studies on the species have revealed its underestimated diversity and new species previously masquerading under this nomen in mainland Southeast Asia. This prompted the re-examination of a specimen identified as S. stellatus from Borneo, and morphological analyses revealed that it is not conspecific with topotypic specimens of the species from Peninsular Malaysia or other congeners of the complex, and is therefore described herein as new. Sphenomorphus striatafaucium sp. nov. can be differentiated from its congeners by a combination of known adult SVL of 57.4 mm; frontal scale undivided; prefrontals in broad contact; four supraoculars; two loreals; eight superciliaries; no enlarged, clear, central window in lower eyelid; seven or eight supralabials; six infralabials; three pairs of chinshields; 24 midbody scale rows; 62 paravertebrals, not wider than other dorsals; 66 ventrals; two enlarged precloacals; 19 subdigital lamellae on fourth toe; and bold and distinct striped pattern on the chin and throat. The discovery of S. striatafaucium sp. nov. increases the number of endemic Sphenomorphus skinks in Borneo to 13 species. The discovery underscores the underestimated diversity of reptile and amphibian species in Borneo, and the need for more concerted efforts to conduct fieldwork and systematic studies to not only improve the understanding of their relationships and ecologies, but also better protect their habitats that are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic pressures. This study also highlights the value of well-curated natural history collections in museums that still harbour new species awaiting discovery.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
The Hemipeplinae (Coleoptera: Mycteridae) fauna of the world was reviewed, based on external morphology, morphometrics of head, pronotum, and elytra, and examination of male genitalia of adults. One new genus and twenty-nine new species are described (country of type locality given in parentheses). From the New World, five new species are described: Hemipeplus anishae KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Belize), H. belizensis KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Belize), H. brasiliensis KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Brazil), H. pollocki KC, sp. nov. (Mexico), and H. pseudoquadricollis KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Brazil). From the Afrotropics, one monotypic genus with its species is described: Eurypeplus quadrimaculatus KC & Pollock, gen. nov., sp. nov. (Madagascar). Twenty-three new species are described from the Austro-Oriental region: H. antennatus KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Solomon Islands), Hemipeplus bromineus KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Indonesia: Papua), H. bucculentus KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Vietnam), H. craigi KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Papua New Guinea), H. enarotaliensis KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Indonesia: Papua), H. exhaustus KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Papua New Guinea), H. gressitti KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Indonesia: Papua), H. harkoneni KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Philippines), H. heisenbergi KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Papua New Guinea), H. joerebeccae KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Philippines), H. labuanensis KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Malaysia), H. manusicus KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Papua New Guinea), H. monteithi KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Australia), H. neoaustralicus KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Australia), H. neoguineensis KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Papua New Guinea), H. nigerrimus KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Philippines), H. palawanensis KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Philippines), H. philippinensis KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Philippines), H. pseudoklematanicus KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Malaysia), H. rugosus KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Malaysia), H. luzonensis KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Philippines), H. saymyname KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (Malaysia), and H. sinensis KC & Pollock, sp. nov. (China). Range extensions of several previously described species are documented: Hemipeplus thomasi Pollock, 1999 is recorded from Texas (Cameron Co.) previously known only from Tamaulipas, Mexico; H. bolivianus Pollock, 1999 is newly recorded from Ecuador; H. alluaudi Grouvelle, 1923 is recorded from Malawi, previously known from southern Kenya; H. miyamotoi Kamiya, 1961 is recorded from Taiwan, previously known from Japan; H. klematanicus (Gestro, 1873), previously known only from Malaysia (Sarawak) is recorded from Thailand and Indonesia. Hemipeplus marginipennis (LeConte, 1856) is proposed as a junior synonym of H. hemipterus Lacordaire, 1854, syn. nov.; a neotype is designated for the latter. Lectotypes for H. australicus Arrow, 1930 and H. nuciferae Arrow, 1930 are designated. To supplement the descriptions of new taxa, images of different aspects of their habiti and male genitalia (whenever possible) are provided along with taxonomic keys for all the known taxa of Hemipeplinae.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
The Pahang Mud Snake (Kualatahan pahangensis) (Tweedie 1946) is a rare species of homalopsid known only from four specimens. In this study we report on a relatively recently collected specimen from Merapoh, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia, compared with previously collected material. Variations in pholidosis and colour pattern were noted and discussed. The species is morphologically similar in body shape and colour pattern to the sympatric Hypsiscopus plumbeus, for which additional data is presented for Peninsular Malaysian specimens to clarify possible taxonomic confusions. The new record represents a range extension for the species of ~ 47 km to the west and is the third report of the species from the state of Pahang.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
The Austro-Oriental shield-bug genus Axiagastus Dallas, 1851 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Axiagastini) is revised and found to be a senior synonym of Indrapura China, 1928, syn. nov. The following Axiagastus species (including five new) are treated: A. cambelli Distant, 1911 (= Pentatoma marmoratum Montrouzier, 1855, syn. nov.), from Australia (Queensland), Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa and Vanuatu; A. chandrashekarai Salini, Kment & Roca-Cusachs sp. nov., from Indonesia (Sulawesi); A. dubius Jensen-Haarup, 1937 from ?Singapore; A. klossi (China, 1928, Indrapura), comb. nov., from Indonesia (Sumatra); A. luteipes Salini & Roca-Cusachs sp. nov. from Myanmar; A. mitescens Distant, 1901, from China; A. prathapani Salini & Kment sp. nov., from India (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), Indonesia (Java, Sulawesi, Sumatra), Laos, Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak), and Singapore; A. rosmarus Dallas, 1851 (type species) from the Philippines; A. votypkai Salini & Kment sp. nov., from Indonesia (Papua), Papua New Guinea, Australia (Queensland), and A. yeshwanthi Salini, Kment & Webb sp. nov., from Cambodia, India, Japan (Ryukyus), Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Lectotypes are designated for A. cambelli, A. rosmarus and Pentatoma marmoratum. We maintain the prevailing usage of Axiagastus cambelli and an application to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature is prepared to suppress its senior but unused synonym Pentatoma marmoratum. A checklist and key to the included species of Axiagastus are provided. In addition, the species status of Acesines breviceps Stål, 1876 is discussed and the following new subjective synonymy is proposed: Acesines breviceps = Acesines bambusana Distant, 1918, syn. nov. Comments on the collections and type material of William S. Dallas, Francis Walker, Jean X. H. Montrouzier and the Macleay Museum (now part of Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of Sydney) are provided.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development
The taxonomy of poorly known Mesagraecia Ingrisch, 1998 is reviewed. A new species of Mesagraecia spine-headed katydid (Conocephalinae: Agraeciini) is described from Bukit Larut, Perak, Peninsular Malaysia: Mesagraecia larutensis sp. n. A key to species is also presented.
Matched MeSH terms: Animal Structures/growth & development