An examination of the deep-sea barnacles (Cirripedia, Thoracica) collected by theKarubarexpedition to Indonesia (1991) and deposited in the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, identified 40 species contained in three families of stalked and five families of acorn barnacles. Information on these species is presented, including descriptions, updated distributions and images to aid species identification. Thirty of the species, treated herein, are new records for the Indonesian Kei Islands and Tanimbar Island, which increases the total number of species recorded from Kei Islands, Aru Island and Tanimbar Island to 40. This study demonstrates the value of museum collections as a resource in biodiversity science.

The phyletic relationships both between and within many of tardigrade genera have been barely studied and they remain obscure. Amongst them is the cosmopolitanBryodelphax, one of the smallest in terms of body size echiniscid genera. The analysis of newly-found populations and species from the Mediterranean region and from South-East Asia gave us an opportunity to present the first phylogeny of this genus, which showed that phenotypic traits used in classicalBryodelphaxtaxonomy do not correlate with their phyletic relationships. In contrast, geographic distribution of the analysed species suggests their limited dispersal abilities and seems to be a reliable predictor of phylogenetic affinities within the genus. Moreover, we describe three new species of the genus.Bryodelphax australasiaticussp. nov., by having the ventral plate configuration VII:4-4-2-4-2-2-1, is a new member of theweglarskaegroup with a wide geographic range extending from the Malay Peninsula through the Malay Archipelago to Australia.Bryodelphax decoratussp. nov.from Central Sulawesi (Celebes) also belongs to theweglarskaegroup (poorly visible ventral plates VII:4-2-2-4-2-2-1) and is closely related to the recently describedBryodelphax arenosusGąsiorek, 2018, but is differentiated from the latter by well-developed epicuticular granules on the dorsum. Finally, a new dioecious species,Bryodelphax nigripunctatussp. nov., is described from Mallorca and, by the reduced ventral armature (II/III:2-2-(1)), it resemblesBryodelphax maculatusGąsiorek et al., 2017. The latter species, known so far only from northern Africa, is recorded from Europe for the first time. A taxonomic key to the genus members is also presented.

A new species of Aphyocharax is described from the Maracaçumé river basin, eastern Amazon, based on morphological and molecular data. The new species differs from all its congeners, mainly by possessing the upper caudal-fin lobe longer than the lower one in mature males, and other characters related to teeth counts, colour pattern, and body depth at dorsal-fin origin. In addition, the new species is corroborated by a haplotype phylogenetic analyses based on the Cytochrome B (Cytb) mitochondrial gene, where its haplotypes are grouped into an exclusive lineage, supported by maximum posterior probability value, a species delimitation method termed the Wiens and Penkrot analysis (WP).

Hyphessobryconcarusp. nov.is described based on five different and independent methods of species delimitation, making the hypothesis of this new species supported by an integrative taxonomy perspective. This new species has a restricted distribution, occurring just in the upper Pindaré river drainage, Mearim river basin, Brazil. It is a member of the rosy tetra clade, which is characterized mainly by the presence of a dark brown or black blotch on dorsal fin and absence of a midlateral stripe on the body.Hyphessobryconcarusp. nov.is distinguished from the members of this clade mainly by the shape of its humeral spot, possessing few irregular inconspicuous vertically arranged chromatophores in the humeral region, or sometimes a very thin and inconspicuous humeral spot, and other characters related to teeth count, and color pattern. The phylogenetic position of the new species within the rosy tetra clade was based on molecular phylogenetic analysis using sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit 1. In addition, a new clade (here termedHyphessobryconmicropterusclade) within the rosy tetra clade is proposed based on molecular data, comprisingH.carusp. nov.,H.micropterus,H.piorskii, andH.simulatus, and withH.carusp. nov.andH.piorskiirecovered as sister species. Our results suggest cryptic speciation in the rosy tetra clade and, more specifically, in theH.micropterusclade. We recommend the use of integrative taxonomy for future taxonomic revisions and species descriptions when dealing with species complexes and groups containing possible cryptic species.

In March and April 2018 we surveyed amphibians and reptiles in two Proposed Protected Areas (PPAs) in Liberia. In the Krahn-Bassa Proposed Protected Area (KBPPA) in eastern Liberia 36 species of amphibians and 13 species of reptiles were recorded. In the Foya Proposed Protected Area (FPPA) in western Liberia 39 species of amphibians and 10 species of reptiles were recorded. The encountered herpetological communities in both sites were typical for West African rainforests. However, some species indicated disturbances, in particular at the edges of the study areas, the surrounding villages and plantations, and old artisanal gold mining sites within forests. Of particular conservation interest was the discovery of a high percentage of typical rainforest specialists with ranges restricted to the western part of the Upper Guinea rainforest biodiversity hotspot. Outstanding discoveries in KBPPA were two new species of puddle frogs, and the first country record for the arboreal, parachuting lizardHolaspisguentheri. Remarkable records in FPPA comprise a new species of stiletto snake, a new puddle frog and records of various frog species typically breeding in undisturbed rainforest streams, such asOdontobatrachusnatatorandConrauaalleni. Both study areas comprise an important proportion of the remaining rainforests in the Upper Guinea forest zone. The new discoveries indicate that within this biogeographic area, southeastern and western Liberian rainforest may still hold various undiscovered species and species of conservation concern. Further surveys in KBPPA and FPPA and nearby forests should clarify the distribution and conservation status of the new taxa.This study also emphasizes that the western part of the Liberian forests comprise at least partly a herpetofauna which differs from that of the East of the country. The recorded threatened amphibian species are all specialized on relatively undisturbed rainforests and they all have only small geographic ranges. The remaining parts of undisturbed or little disturbed forests thus have high importance for the long-term survival of these species. In conclusion the study areas have a high conservation potential and should be urgently protected from any further forest loss degradation and uncontrolled hunting.

Trichomycterus comprises about 170 valid species, but its monophyly has been challenged in the last decades. Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood analyses comprehending mitochondrial genes COI and CYTB and nuclear genes GLYT, MYH6 and RAG2 from 71 Trichomycterinae terminal taxa and eight outgroups were performed. The analyses highly supports a clade containing Trichomycterusnigricans, the type species of the genus, and several other congeners endemic to eastern and northeastern Brazil, herein considered as the genus Trichomycterus, the sister clade the southern Brazil and adjacent areas clade; the latter clade comprises two subclades, one comprising species of the genus Scleronema and another comprising species previously placed in Trichomycterus, herein described as a new genus. Cambevagen. n. is distinguished from all other trichomycterines by the presence of a bony flap on the channel of the maxillo-dentary ligament, the interopercle shorter than the opercle, a deep constriction on the basal portion of the antero-dorsal arm of the quadrate, absence of teeth in the coronoid process of the dentary, the maxilla shorter than the premaxilla, the cranial fontanel extending from the the medial posterior of frontal to the medial region of supraoccipital, and absence of the postorbital process of the sphenotic-prootic-pterosphenoid.

The type specimens of fossil “Architectibranchia” and Cephalaspidea (Mollusca: Heterobranchia) deposited in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, USA, are listed herein. The collection includes types of circa 60 species, from the families: Acteonellidae, Acteonidae, Bullidae, Cylichnidae, Haminoeidae, Philinidae, Retusidae, Rhizoridae, Ringiculidae and Scaphandridae. The catalogue is presented in systematic order, with information on the original description, type locality, type stratum and age, catalog number in the collection, and current taxonomic status. Further taxonomic notes are offered when pertinent. Several species are illustrated here for first time. The new combinationsRoxaniahornii(Gabb, 1864) andVolvulellaminutissima(Gabb, 1860) are proposed. Some species that have previously been assigned to Acteonidae are revised here, resulting in the following new combinations:Odostomiamilium(Lea, 1846),Chrysallidasculpta(Lea, 1846) andPyrgulinaangulata(Lea, 1846). The list of taxa is also presented in other arrangements (alphabetically by specific epithets and by authorship and date) to facilitate locating information.

The freshwater thiarid gastropod Tarebiagranifera (Lamarck, 1816), including taxa considered either congeneric or conspecific by earlier authors, is widespread and abundant in various lentic and lotic water bodies in mainland and insular Southeast Asia, with its range extending onto islands in the Indo-West-Pacific. This snail is, as one of the most frequent and major first intermediate host, an important vector for digenic trematodes causing several human diseases. As a typical thiarid T.granifera is viviparous and parthenogenetic, with various embryonic stages up to larger shelled juveniles developing within the female’s subhemocoelic (i.e non-uterine) brood pouch. Despite the known conchological disparity in other thiarids as well as this taxon, in Thailand Tarebia has been reported with the occurrence of one species only. In light of the polytypic variations found in shell morphology of freshwater snails in general and this taxon in particular, the lack of a modern taxonomic-systematic revision, using molecular genetics, has hampered more detailed insights to date, for example, into the locally varying trematode infection rates found in populations of Tarebia from across its range in Thailand as well as neighboring countries and areas. Here, we integrate evidence from phylogeographical analyses based on phenotypic variation (shell morphology, using biometry and geometric morphometrics) with highly informative and heterogeneous mtDNA sequence data (from the gene fragments cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 and 16 S rRNA). We evaluate both the morphological and molecular genetic variation (using several phylogenetic analyses, including haplotype networks and a dated molecular tree), in correlation with differences in the reproductive biology among populations of Tarebia from various water bodies in the north, northwest, central, and south of Thailand, supplementing our respective analyses of parasite infections of this thiarid by cercaria of 15 trematode species, reported in a parallel study. Based on the comparison of topotypical material from the island of Timor, with specimens from 12 locations as reference, we found significant, albeit not congruent variation of both phenotype and genotype in Tarebiagranifera, based on 1,154 specimens from 95 Thai samples, representing a geographically wide-ranging, river-based cross-section of this country. Our analyses indicate the existence of two genetically distinct clades and hint at possible species differentiation within what has been traditionally considered as T.granifera. These two lineages started to split about 5 mya, possibly related to marine transgressions forming what became known as biogeographical barrier north of the Isthmus of Kra. Grounded on the site-by-site analysis of individual Tarebia populations, our country-wide chorological approach focussing on the conchologically distinct and genetically diverse lineages of Tarebia allows to discuss questions of this either reflecting subspecific forms versus being distinct species within a narrowly delimited species complex. Our results, therefore, provide the ground for new perspectives on the phylogeography, evolution and parasitology of Thai freshwater gastropods, exemplified here by these highly important thiarids.

This paper completes the review of the Col. George Montagu collection of shells in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter. A further twenty-one lots of type material were discovered bringing the total number of type lots to ninety-four. A number of other taxa that are of historic and potential nomenclatural significance are discussed. Specimens that relate to taxa of authors other than Montagu were isolated and consideration was given to the many non-British taxa that Montagu included in his works. To complete the study a list of all species represented in this collection is given.

Charax awa sp. n. is herein described from the Rio Mearim, Rio Munim and Rio Turiaçu basins, three coastal river basins of northeastern Brazil located between the Rios Gurupi and Parnaíba basins. These have a complex and still poorly known biogeographic history. This region is ecologically extremely relevant since it comprises three of the main Brazilian biomes, as well as, transition zones between them: Amazônia, Brazilian Cerrado and Caatinga. Therefore, this area has faunal and floristic representatives of these three biomes, which makes it particularly relevant in terms of ecology, biodiversity and conservation. Charax awa sp. n. possesses a relatively small orbital diameter (22.1–28.5 % HL), what distinguishes it from most of its congeners, except from C. notulatus and C. caudimaculatus. It differs from C. caudimaculatus by a longer snout, and from C. notulatus by the number of scales around the caudal peduncle, as well as by the number of vertebrae. The new species herein described differs from its geographically closely distributed congeners, C. leticiae, C. niger, and C. pauciradiatus mainly by the relative horizontal orbital diameter. It is a “small-eyed” species. In addition, C. awa sp. n. can be distinguished from C. leticiae by having a maxilla extending to the vertical line posterior to the pupil, near the posterior orbital margin and by having a lower humeral spot distance. It can be distinguished from C. pauciradiatus by more scale rows from the pelvic-fin origin to the lateral line and more scale rows from the dorsal-fin origin to the lateral line and it differs from C. niger by having more transverse scale rows in space from the humeral spot to the supracleithrum. In addition, it differs from C. pauciradiatus and C. niger by the absence of bony hooks on anal and pelvic-fins rays of adult males.