Type Species Research Articles

Forest ecosystems in the eastern United States are undergoing significant compositional and demographic shift. To understand these changes, we used Forest Inventory & Analysis data (2003 - 2021) to examine landscape-scale trends in the North Carolina Piedmont, focusing on forest type groups, taxonomic family, and species. We assessed metrics such as annual net primary productivity, relative density, and biodiversity, aiming to determine: i) Which forest group types are changing most, ii) Whether these changes extend to lower taxonomic units, and iii) How stability has shifted over time. Our findings reveal an increasing dominance of Pinus species, particularly naturally regenerated loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), accompanied by sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). This shift corresponds to rising prevalence of pine and oak-pine forest type groups. Notably, while red maple (Acer rubrum) consistently had high seedling densities, its recruitment lagged behind species like sweetgum and yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), defying broader regional trends. These results highlight a clear progression from species-level changes to broader taxonomic families and forest types, emphasizing a shift toward pine in the region. The study underscores the importance of multi-level analyses for capturing ecological trends and advancing understanding of forest dynamics in changing landscapes.

The escalating accumulation of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) in the environment has raised significant concerns regarding their neurotoxic potential in vertebrates. This critical review synthesizes evidence from 234 original research articles across aquatic and terrestrial models, as well as in vitro systems, to evaluate the impacts of MNPs on the brain. Emerging data suggest that MNPs may reach the brain via olfactory translocation or by penetrating the blood-brain barrier, potentially facilitated by biomolecular corona formation. However, distribution kinetics, long-term retention, and true internal exposure levels remain unresolved. We highlight that neurotoxic outcomes, such as oxidative stress, cholinergic dysfunction, neurotransmitter imbalances, and neuronal apoptosis, vary widely depending on particle size, shape, polymer type, exposure concentration, and host species. Nevertheless, inconsistencies across models and experimental conditions, such as mismatches between oxidative stress markers and behavioral effects or lack of dose-response relationships, hinder mechanistic clarity and translational relevance to human health. Notably, most current studies employ spherical polystyrene particles at supraphysiological concentrations, limiting ecological and clinical extrapolation. Interactions with microbial biofilms and host microbiota are largely unexplored, despite their probable role in modulating neurotoxicity via the gut-brain axis. Moreover, most studies rely on analytical methods validated only for microplastic detection, while robust, standardized approaches for identifying nanoplastics in environmental and biological matrices remain lacking. These gaps hinder accurate exposure quantification, obscure tissue-specific accumulation patterns, and complicate human health risk estimation. To advance the field, we recommend comprehensive physicochemical characterization of MNPs, adoption of environmentally relevant exposure scenarios, inclusion of diverse polymer types and shapes, and mechanistic integration through multi-omics and adverse outcome pathway frameworks. Addressing these challenges through harmonized methodologies and interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for developing predictive models of MNP-induced neurotoxicity and informing human health risk assessments.

We studied the systematics of the Juan Fernandez linyphiid species originally classified in the genus Juanfernandezia Koçak & Kemal, 2008. In an earlier study, we had hypothesized that the two Juanfernandezia species, each endemic to a single island, form a clade that was sister to the southern South American genus Notholepthyphantes Millidge, 1985. We have carried out a multi-locus phylogenetic analysis to infer the relationships of Juanfernandezia based on an extended taxon sampling. Our study shows that Juanfernandezia is sister to the South American genus Stictonanus Millidge, 1991, which until recently remained poorly known. The striking similarity of the somatic and genitalic morphology of these two genera suggest that the clade is better classified as a single genus, with Stictonanus being the oldest available generic name for this lineage. Stictonanus, circumscribed now to include five species, is sister to a lineage composed of two small genera, Notholepthyphantes and Falklandoglenes Usher, 1986. Stictonanus fernandezi (Berland, 1924) comb. nov. and Stictonanus paolae Hormiga & Arnedo, sp. nov., both from the Juan Fernandez Islands, are described and illustrated. The type species of the genus, Stictonanus paucus Millidge, 1991, and the second continental species, S. exiguus Millidge, 1991, are here redescribed and illustrated (the male of S. exiguus is described here for the first time). We further infer a time calibrated tree to discuss the biogeographic history of Stictonanus. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C6D833D0-0422-401C-B010-B12618B1633C.

Nialoe (s. lat.) Tanaka, 1958, is one of the most taxonomically problematic subgenera within the carabid beetle genus Pterostichus Bonelli, 1810, in the Far East. Previous molecular and morphological phylogenetic analyses identified five clades comparable to subgenera within Nialoe (s. lat.), two of which have not been described taxonomically. In this study, the two remaining clades are described as new subgenera. The more ancestral of these clades is named Protonialoe subgen. nov. (type species: Pterostichus sincerus Park & Kwon, 1996). This subgenus has two autapomorphies in the female genitalia and is endemic to the Korean Peninsula. The other clade, consisting of Japanese species formerly treated as the macrogenys species group, is described as Smilodonialoe subgen. nov. (type species: Pterostichus macrogenys Bates, 1883). This subgenus has two autapomorphies in the external morphology and is distributed across eastern Honshu in the Japanese Archipelago.

The genus Roeslerstammia Zeller, 1839, the type genus of the family Roeslerstammiidae, comprises a total of four species on a global scale. The type species, Roeslerstammia erxlebella (Fabricius, 1787) is distributed across the Palaearctic Region, from Europe to Japan. However, the presence of this species has only been confirmed in European countries, Russia and Japan. The present study reports the first record of Roeslerstammia erxlebella in Korea, specifically from Odae-san National Park. This paper constitutes a review of the taxonomic history of the family Roeslerstammiidae and the genus Roeslerstammia . A thorough taxonomic account of the recently documented species, R. erxlebella , is presented, accompanied by a taxonomic key and an illustrated map delineating the geographical distribution of the genus Roeslerstammia . Furthemore, the DNA Barcode data of a Korean individual was made available, alongside public data from BOLD systems. The DNA Barcoding analysis further indicates that the Korean individual is R. erxlebella .

Permochoristidae is a megadiverse mecopteran group that has mainly been reported from Russia and Australia, whereas records from China remain scarce. In this report, two new species of Mesochorista are described and illustrated from the Guadalupian Yinping Formation, Eastern China. Mesochorista tillyardi Lian and Huang, sp. nov. is characterized by the forewing covered with dense oval spots, and Sc1 closely approximal to R1 and connected by a short sc-r crossvein. Mesochorista yinpingensis Lian and Huang, sp. nov. is characterized by the forewing covered with dense irregularly colored patches, Sc1 devoid of expanded area, and M with only five branches. Based on a detailed discussion of the type species and other co-occurring species of Mesochorista and Permochorista, in light of the new insights into Sc3, we support that Permochorista is a junior synonym of Mesochorista.

Five new series, i.e., [1.] K. ser. Leblanciae, [2.] K. ser. Alticolae, [3.] Kalanchoe ser. Paniculatae, [4.] K. ser. Humiles, and [5.] K. ser. Elizae, are described in K. [subg. Kalanchoe] sect. Raveta. The type species of all five series are indigenous to southern and / or south-tropical Africa. The first new series, K. ser. Leblanciae, includes only K. leblanciae, which is a tall-growing, climbing to leaning shrub or shrublet with small, yellow flowers. The second new series, K. ser. Alticolae, includes small shrublets with yellow or reddish orange flowers generally with prominent sepals. The third new series, K. ser. Paniculatae, includes the robust, large- and petiolate-leaved, non-waxy kalanchoes with large, yellow flowers borne on tall inflorescences. The fourth new series, K. ser. Humiles, includes small-growing plants with variously purplish-mottled leaves and very small, purplish flowers. The fifth and final new series, K. ser. Elizae, includes species with large, generally sessile leaves and large, yellow or white flowers. The species included in K. ser. Alticolae were previously included in K. [subg. Kalanchoe sect. Raveta] ser. Rotundifoliae, and K. leblanciae was previously included in K. [subg. Kalanchoe sect. Raveta] ser. Longiflorae. Description of K. ser. Alticolae and K. ser. Leblanciae therefore necessitates amendment of the descriptions of K. ser. Rotundifoliae and K. ser. Longiflorae, respectively, also because the red-flowered K. crundallii is here included in K. ser. Longiflorae. Kalanchoe ser. Rotundifoliae is here excluded from K. [subg. Kalanchoe] sect. Raveta. At the rank of series, the species included in K. ser. Paniculatae, K. ser. Humiles, and K. ser. Elizae were previously unplaced.

Hypselostomatid microsnails of the genera Clostophis and Acinolaemus from limestone hills in central Thailand were studied and three new species are described. Clostophis rhynchotes Tongkerd & Panha, sp. nov. is diagnosed by a conical spire, long and descending tuba, 14 spiral striations on the last whorl, and only a single parietal lamella. In addition, a previously known species, C. proboscideus , is redescribed, and variations in its apertural dentition are also documented. In the genus Acinolaemus , two new sympatric species that clearly differ in shell shape are described. Acinolaemus rhamphodontis Tongkerd & Panha, sp. nov. is characterised by a depressed conical spire with a long and descending tuba, and eight apertural dentitions, while A. corusticorus Tongkerd & Panha, sp. nov. possesses a conical shell without a tuba and nine apertural dentitions. Specimens from the type locality of A. ptychochilus (the type species), A. cryptidentatus and A. mueangonensis are re-described and compared with the new species. The living snails of A. mueangonensis and A. rhamphodontis Tongkerd & Panha, sp. nov. possess blackish to translucent bodies. In addition, COI barcoding data for Clostophis and Acinolaemus are provided for the first time.

Abstract The alpha‐taxonomy of continental giant tortoises (Testudinidae, Titanochelon ) from the European Neogene is far from settled, which has implications for inferring their phylogenetic relationships. The diagnosis of the type species ( Titanochelon bolivari ) is dubious because it considered Titanochelon richardi as a junior subjective synonym. Here we describe a new partial skeleton (skull, partial carapace, plastron, and multiple postcranial elements) from the Late Miocene (9.4–9.1 Ma, MN10) of the Ronda Oest de Sabadell locality ROS‐D6 (Vallès‐Penedès Basin, NE Iberian Peninsula) that is assigned to T. richardi based on cranial and shell morphology. This skeleton enables a more complete assessment of the skull and postcranium of this species. On this basis, we discount the purported synonymy of T. richardi with T. bolivari and provide an emended diagnosis for the former. We also assess the phylogenetic relationships of Titanochelon species by means of standard maximum parsimony, implied weighting maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses with morphological and with combined (morphological and molecular) data. Our comparisons support T. richardi as a distinct species unambiguously recorded from the Vallès‐Penedès and the Duero basins, from MN7+8 to MN10 (Middle–Late Miocene), whereas T. bolivari appears restricted to MN5–MN6 of the Madrid Basin. Additional Iberian material ranging from MN2 to MN10 should be revised to further clarify the geographic distribution and temporal range of these species. Finally, our analyses provide a better resolved phylogeny for Titanochelon species other than Titanochelon vitodurana and support a sister‐taxon relationship between T. bolivari and T. richardi .

This paper describes a new genus of Aradidae from China: Parayangiella gen. n., with its type species Parayangiella latiovatusa sp. n. Their diagnostic morphological characteristics are presented with illustrations, and molecular analyses are conducted. In addition, based on the sequence data of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), this study employed two methods—maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI)—to construct the phylogenetic tree. The results are as follows: The mitochondrial genome of Parayangiella latiovatusa is a closed circular double-stranded structure, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, a control region, 22 tRNA genes and 2 rRNA genes, which is consistent with most species in the family Aradidae. The mitochondrial genome of Parayangiella latiovatusa sp. n. exhibits AT skew. The phylogenetic tree construction results show that Parayangiella latiovatusa sp. n. and the genus Yangiella form a sister group.

Spontaneous development and characterization of an endothelial-like cell line from mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi.

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

The green alga Palaeodasycladus (Pia, 1920) was recognized in shallow marine, high-energy calcarenites from the Lower Jurassic Choč Nappe (Hronicum domain) in the Tatra Mountains of Poland. The algal structure is described here. The calcareous skeleton has a regular internal cavity, probably close to the central axis, but very irregular outwardly, enveloping the primary laterals at different lengths. The general shape of the thallus is spherical, with only long, acrophorous primary laterals, probably forming a distal cortex. The external gametophores are attached laterally to the primary laterals. The characteristics allow the alga to be assigned not to Palaeodasycladus (Pia, 1920) but to Goniolina Orbigny, 1850. The new species Goniolina tatrarum n.sp. is here established. A critical review of the genus Goniolina Orbigny, 1850, and its type species is also provided. The genus Goniolina Orbigny appears to have been represented so far solely by G. hexagona Orbigny, 1850. G. geometrica Buvignier, 1852, and G. micraster Buvignier, 1852, are considered valid and separate species to be assigned to Coniporella Fisher & Thierry, 1971. Sphaerites regularis Quenstedt, 1852, a supposed junior synonym of Goniolina geometrica (Roemer, 1839), is provisionally assigned to the genus Tersella J. Morellet in J. Morellet & Ters, 1952, and indicated as Tersella (?) regularis (Quenstedt, 1852).

†Eoractocetus storozhenkoi gen et sp. nov. of the subfamily Atractocerinae is described from the Eocene Baltic amber, which differs from known fossil members of the subfamily mostly in its combinations of the characters of head, prothorax, scutellum, and proportions of abdominal ventrites. In order to justify the erection of the new genus, a preliminary elaboration of diagnostic characters of the atractocerine genera known in fossils was done. Analysis of all previous descriptions of atractocerine fossils made it possible to correct generic attributions of some species, and, in particular, to additionally introduce two new genera: †Eoractocetinus gen. nov. for two species described from Albian/Cenomanian Burmese amber, namely for †Raractocetus fossilis Yamamoto, 2019 (type species) and †Raractocetus extinctus Yamamoto, 2019, and also †Lymexylopsis gen. nov. for two species from Eocene Baltic and Rovno amber, †Raractocetus balticus Yamamoto, 2019 (type species) and †Raractocetus sverlilo Nazarenko, Perkovsky et Yamamoto in Yamamoto et al. 2022. Totally, eight atractocerine genera are recognized and provided with diagnoses.

The genus Storozhenkoa gen. nov. and its type species S. sergeyi sp. nov. are described from Madagascar. This monotypic genus belongs to the subfamily Nemobiinae, but its tribal position is unclear. The new genus is characterized by a spotted body coloration, rather long legs with only inner tympana, short dorsal spines of the hind tibia, the absence of one of apical spurs on this tibia, well developed but shortened male tegmina with a characteristic structure of their stridulatory apparatus, the male genitalia with long endoparameral apodemes, and a long ovipositor with a simple and acute apical part.

A new genus Mercedula gen. nov. and two new species (M. fuscomarginata sp. nov., type species, and M. storozhenkoi sp. nov.) are described and illustrated from Sabah, East Malaysia, and North Sumatra, Indonesia. The taxonomic position of the new genus within the family Gelechiidae is discussed.

ABSTRACT Question Vegetation classification is pivotal for understanding, managing, and conserving plant communities, yet standard approaches typically rely on aboveground observations only. Recent studies highlight that belowground components may harbour substantial hidden diversity, potentially influencing classification results. Here, we compare vegetation classifications derived from conventional aboveground surveys with DNA metabarcoding data from belowground plant parts. Location Opole Silesia region, SW Poland. Methods We surveyed 54 plots (1 m 2 each) in three Central European grassland types (wet, mesic, and dry) under three management intensities (low, moderate, high). Aboveground species composition was recorded using standard botanical methods, while belowground samples were analysed by high‐throughput sequencing using three DNA regions (ITS2, trnL–trnF, and trnH–psbA). Results The results showed consistently higher species richness in the belowground samples, revealing numerous ephemeral, perennial, or rhizomatous species not detected in the 1‐day aboveground surveys. Despite these additions, TWINSPAN classification and non‐metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) showed similar delineations of the major grassland types, with dry meadows being particularly well defined by all methods. Of the three DNA regions, ITS2 and trnL–trnF showed the best agreement with the standard aboveground classification results, while trnH–psbA showed a weaker match. Notably, differences in species composition due to additional belowground detections did not substantially alter cluster assignments or key diagnostic species for each grassland type. Conclusion Our results highlight the robustness of conventional vegetation classification, even when confronted with additional belowground molecular survey data. Nevertheless, the synergy of molecular and observational methods may provide a more holistic view of phytocoenotic diversity, highlighting the value of integrating DNA metabarcoding approaches for more comprehensive biodiversity monitoring and conservation strategies.

The genus Khasurtyphilus Lyubarsky & Perkovsky, gen. nov. (type species Khasurtyphilus storozhenkoi Lyubarsky, Vasilenko, Legalov & Perkovsky, sp. nov.) is described from the Lower Cretaceous of Western Transbaikalia, Russia. The new genus is morphologically similar to the extinct genus Turgaphilus Lyubarsky et Perkovsky, 2025 (Lower Cretaceous, Eastern Transbaikalia) but differs from it in having: a pronotum with a lateral tooth in the posterior third of its length, tarsomere 1 shorter than tarsomeres 2 and 3 combined, tarsomere 5 longer than tarsomere 1, and narrowly separated metacoxae. The genus Khasurtyphilus differs from the genus Isocryptophilus Li & Cai, 2024 (Erotyloidea) in: temples present; lateral margin of the pronotum with a tooth; epipleura complete; tarsomere 3 longer than tarsomere 2.

A new genus of Pteromalidae Krasava Tselikh, Rasplus & Lee, gen. nov., along with its type species Krasava sergeyi Tselikh, sp. nov., is described from the Republic of Korea. The genus can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: clypeus with neighbouring lateral parts convex, antenna inserted below ocular line, clava with a large micropilosity area on segments C1–C4, median area of propodeum concave, fore wing narrow.

Abstract In discussions on European Neogene continental chronology, the Kastellios Hill section has played an important role because of the presence of strata with planktonic foraminifers and strata with mammalian remains. With the primary papers written in the 1970s and 1980s, the time is ripe for an update on age and taxonomy of the murid rodents from Kastellios Hill by comparing the fauna with time-equivalent southern and central European faunas. This comparison results in a partly revised faunal list consisting of the dominant Progonomys mixtus n. sp., the less common Cricetulodon cf. C. hartenbergeri Freudenthal, 1967 and P. cathalai Schaub, 1938, and the rare P. hispanicus Michaux, 1971 and cf. Hansdebruijnia neutra (de Bruijn, 1976). Based on the updated species list and magnetic polarity data, the most probable age of the Kastellios Hill mammal localities is 9.3–9.1 Ma (Chron C4Ar.1r, late Vallesian, MN10). The genus Hansdebruijnia is narrowed down to two species in an ancestor–descendant relationship: the ancestral type species H. neutra , which is restricted to southeastern Europe and Anatolia, and the descendant species H. magna (Sen, 1977), representing a new combination and including ‘ Occitanomys alcalai ’ Adrover et al., 1988 and ‘ O. debruijni ’ (Hordijk and de Bruijn, 2009). H. magna colonized both southeastern and southwestern Europe. UUID: http://zoobank.org/ebe0f64c-6900-4efc-ab43-8a4045de6810