A new snail: Helicopsis persica

Gastropods display a fascinating diversity of elaborate shell structures and have attracted considerable research efforts to explain them. For example the advantage of hair-like shell ornamentation of certain land snail species in the family Hygromiidae was long unknown. Ten years ago we were able to show that the hairs likely facilitate the adherence of the snails to their food plants during foraging especially when humidity levels are high.

Less hairy but with considerable sculpturing of shells comes the genus Helicopsis which is found in central and eastern Europe all the way into Iran. Today's new species was found in Iran and named after the Latin name of Iran, Persia.

For the experts: Helicopsis Fitzinger, 1833 is a mainly eastern European genus of the xerophilous Helicellinae (Geomitridae, Helicoidea; for family systematics see Razkin et al. 2015) that is characterized by two symmetrical dart and accessory sacs. This is probably the plesiomorphous character state within the Geomitridae and Hygromiidae. Therefore, the delimitation and relationships of Helicopsis remained questionable (Hausdorf 1996). Most Helicopsis species are characterized by a lateral attachment of the outer layer of the penial papilla at the penis wall so that a cavity is separated in the proximal part of the penis (Schileyko 1978; Giusti et al. 1992; Hausdorf 1996). However, a similar cavity is present in some other Helicellinae (e.g., Pseudoxerophila, Xerolenta, Xeromunda). Giusti et al. (1992) considered these cavities artefacts, but it cannot be excluded that they are actually homologous to the cavity of Helicopsis. Therefore, it is doubtful whether such a cavity can be considered as an autapomorphy of Helicopsis. About ten species of Helicopsis are spread from Turkey and Bulgaria to the Ukraine with a centre of diversity on the Crimean peninsula. Only the type species, Helicopsis striata (Müller, 1774) is more widespread from Alsace in the west, the island Öland in the Baltic Sea in the north to Bulgaria and Turkey in the south and western Russia in the east. Furthermore, species from Morocco, Greece, Cyprus, Iran and the Kopetdag were classified as Helicopsis. The relationships between these species have to be examined in more detail. Here we describe a new Helicopsis species from Iran.

A new termite: Hospitalitermes nigriantennalis

Like their hymenopteran cousins (ants, bees and wasps) termites (isopterans) live in colonies and divide labor among castes, produce overlapping generations, and take care of their young collectively. A typical colony contains nymphs (half-mature young), workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals of both sexes, sometimes even several egg-laying queens.There are more than 2,900 living termite species worldwide

This new species was found on Borneo and named after the blackish antennae in the soldier caste.

For the experts: A new species of open-air processional column termite is here described based on the soldier and worker castes from eight colonies in north Barito, central Kalimantan. Hospitalitermes nigriantennalis sp. n. is readily distinguished in the field from related Hospitalitermes spp. by the light brown to orangish coloration of the soldier head capsule that, further, is with vertex yellowish and nasus brownish. The soldier antenna and the maxillary and labial palps are blackish. By contrast, soldiers from other species of Hospitalitermes from this region have a uniformly black head capsule and antennae. Finally, H. nigriantennalis sp. n. has a minute indentation in the middle of the posterior part of head capsule, which further helps to differentiate this new species from other Hospitalitermes from the Indo-Malayan and Austro-Malayan regions.

A new slickhead: Leptoderma ospesca

The marine smelt family Alepocephalidae is perhaps better known as Slickheads or nakedheads. They are deep-water fishes living below 1,000 m. Their common name comes from the lack of scales on the head. 

Because of the depth these fishes occur and the technical challenges to find them, new discoveries are comparatively rare and always very interesting such as today's new species caught in the Pacific waters of El Salvador.

The new species name recognizes the contribution of OSPESCA (Organización del Sector Pesquero y Acúicola de Centroamerica) to the discovery of deepwater marine fishes in Central America by sponsoring research cruises of the Spanish research vessel B/O Miguel Oliver.

For the experts: A new species of Leptoderma Vaillant, 1886 is described from a single specimen trawled at 1368–1406 m depth off El Salvador, Central America, tropical eastern Pacific. Leptoderma ospesca n. sp. can be readily distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: dermal papillae absent along the lateral line, pectoral-fin rays 6, pelvic-fin rays 5, pre-dorsal length 54.9% of SL, both dorsal and anal fins separated from the caudal fin, dorsal- and anal-fin rays long, procurrent caudal-fin rays numerous and extending far forward on caudal peduncle, caudal-fin rays 16, and total pre-ural vertebrae 60. A key to the species of the genus is presented.

A new orchid: Encyclia inopinata

Encyclia is a genus of orchids. These plants are so-called epiphytes which means they grow upon another plant such as a tree without harming them. These plants get both moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, and sometimes from debris accumulating around them.

When a group of Mexican researchers stumbled across a beautiful orchid in bloom, they found themselves so surprised by its unique colors and forms that later on they chose the species name inopinatus, meaning "unexpected."

This new elegant orchid species that grows on rocks in deciduous forests in Mexico is between 30 and 42 cm tall, while together with its flowers it reaches between 80 and 90 cm. Having been recorded only from a few sites on the Pacific slope of Oaxaca state, Mexico, it appears to be rare.

For the experts: A new species of Encyclia from Mexico, E. inopinata, is described and illustrated. This species is similar to E. diota but it can be distinguished by its usually more robust plants with 2–3 leaves per pseudobulb and its flowers with longer and narrower sepals (1.8±0.1 × 0.63±0.03 cm in E. inopinata versus 1.48 ±0.14 × 0.65±0.06 cm in E. diota) and petals (1.7±0.05 × 0.59±0.05 cm in E. inopinata vs. 1.36 ±0.19 × 0.81±0.13 cm in E. diota), and the labellum with narrower lateral lobes (0.18±0.02 cm in E. inopinata vs. 0.41±0.10 cm in E. diota). Other characters that differentiate these two species are the coriaceous sepals, pink callus, and white anther of Encyclia inopinata (versus fleshy-leathery sepals, white callus, and yellow anther of E. diota). The new species can be found in deciduous forests along the Pacific slope of Oaxaca state, near of the border with Guerrero state, at about 1200 m. It blooms between March and July.

A new diatom: Pinnularia caprichosa

Pinnularia is a genus of predominantly fresh-water diatoms, usually found in ponds and moist soil. They are elongated elliptical unicellular organisms. Their cell walls are composed chiefly of a rigid silica framework.

Living diatoms are among the most abundant forms of plankton and represent an essential part of the food chain in the ocean. Diatoms are responsible for at least 25% of global carbon dioxide fixation.

The species name honors the group Caprichoso, from the “Boi Bumbá” Folkloric Festival, Parintins City, Amazonas State, Brasil.

For the experts: While possessing a remarkable diversity in the acidic and oligotrophic waters of the Amazon basin, the genus Pinnularia appears underdescribed in the region. In this study, we present light and scanning electron microscopical observations on Pinnularia caprichosa sp. nov. from Tupé Lake, a dendritic lake located on the floodplain of the Negro River basin. This new taxon has a large axial area and transapical striae that are slightly radiate to parallel and longer in the middle portion of the valve. The species was compared with Pinnularia elliptica, P. instabilis, P. lacunarum, P. montana, P. permontana and P. subflexuosa, all of which closely resemble P. caprichosa but differ from the new species in specific details of size, striae density and valve shape.

A new gecko: Cyrtodactylus gunungsenyumensis

Geckos have a number of unique features that distinguish them from other lizards. They use sounds in social interactions with other geckos. They lack eyelids and a fixed lens which is why they often lick their eyes to keep them clean and moist. However, they are probably best known for their specialized toe pads that enable them to climb smooth and vertical surfaces, and even cross indoor ceilings with ease.

Our new species belongs to a group of karst forest-adapted specialists and was found in the karst ecosystem surrounding Gunung Senyum, Malaysia where it occurs on the vertical walls of the limestone towers as well as the branches, trunks, and leaves of the vegetation in the associated karst forest.  Its scientific name (gunungsenyumensis) alludes to its origin.

For the experts: A new species of Bent-toed Gecko, Cyrtodactylus gunungsenyumensis sp. nov. of the sworderi complex, is described from Hutan Lipur Gunung Senyum, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia and is differentiated from all other species in the sworderi complex by having a unique combination of characters including a maximum SVL of 74.7 mm; low, rounded, weakly keeled, body tubercles; 34–40 paravertebral tubercles; weak ventrolateral body fold lacking tubercles; 38–41 ventral scales; an abrupt transition between the posterior and ventral femoral scales; 20–23 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; enlarged femoral scales; no femoral or precloacal pores; no precloacal groove; wide caudal bands; and an evenly banded dorsal pattern. Cyrtodactylus gunungsenyumensis sp. nov. is a scansorial, karst forest-adapted specialist endemic to the karst ecosystem surrounding Gunung Senyum and occurs on the vertical walls of the limestone towers as well as the branches, trunks, and leaves of the vegetation in the associated karst forest. Cyrtodactylus gunungsenyumensis sp. nov. is the seventh species of karst forest-adapted Cyrtodactylus and the sixteenth endemic species of karst ecosystem reptile discovered in Peninsular Malaysia in the last seven years from only 12 different karst forests. This is a clear indication that many species remain to be discovered in the approximately 558 isolated karst ecosystems in Peninsular Malaysia not yet surveyed. These data continue to underscore the importance of karst ecosystems as reservoirs of biodiversity and microendemism and that they constitute an important component of Peninsular Malaysia’s natural heritage and should be protected from the quarrying interests of foreign industrial companies.

A new ground beetle: Trichotichnus newtoni

The huge ground beetle subfamily Harpalinae contains about 20,000 species. Sometimes they are called harp beetles. As with many ground beetles despite variation of body shape and coloring, most are shiny black or metallic and have ridged wing covers. Sometimes the wing covers are fused in some species, particularly large one, rendering the beetles unable to fly. 

Today's new species is one of those species that can't fly because its wings are not functional for flight which also means that it usually is not widely distributed. It was found only on the McKinley Mount, Mindanao, Philippines.

The species was named after the coleopterist Alfred F. Newton, who helped the author with his visit to the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, where he was able to study the type series of the new species.

For the experts: Originally described as a separate monotypical genus, Bottchrus Jedlička, 1935 is treated as a senior synonym of Bellogenus Clarke, 1971, the subgenus of the genus Trichotichnus Morawitz, 1863. The type species of the subgenus Bottchrus, stat. n., Trichotichnus (Bottchrus) philippinus (Jedlička, 1935), comb. n., is redescribed on the basis of the holotype from the Philippines (without more detailed location) and the new brachypterous species, Trichotichnus (Bottchrus) newtoni sp. n., is described from the series collected in the McKinley Mount, Mindanao, Philippines. The relationships between the brachypterous species of Bottchrus from Ethiopia, the Himalayan region and the Philippines are briefly discussed. The following synonymy is stated: Bottchrus Jedlička, 1935 = Bellogenus Clarke, 1971, syn. n., = Pseudotrichotichnus Habu, 1973.