Fossil insects have been a key tool for understanding the phylogeny and evolutionary history of life. However, many regions of the world still exhibit significant gaps in the knowledge of insect fossils, with South America being particularly underrepresented. The limited understanding of the fossil record—encompassing diversity pools, types of fossil evidence, geological ages, and taxonomic identity—can lead to the undervaluation of this heritage and, in severe cases, to the material loss of specimens. This study aims to provide a systematic compilation of studies on Chilean fossil insects and a fossil checklist. A broad literature review was conducted, including scientific articles, books, theses, and conference papers, using keywords related to Chilean fossil insects. We included data of species identity, fossil type, stratigraphic context, age calibrations, and locality information. The resulting dataset comprised 93 works, including 65 primary and 28 secondary sources. We registered records from Quaternary, Neogene, Paleogene, Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Carboniferous periods. The Quaternary period had the most extensive coverage in terms of fossil records. A total of 726 nominal records (taxon and ichnotaxon names) of arthropod fossils were recorded, with Coleoptera the most diverse group. Additionally, 17 records of Araneae and one putative record for Myriapoda classes were registered. Finally, we critically evaluated the sources of information to confirm or dismiss some doubtful records, provide an overview of the current state of knowledge, and suggest considerations for the future development of this discipline in Chile. Future studies should consider new methodological approaches, validate the records through thorough phylogenetic and nomenclatural analyses, properly characterize the type of material and its compliance with current nomenclatural rules, and finally, provide an accessible repository to ensure the replicability of the studies.

The complex taxonomic history of the moss genus Neckera , whose name was conserved at the Paris Congress in 1954, is reviewed. The issue of typifications of moss generic names by W. Ph. Schimper in 1860 is examined in detail and it is concluded that these typifications comply with the provisions of the " International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants ". Schimper was the first to typify Neckera with N. pennata , so it is unnecessary to treat this as a conserved type. The unitary designations of moss species proposed by Jakob Friedrich Ehrhart in his exsiccata " Phytophylacium Ehrhartianum ", published between 1780 and 1785, are reviewed. It is concluded that two of these designations, Diphyscium and Paludella , are currently in use, having been validly published in the early nineteenth century. The same applies to Rhystophyllum , another of Ehrhart’s unitary designations, which was validated as a subsection of Neckera by C. Müller in 1850 and, subsequently, first elevated to the rank of section by Mitten in 1869, rather than Braithwaite in 1905 as listed in " Index muscorum ". Finally, E. Britton raised this infrageneric taxon to the rank of genus in 1904. Rhystophyllum is here reinstated from obscurity, since it is homotypic with the generic name Exsertotheca that was recently introduced for a segregate of Neckera . Accordingly, three new combinations are proposed: Rhystophyllum crispum , Rh. intermedium and Rh. baeticum . Neckera subsect. Leiophyllum is regarded as a heterotypic synonym of Alleniella , another recent segregate of the formerly broadly circumscribed genus Neckera .

The species epithet Novosphingobium mangrovi Huang et al. 2023 is illegitimate under Rule 51b (5) of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes, as it is a later homonym of Novosphingobium mangrovi Hu et al. 2023. The type strains of these two species share average nucleotide identity (84.7%; <95 %) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (21%; <70 %) values below the recommended species delineation thresholds, substantiating their positions as two distinct species. Herein, the replacement name Novosphingobium mangrovisedimenti is proposed, preserving the original meaning related to the isolation of the type strain from mangrove sediments.

Aims : To revise the syntaxonomy of epiphytic lichen communities on Fagus sylvatica from old-growth beech forests in the Carpathians and adjacent uplands, in particular (1) to identify the main syntaxonomic units and reveal their ecologіcal, structural, and compositional peculiarities; (2) to assign the associations to higher-rank syntaxa; (3) to define the position of the resulting syntaxonomic units in the system of syntaxa of lichen communities of Europe; and (4) to evaluate the potential use of epiphytic lichen communities on beech trees as indicators of the ecological integrity of forest habitats. Study area : Ukrainian Carpathians, Roztochchia, Podillia, and Khotyn uplands. Methods : 230 relevés of lichen communities from western Ukraine and data from literary sources (reference data) were classified using the modified TWINSPAN algorithm implemented in JUICE software in two steps, identifying units of higher and then lower rank consecutively. Results : The first step of the analysis resulted in seven clusters which were mainly interpreted as classes or orders. The second step of the analysis resulted in 20 units of association or unranked community level. 12 of these were recorded in the study area and included 267 lichen species. Conclusions : Epiphytic lichen communities on Fagus sylvatica in the old-growth beech forests of Western Ukraine are divided into five classes: Agonimietea repletae (a new class encompassing lichen communities occurring on exposed roots and the bases of old tree trunks with smooth bark), Arthonio radiatae-Lecidelletea elaeochromae , Hypogymnietea physodis , Neckeretea complanatae and Physcietea , and 12 assocations or unranked communities. The order Agonimietalia repletae , the alliances Biatorion radicicolae and Dictyocatenulation albae , and five associations are newly described here. The provisional alliance Biatorion vernalis is proposed for epiphytic lichens on mosses. Taxonomic reference : Nimis et al. (2018). Abbreviations : EUNIS = European Nature Information System; EVC = EuroVegChecklist; ICPN = International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature; UNESCO = United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; OD = Original diagnosis.

Genetic profiling of cultivars is important for confirming the authenticity of a cultivar and monitoring cultivar purity, preventing counterfeiting and, consequently, for protecting breeding achievements and protecting the rights of breeders, which are regulated at the international and national levels. An important aspect of developing genetic passports for cultivars is the choice, documentation and long-term preservation of the specimens used for DNA extraction. A new approach to solving these issues for vegetatively propagated agricultural crops was proposed at VIR in 2020 as part of the Integrated strategy for cultivar gene pool registration in Genebanks. The objectives of this strategy are: (a) registration of nomenclature standards for cultivars in accordance with the recommendations of the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP) and transfer them for storage to the Herbarium of Cultivated Plants of the World, their Wild Relatives and Weeds (WIR); (b) development of genetic passports, molecular profiling of nomenclature standards; (c) preservation of live specimens genetically identical to nomenclaturе standards in duplicate in vitro - and cryo-collections. The results of solving these three tasks for domestic potato cultivars are summarized and the prospects for their application are outlined. At the same time, VIR researchers, together with breeders from various regions of the Russian Federation, are carrying out large-scale work to create a collection of nomenclature standards for cultivars of various agricultural crops belonging to the families Solanaceae, Rosaceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Grossulariaceae and Brassicaceae. This collection includes 308 nomenclature standards, designed in accordance with the requirements of ICNCP, which are stored in the VIR Herbarium of Cultivated Plants of the World, their Wild Relatives and Weeds (WIR). Nomenclature standards are a priority for molecular profiling of cultivars of various crops.

There has been an explosion of new Cyanobacterial taxa described within the last two decades. Cyanobacteria exhibit incredible ecological versatility and morphological variability, and thousands of species have already been described using "traditional" approaches (e.g., morphological features). However, DNA sequencing and other molecular tools have provided extensive evidence that the diversity of cyanobacteria is not necessarily congruent with morphology, as many morphological genera (e.g., Phormidium, Leptolyngbya, and Nostoc) are polyphyletic, and species within the genera are often morphologically indistinguishable, thus cryptic. Further confounding systematic assessments, newly erected taxa are often based on a single strain with one or two 16S rRNA gene sequences, may have incomplete formal descriptions, and lack indication of the employed species concepts. Here we have proposed a set of guidelines for cyanobacterial taxonomists. We have focused on the whole process of erecting new taxa: sampling, sequencing (including genomes), phylogenetic inference, phenotype characterization, species concepts, formal descriptions, and codes of nomenclature. Our hope is that these guidelines will help with the laborious but ever-rewarding task of identifying and describing the taxa within the world of cyanobacteria.

Caragana and Calophaca are two closely related genera in the family Fabaceae. Recently, Calophaca was merged into Caragana, treating it as Caragana sect. Calophaca. This classification was further supported by molecular phylogenetic evidence. However, some of the resulting new combinations are considered illegitimate homonyms under the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN), due to overlap with pre-existing names within Caragana. Therefore, these taxa require renaming or replacement with available epithets. In this study, we review the new combinations within Caragana and propose five replacement names to resolve the nomenclatural conflicts, along with two new combinations.

The name Homalomena brachygyna J.Collantes, K.Z.Hein &amp; R.Bustam. was proposed for a new species of Homalomena Schott (1832: 20) from Palawan, Philippines, and published in Phytotaxa on 3 September 2024 (Collantes et al. 2024). However, the name is invalid under Article 40.5 of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Turland et al. 2025), as the protologue failed to specify a single institution where the holotype is conserved—a requirement for valid publication of names published after 1 January 1990. Instead, two institutions were cited: PNH for the sheet and CAHUP for the spirit material (Collantes et al. 2024). As all other requirements of the Madrid Code were fulfilled, Homalomena brachygyna is validated below by unambiguously designating the holotype, using the effective English diagnosis and description provided in Collantes et al. (2024).

The bacterial order Enterobacterales has recently undergone major taxonomic revisions, with several new families and genera described. Within this framework, the rare genus Cedecea and the newly proposed genus Dryocola occupy closely related positions. The present study provides a comprehensive phylogenomic, phenotypic and functional assessment of Cedecea sulfonylureivorans LAM2020T and Dryocola clanedunensis H11S18T to clarify their taxonomic relationship. Genomic relatedness indices revealed high similarity between the two type strains, with average nucleotide identity, average amino acid identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values exceeding established species delineation thresholds. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA, whole genomes and core gene sets consistently placed the two strains in a robustly supported monophyletic clade. These findings were further supported by shared metabolic and phenotypic traits. Taken together, the evidence demonstrates that C. sulfonylureivorans and D. clanedunensis represent members of the same biological species. Accordingly, and in line with Rule 42 of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes, we propose the reclassification of C. sulfonylureivorans Li et al. 2024 as a later heterotypic synonym of D. clanedunensis Maddock et al. 2023. Furthermore, we propose two subspecies within this species: D. clanedunensis subsp. clanedunensis comb. nov. and D. clanedunensis subsp. sulfonylureivorans comb. nov.

Metagenome-assembled genomes reveal Pseudogracilibacillus amylolyticus sp. nov., a functional uncultured microorganism in high-temperature Daqu.

Organic chemistry often presents significant learning challenges, leading to low motivation and retention among STEM students. This study evaluates the effectiveness of movement-based gamification, a non-digital, kinesthetic approach, in improving engagement and knowledge retention in an introductory organic chemistry course. Thirty diploma-level students participated in checkpoint-style, team-based activities involving time-bound problem-solving and immediate feedback from facilitators. Pre- and post-intervention surveys measured six indicators, which are enjoyment, confidence, focus, recall, teamwork, and motivation, using a five-point Likert scale. Results showed significant improvements across all indicators, with the highest gains in enjoyment (86%), confidence (51%), focus (52%), and recall of nomenclature rules (51%). The results also showed a greater relative enhancement in psychological factors (confidence, enjoyment, motivation) by 60.36% compared to behavioural factors (focus, recall, teamwork) by 49.26%. Observations and student interviews confirm enhanced motivation, collaboration, and conceptual understanding. These findings demonstrate that movement-based gamification effectively promotes active participation and deeper learning while reducing reliance on screen-based tools. The approach provides an economical and engaging alternative for teaching complex scientific topics, creating a supportive and interactive classroom environment. Overall, the study suggests that integrating kinesthetic, game-like elements into chemistry instruction can significantly improve student motivation, focus, and knowledge retention.

The genus name Laranda presents a significant case of zoological homonymy, requiring nomenclatural action under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN). Laranda Kinberg, 1865 (Polychaeta), established for marine annelids, predicts Laranda Walker, 1869 (Orthoptera), a distinctive genus of Neotropical crickets. This homonymy, unnoticed for over 150 years, was recently identified in the Taxonomic Catalog of the Brazilian Fauna. To ensure nomenclatural stability and universality, we propose Unacla nom. n. as a replacement name for the cricket genus Laranda Walker, 1869, which is a junior homonym and, therefore, invalid. This note details the type material and distinguishing features of both taxa, justifying the proposed name change and its implications for systematics.

Ganoderma P. Karst. is an important genus in the family Polyporaceae. Ryvarden in the year 2020 described a new species of Ganoderma, based on a collection from Seychelles (East Africa), and named it as Ganoderma insulare Ryvarden (Ryvarden 2020). However, Ryvarden (2020) unintentionally missed the earlier validly published name Ganoderma insulare Har. &amp; Pat. (Har. &amp; Pat.1903), resulting in a nom. illegit., according to the Art. 53.1 of the International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants (Turland et al. 2018).

Priority vs. tradition—Tracheliastes polycolpus von Nordmann, 1832 (Copepoda: Lernaeopodidae) revisited!

Tarasa is a genus endemic to the Americas that is represented in Peru by 14 species. In the context of the taxonomic treatment of this genus for the Peruvian flora, two names of species that need to be typified to stabilize their nomenclature were identified. For the nomenclatural treatment, the protologues are analyzed and the type material is studied in physical or through online images. Lectotypifying is carried out in accordance with the indications of the current International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi and Plants. Lectotypes are designated for two names of Tarasa species endemic to Peru.

This study provides a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the carpenter moth family Cossidae (Lepidoptera: Cossoidea) in Georgia, located within the South Caucasus region. Integrating historical records, museum collections, and recent field surveys, we present an updated fauna comprising 22 species across 13 genera. Five species are described here as new to science: Dyspessa confusa Japaridze, Makharadze, Seropian, sp. nov. (), Dyspessa parvana Japaridze, Makharadze, Seropian, sp. nov. (), Stygioides jarii Japaridze, Makharadze, Seropian, sp. nov. (), Stygioides mirifica Japaridze, Makharadze, Bulbulashvili, Seropian, sp. nov. (), and Phragmataecia ignota Japaridze, Makharadze, Seropian, sp. nov. () The genus Stygioides Braund, 1853 is recorded from Georgia for the first time. Additionally, Deserticossus volgensis (Christoph, 1893), Dyspessa cerberus Daniel, 1939, and D. tsvetaevi Yakovlev, 2008 are newly recorded from the South Caucasus. Based on re-examination of material, Dyspessa alpherakyi Christoph, 1885, D. pallidata Staudinger, 1892, and Isoceras bipunctatum Staudinger, 1887 are excluded from the Georgian fauna. The name Holcocerus didmanidzae Yakovlev, 2006 is corrected to Holcocerus didmanidzeae Yakovlev, 2006 in accordance with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN). Detailed collection data, diagnostic images, and COI barcode sequences of eight species are provided to support future ecological and biogeographical studies.

Abstract Advances in molecular techniques have improved our ability to quantify genetic introgression, but they also blur distinctions between hybrids and parental taxa in conservation and taxonomy. Here, we highlight challenges of identifying and defining hybrids within zoological nomenclature. Using high-throughput sequencing data, we show that the holotype of a recently described midwife toad subspecies, Alytes almogavarii inigoi, originates from a wide hybrid zone with its sister taxon, Alytes almogavarii almogavarii. Although the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature permits names based on admixed hybrid individuals (except F1 hybrids), this case raises questions about the applicability of the name to the intended population. To address this, we introduce a quantitative method for distinguishing admixed from parental specimens, using thresholds of foreign ancestry corresponding to known levels of backcrossing. Our findings reveal that the holotype carries 15% foreign ancestry, which is more than a second-generation backcross and thus too much to represent a distinct, non-admixed population. We therefore provide a replacement name by redescribing the Central Pyrenean lineage of Alytes almogavarii from a genetically pure population. This case illustrates the ambiguity surrounding admixed type specimens under current nomenclatural rules and emphasizes the growing need for clearer guidelines as taxonomy enters the genomic era.

When the International Code of Phylogenetic Nomenclature (ICPN or PhyloCode) (Cantino and de Queiroz 2020) was originally published in 2020, the International Society for Phylogenetic Nomenclature (ISPN) had not yet...

The Ad Hoc Committee on Mitigating Changes in Prokaryotic Nomenclature was recently established under the auspices of the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes to address the impact of name changes of prokaryotic taxa in databases, scientific publications and other sources, particularly agencies responsible for establishing protocols and standards for infectious disease control. Here, we report on the activities of the committee and the actions taken to date. A first key task of the Committee was to emphasize to stakeholders that the vast majority of name changes are not mandatory under the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP), and to provide guidance. The second key task was to compile a List of Recommended Names (LoRN) for bacteria of human or veterinary medical importance. This list has been incorporated into the List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature (LPSN) and is easily and freely available from LPSN. The principles for compiling and updating the list are described. Use of this list, rather than automatically treating the most recently proposed name of a taxon that has obtained standing under the ICNP as the name to be applied to the taxon, will greatly reduce the burden on practitioners who need to use prokaryotic names, e.g. in human and veterinary medical routines, and the risk associated with new, unfamiliar names. Other databases are encouraged to use LoRN.

Aim of study: The aim of the study is to reveal the vegetation structure of the study area, which is a conservation area. Area of study: The study area is the Yenice Wildlife Conservation Area in Karabük which is located in the western Black Sea region in Türkiye. Material and method: In order to determine the relationship of the plants in the area with their environment, 120 relevés were determined by taking into account the habitat, vegetation and floristic composition from different vegetation types. The tables were evaluated by using the "Braun-Blanquet method" in the interpretation of the vegetation of the study area. In addition, the JUICE 7.0 program was used to determine the diagnostic, constant and dominant species objectively. The naming of the determined sociological units was made according to the “International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature”. Main results: The dominant vegetation type of the study area which includes many ecosystems such as forest, pseudomaquis, and riparian ecosystem due to its biogeographic location, is forest formation. According to the Braun-Blanquet method, 4 plant associations belonging to forest vegetation were determined. Research highlights: Corno mas-Quercetum ibericae ass. nova and Saniculo-Abietum equi-trojani ass. nova are new to the plant science.