Application of the Biological Toxicity Effect Ratio (BER) Method for Advancing Water Quality Criteria Derivation.

Water quality criteria (WQC) serve as a scientific foundation for pollutant risk assessment and control in aquatic ecosystems. The development of regionally differentiated WQC tailored to specific regional characteristics has become an emerging trend. However, the current WQC is constrained by a lack of regional species toxicity data. To address these limitations, this study proposes the biological toxicity effect ratio (BER) method, which indirectly reflects the toxicity sensitivity of the overall aquatic ecosystem through the toxicity information on a limited number of species, enabling rapid WQC prediction. Using the established WQC in China and the USA as a case study, we combined mathematical derivation and data validation to evaluate the BER method. Among various species-taxon groups of freshwater organisms, planktonic crustaceans demonstrated the highest predictive accuracy. Our analysis further revealed that species toxicity sensitivity and regional variability jointly influence the prediction accuracy. Regardless of the evaluation indexes, planktonic crustaceans emerged as the most suitable species-taxon group for the BER method. Additionally, the BER method is particularly applicable to pollutants with conserved mechanisms across species. This study systematically explores the feasibility of using the BER method and offers new insights for deriving regionally differentiated WQC.

A ghost in the salt: A new species of halotolerant tube-web spider in the genus emAriadna/em (Araneae: Segestriidae).

A new species of halotolerant Ariadna Audouin, 1826 is described from Western Australia, based on morphological features of both the male and female, and elevating the total number of described species of Ariadna in Australia to 14. This is the first record of the tube-web spider family Segestriidae Simon, 1893 inhabiting salt lakes, where they construct burrows in to the lake surface. The species is likely to be of conservation importance, due to its specialised habitat requirements and the many threats posed to the salt lake ecosystem. We provide recommendation for Ariadna phantasma sp. nov. to be considered for inclusion in the IUCN Red List.

New species and new distributional record of the genus emBroscosoma/em Rosenhauer, 1846 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Broscinae) from China.

Two new species of the genus Broscosoma Rosenhauer, 1846 are described from China: Broscosoma guoliangi sp. nov. from Fujian Province and Broscosoma qiului sp. nov. from Chongqing City, respectively. In addition, Broscosoma ribbei rougeriei Deuve Tian, 2002 is newly recorded from Derung-Nu Autonomous County Gongshan, Yunnan Province, China.

On species of the genus emMacrosaldula/em (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Saldidae) of the Palaearctic Region, with description of emM. graziae/em sp. nov.

In this paper, we present new data on the genus Macrosaldula Leston Southwood, 1964 based on material held in the collections of the National Museum (Prague, Czech Republic) and the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg, Russia). Macrosaldula graziae sp. nov., from South Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, is described. Among the Central Asian species of the genus, it is close to M. tadzhika (Kiritshenko, 1912) by the presence of long erect setae on the body dorsum, but the latter species differs in the smaller body size, the presence of light spots on the corium, and in the structure of the male genitalia. In extremely dark specimens of M. jakowleffi (Reuter, 1891), the hemelytra are opaque, with short erect setae. Siberian M. rivularia (J. Sahlberg, 1878), M. simulans Cobben, 1985 and the Far Eastern M. koreana (Kiritshenko, 1912) and M. violacea Cobben, 1985 are distinguished from the new species by the short pubescence on the dorsum. We provide new distributional data for M. clavalis Cobben, 1985 (Georgia), M. jakowleffi (Reuter, 1891) (China: Xinjiang: Altai Mts.-first record), M. miyamotoi Cobben, 1985 (Japan: Honshu), M. nivalis (Lindberg, 1935) (Afghanistan-first record, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan), M. scotica (Curtis, 1835) (Georgia: Adzharia; Russia: Murmansk District), and M. tadzhika (Afghanistan-first record, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan). The record of M. scotica from Uzbekistan is disconsidered, and the two specimens are referred to M. graziae sp. nov.

A further study on the wolf spider subfamily Artoriinae from China (Araneae: Lycosidae).

The further collection and study of Chinese wolf spiders, family Lycosidae Sundevall, 1833, expand the known distribution of the subfamily Artoriinae Framenau, 2007 from Yunnan to Guangxi, Guizhou, and Sichuan Provinces of South China. Sinartoria gen. nov. is described to include two new species, S. damingshanensis sp. nov. (type species) and S. zhuangius sp. nov. In addition, a new Artoria species, A. hamata sp. nov. is described and new distribution records for A. ligulacea (Qu, Peng Yin, 2009) and A. parvula Thorell, 1877 are provided. Within the Artoriinae, Sinartoria gen. nov. appears to be most similar to the South American Lobizon Piacentini Grismado, 2009, but their relationship will remain contentious without a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of artoriine genera.

Erratum: on the correct name of Scolocerca thomasi/ Massa, 2021 (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Phaneropterinae) from Côte d'Ivoire.

N/A.

Contributions to the knowledge of Neotropical Lycaenidae: taxonomy of Johnsonita/ Salazar amp; Constantino, 1995 with descriptions of seven new species (Theclinae: Eumaeini).

The Transandean-Andean genus Johnsonita Salazar Constantino, 1995 is revised on the basis of wing and genitalia morphology. Apart from eight species formerly placed in Johnsonita (Thecla assula Draudt, 1919; Thecla auda Hewitson, 1867; Thecla catadupa Hewitson, 1869; Thecla chaluma Schaus, 1902, Thecla chlamydem Druce, 1907; Thecla pardoa d'Abrera, 1995; Johnsonita johnsoni Salazar Constantino, 1995 and Johnsonita johnbanksi Bálint, 2003), seven new species are described: Johnsonita carpia Bálint, Boyer Pyrcz, sp. n. (Ecuador), Johnsonita iacinta Bálint, Boyer Pyrcz, sp. n. (Peru), Johnsonita ianusca Bálint, Lorenc-Brudecka Pyrcz, sp. n. (Ecuador), Johnsonita oxalida Bálint, Boyer Pyrcz, sp. n. (Peru), Johnsonita subcunicula Bálint, Cerdeña Pyrcz, sp. n. (Peru), Johnsonita turquisca Bálint, Boyer Pyrcz, sp. n. (Ecuador) and Johnsonita zubkova Bálint, Boyer Lorenc-Brudecka, sp. n. (Peru). One species, erroneously recorded from Bolivia under the name Thecla chaluma Schaus, 1902, is not formally described due to insufficient material. An identification key, type material revision, descriptions or redescriptions, and diagnosis for all the taxa recognized are given. Lectotypes for the nominal species Thecla assula Draudt, 1919 and Thecla chlamydem Druce, 1907 are designated. Male secondary wing characters are tabulated. A brief discussion on classification, life-history and male secondary characters of Johnsonita is presented.

A new species of Protoplotina Miyatake (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from Tamil Nadu, India.

Protoplotina ambigua sp. n. (Coccinellidae: Plotinini) from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu is described and illustrated. This is the third species of the genus reported from India. Immature stages of the genus Protoplotina are briefly described and illustrated for the first time with notes on host association. A revised key to the known species of the genus is also included.

Description of Heteracris lecoqi Yetchom-Fondjo amp; Kekeunou sp. nov. and Heteracris hannai Wandji amp; Kekeunou sp. nov. and redescription of Heteracris guineensis (Krauss, 1890) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) with comments on its ecology in the Southern part of Cameroon.

The specimens studied were collected with sweep net and pitfall in the forests, agro-forests, herbaceous fallows, and crop fields of 14 localities in the southern part of Cameroon, from August 2015 to February 2018. The results show that Heteracris hannai sp. nov. and Heteracris lecoqi sp. nov. differ from previously known species of the same genus by the pattern of coloration and the details or shape of the phallic complex. H. lecoqi sp. nov. is characterized by light brownish body; male cercus with flattened, downcurved and obtuse apex; lophus strongly curved; interlophal space with V shape; apodeme of cingulum bow, convergent, with V-shape; valve of cingulum in lateral view longer than apical valve of penis; ramus in ventral view joined. H. hannai sp. nov. is distinct to other species by brown to grey body; male cercus with apex rounded, curved inside; lophus curved; interlophal space with U-shape; apodeme of cingulum thick, slightly parallel, with U shape; valve of cingulum in lateral view hardly longer than apical valve of penis; ramus in ventral view opened. The characteristics of H. guineensis are closer to H. hannai sp. nov. than to H. lecoqi sp. nov. H. lecoqi sp. nov. was collected only in the fallows while H. hannai sp. nov. was collected in the forests, agro-forests, fallows, and crop fields. Compared to H. guineensis, both new species are scarce in the natural vegetation and their distribution area is limited to two and four localities respectively for H. lecoqi sp. nov. and H. hannai sp. nov. All these three grasshopper's species were recorded as accidental species in all types of vegetation.

Macedomeris, a new monotypic doderiinine genus (Diplopoda, Glomerida) from a cave in North Macedonia, Balkan Peninsula.

Here we describe a new monotypic glomerid genus, Macedomeris gen. nov., with Macedomeris ivoi sp. nov. (a presumed troglobiont) as its type species. The new genus clearly differs from all other genera within the order Glomerida by the combination of several morphological characters: the presence of a characteristic deep lateral pit ("Ohrgrube") on both sides of the thoracic shield, the absence of striking ornamentation on tergites, the fusion of tergite 11 with the anal shield, and the lack of a large medial hump. In addition, Macedomeris gen. nov. differs from other members of the Glomerida by its general appearance, the presence of 2 or 3 vestigial ommatidia and a very wide syncoxite of a 2-segmented leg-pair 17 in the male. Notes on its ecology, troglomorphic features, and relationships with similar members of the tribe Doderiini are also given.

The missing link: Rhyncogonus Sharp in the Gambier Islands (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae, Rhyncogonini).

The genus Rhyncogonus Sharp, 1885, is represented in French Polynesia by 65 species found in the Austral, Marquesas, Society and Tuamotu archipelagos. Hitherto unknown from the fifth archipelago of French Polynesia, the Gambier Islands, a new species of Rhyncogonus has been discovered by the botanist Jean-François Butaud on Motu Teiku, a small island never previously investigated for plants and insects. Rhyncogonus duhameli sp. nov. is here described and illustrated.

Two new species of the genus Trilacuna from Chongqing Municipality, China (Araneae, Oonopidae).

Two new species of the genus Trilacuna Tong Li, 2007, T. difeng Tong Li, sp. nov. (male, female) and T. wenfeng Tong Li, sp. nov. (male, female) are described from Chongqing, China. A key to all the species of this genus from China is provided.

Three new species and one newly recorded species of genus Frisilia Walker (Lepidoptera, Lecithoceridae) from China, with a checklist of the world.

Three species of the genus Frisilia Walker, 1864 are described as new: Frisilia basistricta sp. nov., F. motuoensis sp. nov. and F. trisigna sp. nov.; F. sulcata is newly recorded in China. Images of adults and genitalia for all newly described species, a key to the Chinese species, a checklist of the worldwide Frisilia species and a distribution map showing the locality of the Chinese Frisilia species are given.

Three new species of Mileewa (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Mileewinae) from Tibet, China.

Three new species of Mileewini, Mileewa digitata sp. nov., M. furcata sp. nov., M. nigricincta sp. nov., from Tibet, China are described and illustrated.

Squamapion gardinii n. sp. from the Mediterranean Region and notes on some species belonging to the genus Squamapion Bokor, 1923 (Coleoptera, Apionidae).

Squamapion gardinii n. sp. from Italy, France and Spain (♂♀; type locality: Italy: Liguria: Genoa Province: Genova-Quinto al Mare: Rio San Pietro), associated with Thymus vulgaris L., is described. Squamapion solariorum (Wagner, 1908) n. stat., upgraded to species rank from subspecies of Squamapion consors (Desbrochers des Loges, 1875), is redescribed (holotype ♀ examined). New chorological records for Squamapion minutissimum (Rosenhauer, 1856) and Squamapion serpyllicola (Wencker, 1864) are also given; the latter species is recorded for the first time from Italy and Romania. A provisional key is provided to the species of Squamapion, related to Squamapion atomarium (Kirby, 1808), present in the Mediterranean region.

Additions to the knowledge of Manota Williston (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) from the Neotropical region, with description of four new species.

The Neotropical species of the genus Manota Williston are studied, based on material of 146 specimens from French Guiana, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Dominica and the Dominican Republic. Four new species are described, viz. M. corniculata sp. n. (French Guiana), M. pseudocavata sp. n. (French Guiana), M. truuverki sp. n. (French Guiana) and M. vladi sp. n. (Dominican Republic). Manota defecta Williston, 1896, the type species of the genus, is listed from Dominica, representing the first record since its description more than a century ago from a Southern Caribbean Island, St. Vincent. New records of 13 additional species are provided: M. acutistylus Jaschhof Hippa, 2005 (Dominica), M. aligera Hippa, Kurina Sääksjärvi, 2017 (French Guiana), M. digitata Hippa, Kurina Sääksjärvi, 2017 (French Guiana), M. iota Hippa Kurina, 2013 (French Guiana), M. micula Hippa Kurina, 2013 (French Guiana), M. nordestina Kurina, Hippa Amorim, 2018 (French Guiana), M. parva Jaschhof Hippa, 2005 (Nicaragua), M. pauloides Hippa, Kurina Sääksjärvi, 2017 (Ecuador), M. perplexa Kurina, Hippa Amorim, 2017 (Nicaragua), M. rotundistylus Jaschhof Hippa, 2005 (Ecuador), M. serrulata Hippa, Kurina Sääksjärvi, 2017 (French Guiana), M. spinosa Jaschhof Hippa, 2005 (French Guiana), M. subaristata Kurina, Hippa Amorim, 2017 (Ecuador). The number of Neotropical Manota species has risen to 96.

Some new species of Phaneroptera, Eulioptera and Scolocerca (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae) from West Tropical Africa.

The author describes Phaneroptera abdita n. sp., characterized by only two apical spurs; two new species of Eulioptera, E. iolandae n. sp. with unarmed fore coxae, E. atypica n. sp., with atypical opaque tegmina; and Scolocerca thomasi n. sp., all from West Tropical Africa. In addition, he discusses on the probable only African distribution of Phaneroptera sparsa Stål, 1857, and transfers Dithela longicaudata Massa, 2017 to the genus Eulioptera Ragge, 1956.

Two new species of the genus Odochilus Harold, 1877 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Odochilini).

Two new species of the genus Odochilus Harold, 1877 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Odochilini) from the Oriental Region are described as follows: O. shavrini Rakovic Anichtchenko, new species from the Philippines (Mindanao) and O. borneensis Rakovic Anichtchenko, new species from Malaysia (Sarawak). Photographs of their habitus are presented. Differential diagnoses are mentioned.

The first record of the subfamily Dasycerinae in Taiwan, with description of a new species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae).

Dasycerus poseidon Hu Liang, sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on fresh specimens from central and southern Taiwan, which filled in the disjunct distribution between the Japanese archipelago and south-eastern Asia. The new species represents the first record of the subfamily Dasycerinae in Taiwan. The barcoding sequence of the holotype of D. poseidon Hu Liang, sp. nov.is provided, and revealed a surprisingly large genetic distance within the genus. Detailed illustrations of D. poseidon Hu Liang, sp. nov. by scanning electron micrograph and micro-computed tomography are also provided. Living individuals of D. poseidon Hu Liang, sp. nov. were observed eating the mycelium of Pleurotus ostreatus in lab conditions, which represents the first direct evidence of mycophagous habits of Dasycerinae.

A synoptic review of Gomphomastacinae (Orthoptera: Eumastacoidea) from the Qinghai-Tibet plateau with a description of new species.

With unique climate, topography, and vegetation, the Qinghai-Tibet plateau is a special biogeographic region with richness of endemic species. However, the taxonomy and distribution of many insect groups on this plateau are still poorly known. Here, we synthesized a species checklist of subfamily Gomphomastacinae (Orthoptera: Acridoidea: Eumastacidae) for this region, while describing a new species: Myrmeleomastax wideis Qiu, sp. nov.. Images of the new species and the distribution map of all the known species are provided. Type specimens for the new species are deposited in the Zoological and Botanical Museum, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China (SNNU).