Guizhou slug moth (Fignya qiana), triangle slug moth (Fignya trigonum) and Samkos slug moth (Fignya samkosa)

NEWS - Researchers have established the taxa Guizhou slug moth (Fignya qiana), triangle slug moth (Fignya trigonum) and Samkos slug moth (Fignya samkosa) from China and Cambodia as new species in the genus Fignya Solovyev & Witt, 2009.

Fignya is a small genus established in the family Limacodidae with two species F. melkaya Solovyev & Witt, 2009 and F. ravalba Wu, Solovyev & Han, 2022. The type species, F. melkaya, was first discovered in northern Vietnam on Mount Fan-si-pan and then F. ravalba in China.

Jun Wu and Huilin Han from Northeast Forestry University in Harbin proposed a slight extension of the definition of the genus with a focus primarily on the male genitalia. During examination of moths from southwest China and Cambodia several specimens were identified that morphologically resembled the two known relatives, but dissection revealed differences in the structure of the male genitalia.

F. qiana is not much different from F. melkaya, F. ravalba and F. trigonum, but the overall color is lighter. This species can be clearly distinguished from the other species by the characteristics of the male genitalia.

F. trigonum has a prominent inner cucullus, a well-developed thick and long horn-like cornutus at the base of the vesicle and triangular sclerites, while F. melkaya and F. ravalba have smooth inner cucullus and a well-developed horn-shaped basal cornutus and no triangular sclerites.

F. samkosa is most similar to the new combined species, F. brachygnatha comb. nov. but the male genitalia can be clearly distinguished. F. samkosa has a relatively straight valve, a small triangular hairy fold at the base of the valve, and a slender phallus, whereas F. brachygnatha has a slightly inward-curved valve, no hairy fold at the base of the valve, and a thicker phallus.

F. qiana was found in Guizhou (China) and the new name comes from the abbreviation of Guizhou Province, “Qian”, which is the type locality. F. trigonum is from Yunnan (China) and the name comes from the Latin “trigonum” meaning triangle, referring to the unique triangular sclerite at the base of the bladder. F. samkosa is from Cambodia and is named after the type locality, Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary.

Original research

Wu J, Han H (2024) A taxonomic review of the genus Fignya Solovyev & Witt, 2009 (Lepidoptera, Limacodidae) with descriptions of three new species and one new combination. ZooKeys 1213: 225-235, DOI:10.3897/zookeys.1213.132318

Dlium theDlium

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) manufacture bubble-nets as tools to increase prey intake

NEWS - Humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) create bubble net tools while foraging, consisting of internal tangential rings, and actively control the number of rings, their size, depth and horizontal spacing between the surrounding bubbles. These structural elements of the net increase prey intake sevenfold. Researchers have known that humpback whales create “bubble nets” for hunting, but the new report shows that the animals also manipulate them in a variety of ways to maximize catches. The behavior places humpbacks among the rare animals that make and use their own tools. “Many animals use tools to help them find food, but very few actually make or modify these tools themselves,” said Lars Bejder, director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP), University of Hawaii at Manoa. “Humpback whales in southeast Alaska create elaborate bubble nets to catch krill. They skillfully blow bubbles in patterns that form a web with internal rings. They actively control details such ...

Javan mocca or Javan slender caesar (Amanita javanica)

OPINION - Javan mocca or Javan slender caesar ( Amanita javanica ) is a mysterious fungus species and has been enigmatic since it was first reported by Boedijn in 1951 and after that no explanation or reporting of specimens is believed to be the same as expected. Boedijn (1951) described A. javanica which grew on Java island as having the characteristics covered in the Amanita genus. Corner and Bas in 1962 tried to describe Javan mocca and all species in Amanita based on specimens in Singapore. Over time some reports say that they have found A. javanica specimens in other Southeast Asia including also China, Japan, India and Nepal. But there is no definitive knowledge and many doubt whether the specimen is the same as described by Boedijn (1951). I was fortunate to have seen this species one afternoon and soon I took out a camera for some shots. In fact, I've only met this mushroom species once. Javan mocca is an endangered species and I have never seen in my experience in...

Four species of Homidia (Collembola, Entomobryidae) with smooth post-labial chaetae and DNA barcoding

NEWS - Researchers have established four new species from Guangxi Zhuang, China: the long antenna springtail ( Homidia longiantenna ), the Guangxi springtail ( Homidia guangxiensis ), the Huaping springtail ( Homidia huapingensis ) and the oligoseta springtail ( Homidia oligoseta ), into a genus that previously had 77 species described worldwide. Key characters of the genus include coloration pattern, body chaetotaxia, chaetae of the labial base, claw structure and tooth spines. Post-labial chaetae are rarely mentioned in species descriptions as they are usually indistinguishable from the normal ciliate chaetae present in most species, except for a few that are widened. Before this study, smooth post-labial chaetae had not been reported. The researchers describe four new species, of which one species has slightly widened post-labial chaetae, two species have smooth post-labial chaetae and one species has neither widened nor smooth post-labial chaetae. H. longiantenna is named for its ...

Dlium