Molecular data have been suggesting the existence of a complex of cryptic species within the taxon Perinereis cultrifera, which has not been fully explored yet. In this study, we performed a morphological and molecular analysis (mtCOI-5P, 16S rRNA and 28SD2 rRNA) of Perinereis specimens from intertidal marine and brackish European localities, mostly focusing on the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands. Two major phylogenetic clades with at least 18 divergent (COI, 19.8; 6.4–28.5%) and completely sorted lineages were uncovered based on original data, 13 of which occurred exclusively in the Mediterranean Sea, a further 5 of which are unique to Italian brackish waters. An additional morphologically similar lineage, corresponding to P. oliveirae, coexisting with the single NE Atlantic lineage of the complex, was also retrieved as an ingroup. Careful morphological inspection, combined with the deep divergence between the two major molecular clades and the perfect match of each clade to the specific paragnath and chaetal types, highlighted the existence of two distinct groups of European Perinereis species: Clade A, which shows features matching historical descriptions of P. cultrifera, and Clade B corresponding to an overlooked morphotype described as P. rullieri. Although paragnaths show a similar pattern in the two clades, their sizes are considerably smaller in P. rullieri and the chaetae are characterised by coarse serration at the base of the spiniger blades and long falciger blades, as opposed to the lightly serrated blades and short falcigers in P. cultrifera. Further overlooked morphological features mainly based on thickness, direction and length of paragnaths, as well as the expansion of posteriormost dorsal ligules were also revealed within each major clade, which together with geographic and environmental boundaries allowed for the differentiation of most of these lineages without molecular data. Thirteen new species are here formally described, eight belonging to Clade A: P. caesarea sp. nov., P. faulwetterae sp. nov., P. houbinae sp. nov., P. maleniae sp. nov., P. miquellai sp. nov., P. muscoi sp. nov., P. nieri sp. nov. and P. twobae sp. nov.; and five belonging to Clade B: P. castellii sp. nov., P. juno sp. nov., P. jupiter sp. nov., P. minerva sp. nov. and P. tibicena sp. nov. The new combination P. beaucoudrayi is also proposed for Nereis beaucoudrayi, previously considered synonymous with P. cultrifera, for the only lineage occurring in the NE Atlantic. Lastly, Perinereis cultrifera s.s., P. rullieri s.s and the ingroup P. oliveirae are redescribed using topotypical material, with available syntypes and lectotypes assigned to the former two.

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:28C64123-DE82-411D-BC96-5E892FC692E3

Australia is a main centre of diversity for extant cycads (Cycadophyta), harbouring 4 genera and 85 named species and subspecies. Three cycad genera, Bowenia, Lepidozamia and Macrozamia, serve as hosts for four weevil genera of the Tranes group, Tranes Schoenherr, Miltotranes Zimmerman, Demyrsus Pascoe and Siraton Hustache. Several morphologically based taxonomic studies have been undertaken on some of these genera recently, but their classification, diversity and species delineations have not been evaluated using an integrative taxonomic approach. In the present study, we combine morphological characters and mitochondrial DNA data to assess the taxonomic status of taxa in this group. Different methods of molecular species delimitation, especially distance-based ones, generally provide strong support for taxon concepts derived from morphological characteristics, demonstrating that these are well able to delineate natural species and assess taxonomic diversity in this group of weevils. Exceptions are that molecular analyses indicate Siraton internatus (Pascoe) to be more closely related to Demyrsus than to S. roei (Boheman), rendering Siraton a paraphyletic taxon, and a genetically distinct but morphologically cryptic species of Miltotranes to occur south of Cairns. A key to all genera and species of the Tranes group is presented. The genus Tranes and its four previously named species are redescribed and six species are newly described, T. chadwicki sp. nov., T. forsteri sp. nov., T. kgariensis sp. nov., T. occidentalis sp. nov., T. terryae sp. nov. and T. tinctipennis sp. nov., and a lectotype is designated for the name Tranes insignipes Lea, 1929. The salient characters and distribution ranges of all Tranes species are illustrated, and their host specificities are assessed.

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:45DE986E-A8B3-4247-B056-DF3126D4B31D

The conoidean family Raphitomidae is arguably one of the most diverse groups of deep-sea gastropods. A previous molecular phylogenetic study, based on material from bathyal and abyssal waters of temperate south-eastern Australia and aiming to define the taxonomic boundaries of several genera, distinguished a total of 54 primary species hypotheses (PSHs) in the region. Although many of these have been fully taxonomically investigated, several others await taxonomic characterisation. Focussing on samples of those remaining putative taxa, this study subjected a comprehensive mitochondrial DNA dataset of representative deep-sea raphitomids to the species delimitation method ABGD, which recognised 14 PSHs from Australian waters. Following additional evaluation of shell and radular features, as well as examination of geographic and bathymetric ranges, 13 of these were converted to secondary species hypotheses (SSHs). Three SSHs were described as new and tentatively assigned to the genera Eubela Dall, 1889, Pleurotomella Verril, 1872 and Xanthodaphne Powell, 1942. The remaining 10 were assigned to named species, for which additional anatomical and radular data were also provided. Although some of the species studied appear to be comparatively rare and no inference is made about their geographic and bathymetric distributions, others exhibit transoceanic ranges or occupy remarkably wide depth intervals.

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:531B6770-279D-488C-9D81-A06E07D12C79

Delectopecten is a small genus of the family Pectinidae (Bivalvia: Pectinida) that remains poorly studied in terms of both morphology and phylogeny. Here, we describe the first member of this genus from deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystems, D. thermus sp. nov., based on morphological investigations and molecular analyses of a specimen collected from the Higashi–Ensei vent field (962-m depth) in the northern Okinawa Trough. Morphologically, this new species resembles D. vancouverensis and D. gelatinosus in shell size, shape, auricle size and sculpture. However, D. thermus sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeneric species (including 9 extant and 12 fossil species) by its unequal auricles (the anterior one being larger than the posterior), inwardly recurved anterior auricle of the left valve and a large byssal notch angle of ~90°. Comparisons of genetic sequences from three mitochondrial and three nuclear gene fragments supported the placement of the new species in the genus Delectopecten. Further phylogenetic analyses using these gene markers support that Delectopecten is monophyletic and positioned as an early diverging clade of the family Pectinidae. Additionally, the mitogenome of D. thermus sp. nov. was assembled and annotated, a first for its genus – revealing significant divergences in gene order compared to other pectinids. The 16S rRNA amplicon analysis of the gill tissue indicated that this vent-dwelling scallop does not exhibit symbiosis with chemosynthetic bacteria. A key to all known species of Delectopecten is provided to aid the identification of species in this understudied genus.

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D3D5D4AD-EE39-49F0-9782-12A5D6752A67

The recent subdivision of the pseudoscorpion family Garypinidae into three subfamilies, Garypininae, Amblyolpiinae and Protogarypininae, used a combination of molecular and morphological criteria. Newly obtained sequence data from several new garypinoid pseudoscorpions has helped clarify the relationships between various clades. Most importantly, we were able to include the type species of the family, Garypinus dimidiatus (L. Koch, 1873), and two additional species of Amblyolpium Simon, 1898, including A. shenzhou sp. nov. from southern China, which provided a better resolved phylogeny with Amblyolpium as sister to all other Garypinoidea. We raise the subfamily Amblyolpiinae to full family level, Amblyolpiidae stat. nov. In addition, we describe a new genus and species from the Himalayan Plateau, Absensus zhangi sp. nov., which has a morphological feature that allows placement in Amblyolpiidae.

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4BDE596B-6EFE-4AB8-932E-1D4379849677