Zoosystematics and Evolution

01/06/2026

🔬 Two new species of freshwater flatworms of the genus Dugesia have been discovered in the Taihang and Funiu Mountains - D. cylindrica and D. elongata.

➡️ Read more about them: doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.181547

28/05/2026

🐛 A total of eight millipede species, including four recorded in Guizhou Province for the first time, were identified during a baseline biodiversity survey within the Chishui Alsophila National Nature Reserve.

🔬 Two species entirely new to science were also discovered and described in the following study: doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.185791

19/05/2026

🕷️ 🎸 Meet 𝘗𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘥𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢, a newly described crevice weaver spider named after Pink Floyd that preys on animals six times its size and hides inside walls.

Published in our open-access journal and featured on the BBC Wildlife Magazine homepage, as covered by Magda Patynska.🕸️

👉 Read the full open-access article here
https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.175423

📰 Check out the news article: https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/insects-invertebrates/pink-floyd-spider

15/05/2026

🐟 A new fish species, Oreonectes weii, has been discovered in China's Jiangxi Province and is named in honour of the globally distinguished conservation biologist Fu-Wen Wei.

🗺️ It is estimated that the genus originated during the Late Oligocene, with its modern diversity pattern believed to have been shaped by monsoon-driven dispersal and subsequent geographical isolation.

🔍 Check out its unique physical traits, including its fin-rays and body colouration, by accessing the full study: doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.186155

07/05/2026

🕷️ Five new species of the spider genus Ovia were discovered and described across several Chinese provinces, significantly expanding the known diversity of these arachnids.

🗺️ Detailed maps and illustrations of the spiders' physical structures were also produced to clarify their distribution and help researchers tell them apart from previously known species: doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.188856

07/05/2026

🦋 Abstract submission for ZoologyCon 2026 is now open!

📍 ZoologyCon is an international zoology congress that will take place in Bucharest, Romania, from 4 to 7 November 2026, aiming to bring together researchers working across zoological disciplines.

➡️ Check out our latest news announcement to learn more: https://zse.pensoft.net/news/1212

➡️ Official website of ZoologyCon: https://zoologycon.ro/home/

Academia Română Universitatea din București Muzeul Naţional de Istorie Naturală "Grigore Antipa"

04/05/2026

🐍 We are delighted to share that our recent study on the Huaxi green pit viper (Trimeresurus lii) has been featured in BBC Wildlife Magazine!

🔍 In a wonderful piece written by amateur naturalist Kevin Parr, the story of this amber-eyed, grass-green snake - discovered in China’s Giant Panda National Park - is brought to life.

➡️ Check out the feature here: https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/reptiles/huaxi-green-pit-viper

➡️ Original study: https://zse.pensoft.net/article/178601/

Scientists describe new species of amber-eyed, grass-green snake from China's Giant Panda National Park.

30/04/2026

🦎 A newly identified nocturnal lizard, Gekko wuzhengjuni, has been discovered in the rocky landscapes of Guangxi, China.

🔬 This distinct species is defined by specific features such as its nasal scale arrangement and a set of ten continuous pores.

➡️ Read more: doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.185568

27/04/2026

A new species of burrowing snake named Calamaria incredibilis has been identified in southern China. 🐍

The specific epithet incredibilis is a Latin adjective meaning “unbelievable” or “extraordinary,” referring to the unexpectedly high level of cryptic diversity revealed by the discovery of this species: https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.188045

24/04/2026

🌊⭐ The evolutionary history of brittle stars has been further clarified through the sequencing of new deep-sea genomes.

It was found that genetic variations are associated with specific family lineages rather than water depth, through which a foundation for future studies on marine adaptation is established: doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.163746