Are the recently described fossil Mole Crickets of Myanmar amber real gryllotalpids? (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae & Gryllidae).

We report five new Myanmar amber specimens attributable to "Mole Cricket" †Pherodactylus rectanguli n. comb., hitherto regarded as a Mole Cricket (Orthoptera: Grylloptalpidae). The new material includes two adult males, two adult females, and one nymph. The specimens are redescribed, and additional new characters are provided for their delimitation and corresponding species identification. We carry out a comparison between these new specimens with other taxa of mole crickets from Myanmar amber and extant true crickets. The result indicates that some species merely represent different nymphal development stages or adults of †Pherodactylus rectanguli n. comb., however, they were misidentified as different species. We also treated genera †Tresdigitus n. syn. and †Chunxiania n. syn. as synonyms of genus †Pherodactylus Poinar, Su & Brown, 2020, and treat †Tresdigitus gracilis Jiang, Xu, Jarzembowski & Xiao, 2022 n. syn. and †Chunxiania fania n. syn. as synonyms of †Pherodactylus rectanguli n. comb. †Burmagryllotalpa longa is valid, because its shape of the pronotum curved without lateral carinae. The morphological convergences and specializations of subterranean dwelling species are discussed. The robust fore tibia and long apical spurs of †P. micromorphus, †P. rectanguli n. comb. and †B. longa are insufficient evidence for an assignment to the family Gryllotalpidae. Instead, we suggest place them into the subfamily Gryllinae (Gryllidae), tribe Sclerogryllini, and group them into their own subtribe Pherodactylina n. subtr.. A key to the identification of recent and fossil Sclerogryllini is also provided. Their taxonomy and morphology are discussed.

Two new species of the genus Diestramima from China (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae: Aemodogryllinae).

The genus Diestramima comprises 41 species from Asia with 31 species distributed in China. In this study, we reconstruct the phylogeny tree of Diestramima species by maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference based on three mitochondrial genes (COI, 12S and 16S). The result indicates that the phylogenetic results are coherent with that based on five molecular markers (COI, 12S, 16S, 18S and 28S). Moreover, two new species, D. pingmengensis sp. nov. He & Zong and D. gulinjingensis. sp. nov. Zong & He are described. Their validities are also supported by morphological features. Furthermore, D. sichuanensis Zhu & Shi, 2022 is treated as a junior synonym of D. guangxiensis Qin, Wang, Liu & Li, 2016 based on both morphological and molecular features.

First report of a cricket with filiform hairs on foretibia (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Gryllinae).

There are hundreds of filiform mechanosensory hairs on the cricket cercus, however, such sensory hairs have never been reported on cricket foretiba. In this study, we collected a new species from China, which possesses two long filiform hairs on foretibia. Combined with its burrowing habit, these hairs mainly contribute to detecting ground vibration. We describe a new genus for this new species Fodigryllus bisetus gen. et sp. nov. The type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

A new species of whip spider, Sarax sinensis sp. nov., from Fujian, China (Arachnida: Amblypygi: Charinidae).

To date, only two whip spider species have been recorded in China. We describe a new species, Sarax sinensis sp. nov., from Fujian, China. This species is morphologically similar to S. ioanniticus (Kritscher, 1959), S. israelensis (Miranda et al., 2016), and S. seychellarum (Kraepelin, 1898), but can be distinguished by the combination of the following characters: 35 segments in leg I tarsus, eight teeth on cheliceral claw, and four dorsal and ventral spines respectively on pedipalp femur. To examine the evolutionary history of S. sinensis sp. nov., we sequenced 12S, 16S, and COI gene regions of our specimens and inferred its phylogenetic position. The inferred phylogenetic trees placed the new species within Sarax, with its closest relative being distributed across the western Asia. The type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

New and little-known mute Trigonidiinae species from China (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Trigonidiidae).

We provide a key to mute Trigonidiinae species from China, and provide morphological features of some nondescript species in brown color. We established a new genus, Zilingxi He gen. nov. with two new species Z. danmai He sp. nov. and Z. dian He sp. nov. from China. The new genus possesses a black line above clypeus; pseudepiphallic paramere of male genitalia possessing 23 branches; ovipositor shorter than other genera. Two new species are very similar in morphology, but different in the color pattern in frontal rostrum, and the shape of male genitalia. The type specimens are deposited in Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

A new species of genus Phonarellus Gorochov, 1983 from Yunnan, China (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Gryllinae).

Phonarellus Gorochov, 1983 is comprised of 11 extant species. We describe a new species, Phonarellus (Phonarellus) zebripes He sp. nov. from Yunnan province, China. It is different from other Phonarellus species in possessing black and white stripes on the hind femora. The type specimens are deposited in Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

Goniurosaurus wangshu sp. nov., a new species of Tiger Gecko from Guangdong, China (Squamata: Eublepharidae).

A new species of Tiger Gecko in the genus Goniurosaurus is described from Guangdong, China. This new species, Goniurosaurus wangshu sp. nov. is the fifth species of Goniurosaurus found in karst topography of Guangdong. It is distinguished morphologically from congeners in this region by the combination of thirteen precloacal pores in male; dorsal ground color of head, body, and limbs in adults yellow; and iris orange. To validate our morphological inferences and support the description of Goniurosaurus wangshu sp. nov. as a new species, we sequenced 16S, CMOS, cytb, and RAG1 gene regions and performed molecular phylogenetic analyses. Phylogenetic analysis places the new species within the G. yingdeensis group and highlights the evolutionary distinction between this new species and other described congeners.

A new species of Dune Cricket from China (Orthoptera: Ensifera: Schizodactylidae).

A new species, Schizodactylus jimo He sp. nov., is described from Yunnan, China. The Schizodactylidae is recorded from China for the first time. The new species is similar to S. salweenensis, but different based on the shape of epiproct and other characters. The type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

Goniurosaurus chengzheng sp. nov., a new species of Leopard Gecko from Guangxi, China (Squamata: Eublepharidae).

Six species of geckos in the genus Goniurosaurus have been recorded from Guangxi, China. Here we describe a new species, Goniurosaurus chengzheng sp. nov. The new species is similar to allied species from Guangxi, but unique in a combination of the following characters: (1) four body bands with three between limb insertions; (2) precloacal pores 20; (3) body color reddish- brown; (4) snout to eye distance: eye to ear distance 1. We used the mitochondrial genes 16S and cytb to confirm the distinctiveness of the species and place it within a molecular phylogeny of Goniurosaurus. The type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

Ptosoproctus gen. nov., a new genus with two new species of Shield-back Katydid, with the first record of genus Eulithoxenus Bey-Bienko, 1951 from China (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Tettigoniinae: Drymadusini).

In this paper, one new genus, Ptosoproctus gen. nov., is established with two new species: P. lanzhouensis sp. nov. and P. baishishanicus sp. nov., described and illustrated based on material collected from northern China. The genus Eulithoxenus Bey-Bienko, 1951 is recorded from China for the first time. E. emeljanovi Mishchenko, 1968 is redescribed. Supplemental description of Uvarovina chinensis Ramme, 1939 is provided. COI and ND2 genes of the three Chinese Drymadusini genera mentioned above were used to reconstruct the phylogenetic tree. Molecular result support the validation of the new genus.

Two new species of the genus Rhicnogryllus Chopard, 1925 from Hainan, China (Orthoptera: Trigonidiidae: Trigonidiinae).

Rhicnogryllus Chopard, 1925 currently comprises 13 extant species from Asia, Africa, South America and the Pacific. We describe two new species, R. xuandan He sp. nov. and R. fallax He sp. nov., from Hainan Island, China. The type specimens are deposited in Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

A new species of subgenus Asonicogryllus He, 2019 from Yunnan (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Gryllinae).

We studied the relationship of the genera Loxoblemmus Saussure, 1877 and Asonicogryllus He, 2019 by reconstructing the phylogenetic tree based on 2 mitochondrial genes and 2 ribosomal genes. The result shows that Loxoblemmus is paraphyletic. Thus, we place Asonicogryllus as a subgenus of Loxoblemmus. Meanwhile, we report a new species of Asonicogryllus, L. (A.) bronzus He sp. nov. The new species is similar to L. (A.) kwanghua, but it has well developed forewings and hindwings. The type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

A new species of the genus Parapentacentrus Shiraki, 1930 from Yunnan, China (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Itarinae).

The genus Parapentacentrus Shiraki, 1930 includes two species with long wings. In this paper, we report one new species, P. brevipennis He sp. nov., from Jinping, Yunnan, China. The new species have short forewings and hindwings, and have differences in the shape of supra-anal plate and male genitalia. DNA Barcode (COI gene) of this new species are provided. The type specimens are deposited in Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

A new species of Parapteronemobius from Zhejiang, China (Orthoptera: Trigonidiidae: Nemobiinae).

Parapteronemobius contains 7 species or subspecies distributed in East Asia with only one species recorded from China. In this study, we reported the second species, P. chenggong He sp. nov., from Zhejiang. The new species differs from P. dibrachiatus in body size, male genitalia and COI gene. The phylogeny of this genus in subfamily Nemobiinae are discussed based on COI, 18S and 28S genes. The type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

Report of a new genus Majialandrevus, with a new species M. dingguo from Western Yunnan, China (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Landrevinae).

We reported a new genus Majialandrevus from Western Yunnan, China. The new genus differs from other genera in having the following combination of characters: short forewings, male genitalia with blunt distal parts of posterolateral epiphallic lobes, absence of medial lobes of epiphallus and ectoparamere being membranous. The type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

A new species of whip spider, Weygoldtia hainanensis sp. nov., from Hainan, China (Arachnida: Amblypygi: Charinidae).

To date, only one species of whip spider has been recorded in China. Here, we describe a new species, Weygoldtia hainanensis sp. nov., from Hainan, China. The new species is morphologically similar to W. davidovi (Fage, 1946) and W. consonensis Miranda et al. 2021, but can be distinguished with a combination of the following characters: 26 segments in tibia I, 6-7 teeth on chelicerae, distitibia IV trichobothria sc and sf series each with 10-11 trichobothria. To validate our morphological inferences and support the erection of W. hainanensis sp. nov. as a new species, we sequenced the COI gene region for two individuals and performed molecular phylogenetic analyses. The inferred phylogenetic trees placed the new species within Weygoldtia and highlighted the evolutionary distinction between W. hainanensis sp. nov. and currently described whip spiders. The type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).