A new wasp: Ceraphron krogmanni

The family Ceraphronidae consists of some 360 known species of wasps. Scientists do believe that a great many species are yet to be described. In general little is known about this group. Most species are believed to be parasitoids of flies, but a few hyperparasitoids (parasitoid of a parasitoid) are also known. Many species are found in the soil, and of these, a good number are wingless.

The new species was collected in Germany and named after its collector, Lars Krogmann (Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart). 

For the experts: Male genitalia phenotypes of Ceraphron (Jurine, 1807) are informative for species delimitation, but due to their minute size, these characters have not been used extensively. Recent developments in visualisation techniques, e.g. confocal laser scanning microscopy and high resolution bright field imaging, allow for more thorough examination of these minute anatomical structures and the development of a robust, male genitalia-based taxonomic system. We also establish a character set, a template, that will facilitate future revisions of these wasps. Ceraphron krogmanni sp. nov. is described with outsized male genitalia and multiple diagnostic traits that are unique amongst Ceraphron species.

A new plant: Hemiboea suiyangensis

The relatively unknown genus Hemiboea contains about 23 species of exotic plants all native to China and neighboring countries. Hemiboea is in the Gesneriaceae family making it a cousin to African violets, Gloxinia, and Sinningia.

The new species is named after the type locality, Suiyang County, Guizhou, China.

For the experts: The limestone areas in south China are a major biodiversity hotspot for terrestrial biomes. Hemiboea, with 34 species and 5 varieties, mainly distributed in south China, is one of the characteristic plant groups in limestone areas. Hemiboea suiyangensis, a new species of Gesneriaceae from limestone areas in Guizhou, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is easily distinguished from other Hemiboea species by having an oblique-infundibular corolla with an abaxially gibbous swelling on the upper half of the tube and with a densely villose throat and lower lobes. Hemiboea suiyangensis is similar to H. omeiensis W. T. Wang in the shape of the leaf blade, but differs from the latter by the shape of the petiole, involucre, calyx and corolla and the colour of the corolla. The conservation status of this species is considered to be “Critically Endangered” (CR) according to IUCN Red List Criteria.

A new springtail: Dicranocentrus hainanicus

Springtails, or collembola, are tiny arthropods. Their size ranges from 0.25 to 6 mm. Springtails normally live in damp soil. They eat mold and fungus.

They get their name from a spring-loaded structure, called the furcula, located on the underside of their abdomen. Most species have an tail-like appendage, the furcula, that is folded beneath the body to be used for jumping when the animal is threatened. It is held under tension by a small structure and when released, snaps against the ground, flinging the springtail into the air. All of this takes place in as little as 18 milliseconds and a jump can cover 10 cm. 

Today's new species was caught in China, Hainan Province. Its name refers to the origin.

For the experts: A new species, Dicranocentrus hainanicus Ren & Zhang, sp. n., is described from Hainan Province, China. Complete tergal chaetotaxy including microchaetae is illustrated and discussed. It is characterized by having the dental spines arranged in 2–3 rows, two inner teeth on unguis, 5, 2, 2 central macrochaetae on Abd. I–III, two inner S-chaetae on Abd. V displaced anteriorly, and the additional microchaetae associated with the S-chaeta acc.p6 on Th. II–Abd. II. It is most similar to D. chenae Ma, Chen & Soto-Adames but differs from the latter in the number and arrangement of dental spines and the absence of macrochaeta Pa1 on dorsal head. A key to the Chinese species of the genus is provided.

A new perchlet - Plectranthias ahiahiata

Rapa Nui (Easter Island) is the most isolated inhabited island in the Indo-Pacific, located approximately 3,700 km west of Chile and 2,000 km from the nearest inhabited island, Pitcairn. This isolation led to a very unique fauna surrounding the island. The likelihood of finding never before encountered and endemic species such as today's fish is very high.

Perchlets of the family  Anthiadinae are small beautiful fish. Their relatives (e.g. genus Anthias) are very famous in the ornamental fish trade. The name of this new species was given in reference to the beautiful Rapa Nui sunsets. The language is Rapa Nui; the phrase ahiahi-ata means “the last moments of light before nightfall.” 

For the experts: A new species of the perchlet genus Plectranthias is herein described from a single specimen found at Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in the South Pacific. Plectranthias ahiahiata sp. n. was collected at a depth of 83 m in a mesophotic coral ecosystem at Rapa Nui. The main difference between Plectranthias ahiahiata and other members of the genus is higher fin-ray counts (X, 18 dorsal; 18 pectoral) and its distinctive coloration. Compared to the three other known eastern South Pacific species, P. ahiahiata has more dorsal-fin rays, more pectoral-fin rays, fewer tubed lateral-line scales, fewer gill rakers, a longer head relative to SL, a very short first dorsal spine relative to SL, and a short third anal spine relative to SL. Plectranthias ahiahiata is distinguished from western Pacific species, by having more dorsal- and pectoral-fin rays. The closest relative based on genetic divergence (with 12.3% uncorrected divergence in the mitochondrial COI gene) is Plectranthias winniensis, a widely distributed species, suggesting important links between Rapa Nui and western Pacific islands. This new species adds to the high endemism of the Rapa Nui ichthyofauna, and is further evidence of the importance of mesophotic reefs as unique communities.

A new silky ant: Sericomyrmex radioheadi

Credit: Ana Ješovnik

The ants of the genus Sericomyrmex -- literally translated as 'silky ants' -- belong to the fungus-farming ants, a group of ants that have figured out how to farm their own food. The silky ants are the less well-known relatives of the famous leaf-cutter ants.

At only four million years, Sericomyrmex is an evolutionary youngster, the most recently evolved genus of fungus-farming ants, and an example of adaptive radiation which is a process in which organisms diversify quickly into a multitude of forms, making these ants good candidates for studies into speciation and evolution.

The new species has been named after the famous British band Radiohead in honor of the musicians' environmental efforts, especially in raising climate-change awareness. This is one of my favorite bands which makes this even more exciting to me.

For the experts: The genus Sericomyrmex Mayr (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Attini) is a Neotropical group of fungus-farming ants known for its problematic taxonomy, caused by low morphological variability across the species, vague and old species descriptions, and an outdated and incomplete key published in 1916. Recent molecular studies revealed that Sericomyrmex is the product of a rapid recent radiation, with a divergence date of 4.3 million years ago. Here we present a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the genus Sericomyrmex based on morphology and a recently published molecular phylogeny. We discuss and illustrate morphological characters for Sericomyrmex workers, males, queens, and larvae. We report 18 standard morphological measurements and 5 indices for 529 workers, 50 queens, and 39 males, which we employ in morphometric analyses. The revised genus Sericomyrmex comprises eleven species, including three new species, here described as S. maravalhas sp. n., S. radioheadi sp. n., and S. saramama sp. n. We also redescribe S. amabilis Wheeler, S. bondari Borgmeier, S. lutzi Wheeler, S. mayri Forel, S. opacus Mayr, S. parvulus Forel, S. saussurei Emery, and S. scrobifer Forel. The number of recognized species (11) is lower than the previously recognized 19 species and 3 subspecies. The following species and subspecies are synonymized: under S. opacus [=S. aztecus Forel syn. n., S. zacapanus Wheeler syn. n., and S. diego Forel syn. n.]; under S. bondari [=S. beniensis Weber syn. n.]; under S. mayri [=S. luederwaldti Santschi syn. n., S. moreirai Santschi syn. n., S. harekulli Weber syn. n., S. harekulli arawakensis Weber syn. n., S. urichi Forel syn. n.]; under S. saussurei [=S. burchelli Forel syn. n., S. impexus Wheeler syn. n., S. urichi maracas Weber syn. n.]; and under S. parvulus [=S. myersi Weber syn. n.]. We provide a key to Sericomyrmex species for the worker caste and information on the geographic distributions of all species.

A new pistol shrimp: Synalpheus pinkfloydi

Pistol shrimps, or snapping shrimps, have an ability to generate substantial amounts of sonic energy. By closing its enlarged claw at rapid speed the shrimp creates a high-pressure cavitation bubble, the implosion of which results in one of the loudest sounds in the ocean - strong enough to stun or even kill a small fish.

A newly discovered conspicuously coloured pistol shrimp found on the Pacific coast of Panama has now been named Synalpheus pinkfloydi in recognition of the discoverers' favourite rock band -- Pink Floyd.

As a lifetime fan of the band I can only applaud my colleague for this decision.

For the experts: A new, conspicuously coloured species of the alpheid genus Synalpheus Spence Bate, 1888, is described based on material collected on the Pacific coast of Panama. Synalpheus pinkfloydi sp. nov. is closely related to the western Atlantic S. antillensis Coutière, 1909, the two taxa being transisthmian, cryptic sister species. Both species are characterised by the distal areas of their major and minor chelae coloured in an intense, almost glowing pink-red. The morphological differences between S. pinkfloydi sp. nov. and S. antillensis Coutière, 1909 are subtle, being limited to the slightly different proportions of the merus of both chelipeds, distodorsal armature of the major cheliped merus, relative length of the antennal scaphocerite, and body size. However, they are genetically different with a 10.2% sequence divergence in COI. Based on molecular clock estimates, these transisthmian taxa diverged around 6.8–7.8 mya, i.e. well before the final closure of the Isthmus of Panama 2.5–3 mya.

A new frog: Pristimantis attenboroughi

Credit: Dr. Edgar Lehr from publication

One extraordinarily diverse genus of frogs, Pristimantis, includes 465 recognized species, 131 of them from Peru. The mountainous terrain of the Andes probably led to the evolution of so many different ground-dwelling frogs, in which the eggs develop directly into tiny baby frogs without going through a tadpole phase.

The new species inhabits several localities across the Pui Pui Protected Forest, a nature reserve located at elevations between 3400 and 3936 m in central Peru. Its name was dedicated to Sir David Frederick Attenborough in honor for his educational documentaries on wildlife, especially on amphibians (e.g., Life in Cold Blood, Fabulous Frogs), and for raising awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation.

For the experts: We describe a new species of Pristimantis from upper montane forests and high Andean grasslands of the Pui Pui Protected Forest and its close surroundings, Región Junín, central Peru. The description of the new species is based on 34 specimens found at elevations between 3400 and 3936 m a.s.l. Pristimantis attenboroughi sp. n. is characterized by a snout–vent length of 14.6–19.2 mm in adult males (n = 21), 19.2–23.0 mm in adult females (n = 10), and is compared morphologically and genetically with other taxonomically and biogeographically relevant species of Pristimantis. The new species is characterized by having narrow digits that lack circumferential grooves, irregularly shaped, discontinuous dorsolateral folds, and absence of both tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus. The high similarity in morphology between P. attenboroughi sp. n. and members of the Andean genera Phrynopus and Bryophryne provides an example for convergent evolution, and highlights the importance of using molecular data to justify generic assignment. Pristimantis attenboroughi sp. n. is most similar to Phrynopus chaparroi from the Región Junín, suggesting that the generic placement of this species needs to be revised. Phylogenetically the new species belongs to the Pristimantis danae species Group, a clade that includes several Pristimantis species distributed in the montane forests of central Peru, including P. albertus, P. aniptopalmatus, P. ornatus, and P. stictogaster.