Thousands of years ago, according to Greek myth, the nymph Cyllena nurtured the infant Hermes, messenger of the gods and famously the swiftest of the twelve Olympians, on Mt. Kyllini in southern Greece.
Now, in that same mountain, researchers from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens have identified a completely new genus and species of subterranean freshwater snail living in a single isolated spring on its slopes. In a fitting nod to the area’s mythology, and perhaps a bit of irony, given the messenger god’s legendary speed, they named it Cyllena hermes.
The full details of the discovery have been published as a research article in Subterranean Biology, a peer-reviewed open-access journal published by the International Society for Subterranean Biology.
Live specimens of Cyllenahermes gen. et sp. nov. A–F live mature specimen, shown from the moment of emergence from the shell to active locomotion while foraging G–I another mature specimen; White arrows indicate the direction of movement J immature specimen floating at the water surface while feeding K caddisfly case (Insecta, Trichoptera) constructed from gastropod shells, including shells of Cyllenahermes gen. et sp. nov. Scale bars: 1 mm. Credit to Radea et al., 2026
So far, the snail is known from just one place on Earth: a karstic spring roughly 610 meters up the mountain’s foothills, in the Korinthia region of the Peloponnese. There, groundwater seeps out of carbonate bedrock and forms a small stream that feeds toward Lake Stymphalia, part of the sprawling underground hydrological network beneath the Stymphalia closed karst basin.
Type locality of Cyllenahermes gen. et sp. nov., Korinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Karstic spring waters emerging from Mt Kyllini and forming a stream flowing toward Lake Stymphalia. Credit to Radea et al., 2026
Because the snail relies entirely on this single, isolated water source, it is highly sensitive to environmental stressors such as prolonged droughts and water extraction for surrounding neighboring areas, leading the research team to classify the species as Vulnerable under the IUCN Red List criteria.
When establishing this new monotypic genus and species, the researchers chose a name steeped in ancient Greek mythology tied to the mountain itself. The genus honours Cyllena, the nymph who raised Hermes there, while the species name pays tribute to Hermes himself, who legend says was born in a cave on that same mountain, where the new snail species was found.
Cyllenahermes gen. et sp. nov. Views from a single immature specimen. A dorsal view B ventral view C, D lateral view E–G scanning electron micrographs of shell and protoconch respectively. Scale bars: 1 mm (A–E); 100 μm (F); 50 μm (G). Credit to Radea et al., 2026
This significant finding highlights the rich, yet often undocumented biodiversity dwelling within Greece’s extensive underground karst ecosystems, while also bringing attention to the fragile nature of these highly localized environments.
Original source: Radea C, Protopapas D, Parmakelis A, Koskeridou E (2026) From the dark to the light: A new genus and species of stygobiont hydrobiid (Caenogastropoda, Truncatelloidea) from southern Greece. Subterranean Biology 57: 1-21. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.57.189090
Giant salamanders of the genus Andrias are the largest living amphibians on Earth and, it turns out, more diverse than previously known. For many years, Chinese giant salamanders were classified as a single widespread species. But through recent molecular and morphological research, they have been shown to harbor far greater species richness than previously recognised.
Now, a collaborative team of researchers has formally described a new species: Andrias yaoluopingensis, discovered in the Yaoluoping National Nature Reserve in Yuexi County, Anhui Province, China. The full description is available in the open-access journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.
New Giant Salamander from the Mountain Streams
Holotype of Andriasyaoluopingensis (HSA25201). A. Dorsalateral view in life; B. Environment of the sampling location. Photos credit to Zhihao Jiang and Kai Zhao.
The salamander was first found sheltering among stone crevices in the Macao River at an elevation of 948 meters. Researchers employed an integrative taxonomic approach, combining mitochondrial DNA analysis with detailed morphological examination, to confirm its status as a distinct species.
Holotype of Andrias yaoluopingensis (HSA25201) in life. A. Dorsal view; B. Lateral view (right side); C. Ventral view Photo credit to Zhihao Jiang and Song Huang.
Holotype of Andrias yaoluopingensis (HSA25201). A. Dorsal view of head; B. Ventral view of head; C. Ventral view of left fingers; D. Ventral view of left toes Photo credit to Zhihao Jiang and Song Huang.
Andrias yaoluopingensis, or the Yaoluoping Giant Salamander, is distinguished from other known giant salamanders by several physical characteristics: a notably flat head and trunk; slight webbing between the digits; a tan dorsal surface marked with darker blotches in life; and irregularly distributed tubercles above the eyes.
The discovery brings the total number of recognised Andrias species worldwide to six.
Conservation Implications
The discovery highlights the pressing need for deeper field surveys to uncover overlooked biodiversity in unexplored regions. Wild populations of Chinese giant salamanders have suffered severe declines across the country, primarily driven by overexploitation, as well as habitat loss and environmental degradation. The researchers stress that:
[…] for these critically endangered organisms, more field surveys and further classification at the species level are necessary and urgent.
The morphological and molecular data provided by this discovery will serve as a crucial reference for the targeted conservation of different giant salamander lineages, proper genetic management, and the successful release of artificially bred populations.
Original source:
Jiang Z, Huang R, Yang J, Zhao K, Zhang Y, Zhang T, Zhang Y, Chu J, Chen J, Huang S (2026) A new species of the Giant Salamander genus Andrias (Amphibia, Urodela, Cryptobranchidae) from Yuexi, Anhui, China. Zoosystematics and Evolution 102(2): 649-658. https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.179377
Within the project, Pensoft is to bridge the gap between complex science and accessible digital experiences, playing a central technical and communications role.
Pensoft will lead the communication, dissemination and exploitation activities of the EU Horizon project BALANSED (Biomass Assessment of Land and Sea for Engagement and Deliberation), while also developing innovative digital tools that support informed public participation in environmental decision-making.
As Europe’s Green Deal goal is fast approaching, policy-makers are increasingly faced with tough choices regarding the use of natural resources. The project was inspired by the need for conflict resolution as main objectives, such as the expansion of renewable energy infrastructure, the protection of biodiversity and the securing of food production have started to compete with one another. Scientific models are good at predicting the environmental impact of various actions, but not so good at factoring in the views, interests and priorities of people who will be directly affected by those decisions.
That is where BALANSED comes in.
The Project:
This 54-month project, between 1 June 2026 and 30 November 2030, funded under Horizon Europe, aims to change the way environmental planning and natural resource management is carried out across Europe. Advanced scientific modelling joins forces with community driven deliberation to ensure that climate and environmental policies are not only scientifically sound, but also socially fair, transparent and broadly supported.
BALANSED is an EU project helping citizens, policymakers, and scientists make better decisions about the environment – balancing land and sea use, biodiversity, and local economies.
It will turn complex environmental data into simple, understandable indicators, so communities can clearly see how different choices affect them. The tools will be tested in six local study regions and two cross-regional ones, tackling issues like water shortages, farming, forestry, and ocean management.
The project will also launch an Online European Public Deliberation Platform and Deliberation Toolkit to support informed public debate on environmental planning across all European regions.
Between 8 and 9 June 2026 representatives from all 13 partner organisations met in Wageningen, Netherlands, to kick off the project.
Central discussions focused on how environmental decisions can better balance ecological and societal needs. A key theme was the importance of involving citizens, researchers, and policymakers together from day one.
Pensoft’s role:
Pensoft bridges the gap between complex science and accessible digital experiences, playing a central technical and communications role in BALANSED across three key areas:
Digital tools – as lead of Work Package 6, Pensoft will turn scientific data and models into intuitive digital interfaces, including online deliberation software and tailored digital environments for each of the study regions
EU-wide platform – Pensoft will build the final Online European Public Deliberation Platform, integrated directly with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre to support decision-making across all European regions
Communications & impact – drawing on its expertise in science communication, Pensoft leads Work Packages 8 and 9, ensuring the project’s findings are widely shared and put to use across Europe
The next time you post a nature photo online, you might be contributing to a major scientific breakthrough – just as several citizen scientists did when they helped discover the wasp Eupelmus curvator in Japan.
When a series of photos appeared on Twitter (now X) showing an iridescent wasp laying eggs on a praying mantis egg case, researchers from the Kyushu University Museum realised they weren’t looking at a common garden insect. Instead, they were witnessing a species never before seen in Japan: Eupelmus curvator.
“The discovery was made possible through social media,” said Taisuke Kawano, the lead researcher and a specialist in eupelmid wasps at the Kyushu University Museum.
“It all started with a post by a general user who shared a photo capturing a wasp emerging from a mantis egg case. A colleague of mine noticed the post and forwarded it to me via direct message.”
The wasp is the first record of Eupelmus curvator in Japan, a species previously known only to inhabit China. Perhaps more significantly, the recent study provided the first formal scientific description of the male of the species, which had remained a mystery until now.
“Eupelmus curvator is particularly interesting because it parasitises the egg cases of praying mantises.
While some other genera in Eupelmidae are specialised egg parasitoids, most species of Eupelmus attack larvae or pupae of other insects, and only very few are known to develop inside mantis oothecae. This makes Eupelmus curvator a rather unusual and biologically intriguing species.”
Taisuke Kawano
The researchers confirmed that the wasp targets the Narrow-winged Mantis (Tenodera angustipennis), turning the mantis’ future offspring into a nursery for its own young. In one case, a single mantis egg case collected in Fukuoka yielded 77 wasps and only a few surviving mantis nymphs.
In the spring of 2018 and again in 2021, citizen scientists and nature enthusiasts posted images and videos of the wasps’ behaviour on Twitter. Through direct communication on the platform, these users sent specimens to Kawano for identification.
“Social media is becoming an increasingly important tool in citizen science. One of its greatest strengths is that it effectively increases the number of ‘eyes in the field.’ These observations often come from places and times that researchers would not normally be able to cover.
When particularly interesting records appear, we can contact observers directly via social media, and in some cases obtain specimens for further study.”
Taisuke Kawano
To document the tiny find – females measure only about 2.2 to 3.2 mm excluding the ovipositor – the team used advanced macro photography and focus stacking technology to create hyper-detailed images of the wasp’s anatomy.
Eupelmus (Eupelmus) curvator ovipositing on mantis ootheca at Kyushu University Ito campus, Fukuoka. Photo credit: Taisuke Kawano et al., 2026.
Science in Your Backyard
The discovery suggests that even in well-studied regions like Japan, there is a wealth of biodiversity to be uncovered. The key, according to Kawano, is that scientists are now finding it in new ways:
“One of the most exciting aspects is how social media is changing the way we conduct research. The social media platforms allow researchers to encounter observations that would otherwise remain unnoticed, effectively transforming everyday posts into valuable scientific data.”
As for his own social media habits? Kawano admits the line between work and leisure has blurred:
“Personally, I sometimes joke that even when I am browsing social media, I am actually working. And it is sometimes true… though not always.”
Kawano T, Imada S, Noguchi S, Toyosaki K (2026) When your posts yield biodiversity findings: social media-facilitated discovery of Eupelmus (Eupelmus) curvator Yang (Hymenoptera, Eupelmidae) in Japan with notes on its bionomics. Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle “Grigore Antipa” 69(1): 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3897/travaux.69.e171809
A comprehensive 15-year study published in the Biodiversity Data Journal details the growing threat of extreme weather on White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) in Bulgaria. Long considered a symbol of good fortune and the arrival of spring, white storks hold a cherished place in Bulgarian folklore – their nesting on rooftops traditionally seen as a blessing upon the household.
The research, which is part of the topical collection “Restoration of species of conservation importance,” analyzes the admissions and treatment outcomes of injured storks at the Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Centre (WRBC) of the Green Balkans NGO between 2010 and 2025.
Led by Rusko Petrov alongside Eva Pastir of Trakia University and Gradimir Gradev of the Agricultural University of Plovdiv, the study examines how extreme weather events, specifically sudden spring frosts and wildfires, affect White Stork survival.
Map of the locations where distressed birds have been found – in blue are the locations where White Storks from the first category were found, in red are the ones from the second category. The green dot is the location of the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Centre of Green Balkans. Credit to Petrov, Pastir & Gradev, 2026.
Of 3,690 storks admitted to the WRBC over the 15-year period, researchers focused on 158 cases attributable to storms, hailstorms, strong winds, snowfalls with low temperatures, and wildfires.
A Tale of Two Disasters
Percentage of storks admitted due to burnt and collapsed nests between 2010-2025. Credit to Petrov, Pastir & Gradev, 2026.
The results revealed a stark contrast in survival depending on the type of weather event. Overall, 49% of the extreme weather victims (77 birds) were successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild, while 51% (81 birds) of the cases were fatal. Only two birds remained permanently disabled and were transferred to other facilities.
Notably, juvenile storks are exceptionally vulnerable to extreme conditions because they are unable to flee the nest. This is particularly tragic during wildfires, which destroy nests and trap the flightless young while adult birds flee. Consequently, survival rates for fire-related incidents were strikingly low at just 33% (32 out of 97 cases). In contrast, storks affected by storms, hailstorms, and sudden snowfalls had a significantly higher rehabilitation success rate of 74% (45 out of 61 cases).
The Climate Change Connection
White stork. Photo via Canva.
The researchers identified distinct geographic and climatic patterns linked to these rescues. Wildfires primarily clustered in the warmer Upper Thracian Plain, driven by prolonged summer heatwaves and human factors. Meanwhile, cold-related rescues were prevalent in the Danubian Plain, where cold continental air masses invade during winter and early spring.
These geographic patterns are consistent with global warming trends.
Warmer winters are prompting storks to migrate earlier, exposing the returning adults to sudden, deadly spring frosts and blizzards.
explain the researchers.
Simultaneously, the increasing frequency of summer heatwaves is fueling the nest-destroying wildfires that threaten the juveniles. Petrov also notes broader implications for other species:
Our research is focused on White Storks, but the impact is similar to many other bird species and most sensitive to it are the migratory and endangered ones.
he explains.
To safeguard the White Stork, the authors underscore the urgent need for enhanced nest protection, improved wildlife rescue efforts, and proactive climate adaptation strategies to conserve the species.
Original source:
Petrov R, Pastir E, Gradev G (2026) Impact of extreme weather on White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) rehabilitation: admissions and outcomes (2010-2025). Biodiversity Data Journal 14: e182547. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.14.e182547
Using noninvasive monitoring in eastern Honduras, researchers found that small mammals, not large wildlife like tapirs, drive cassava crop loss, highlighting the need for evidence-based, wildlife-friendly solutions.
Today, 29th June, marks the International Day of the Tropics, a day that reminds us of why understanding tropical ecosystems matters for both wildlife and the communities that depend on them. This new study from the Honduran Mosquitia is a perfect example.
A new study from the Honduran Mosquitia shows how simple, non-invasive technology can help solve one of the most common challenges in wildlife conservation: identifying the species actually responsible for crop damage. The full detailed results have been published in the open-access peer-reviewed journal Neotropical Biology and Conservation.
Across tropical landscapes, people living near forests often share the same concern: wildlife entering agricultural fields and feeding on crops. In many cases, these interactions can generate tension between local communities and conservation efforts, particularly when threatened species are perceived as the main culprits.
Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii) recorded from one of the trap cameras. Credit to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).
In the Indigenous Miskitu community of Mavita, in eastern Honduras, local people have long reported losses in their cassava (Manihot esculenta) fields, locally known as yucales. Most residents believed that the damage was caused by Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii), an endangered species and the largest terrestrial mammal in Central America. They also suspected that pacas (Cuniculus paca) and armadillos (Dasypus mexicanus) were contributing to crop losses.
But was the tapir really responsible?
To answer this question, researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) installed camera traps equipped with solar-powered motion-activated LED lights around a 10-hectare cassava field located within a mosaic of Caribbean pine forest and tropical rainforest in the Honduran Mosquitia.
Location of the motion-sensor light installed in the cassava field of Mavita, within the Mosquitia region of eastern Honduras, highlighting nearby communities (Mavita and Rus Rus) and the surrounding forest matrix based on the 2018 ICF land-cover classification. Credit to Turcios-Casco et al., 2026
The goal was to document which mammals were actually visiting the crops and evaluate whether these light systems could eventually help reduce crop losses.
Following the evidence
Over two months of monitoring, the cameras recorded seven mammal species, including tapirs, ocelots, jaguarundis, agoutis, opossums and rabbits.
Contrary to local perceptions, the species most frequently detected interacting with cassava crops was not the tapir, but the Honduran cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus hondurensis) – a species that locals did not even know occurred in their plantations. The cameras also found no evidence that armadillos or pacas were feeding on the cassava.
Meanwhile, tapirs were present in the area, but appeared far less frequently than expected.
Many conservation conflicts begin with assumptions. Without evidence, it is easy to blame large and conspicuous animals. Camera traps allowed us to identify which species were truly interacting with the crops and helped us separate perception from reality.
On the #InternationalDayOfTheTropics , here’s a story that shows why understanding tropical ecosystems matters. 👇 📸What if the culprit wasn’t who we thought? Using noninvasive monitoring in eastern Honduras, researchers found that small mammals, not large wildlife like tapirs, drive cassava crop loss, highlighting the need for evidence-based, wildlife-friendly solutions. 📗Read the full study in Neotropical Biology and Conservation open-access journal: https://doi.org/10.3897/neotropical.21.e187958 👉Or check out our blog for more insights from the lead author and researcher, Manfredo Turcios-Casco: https://blog.pensoft.net/2026/06/25/camera-traps-reveal-the-true-culprit-behind-crop-damage-in-honduras/ @Wildlife Conservation Society #tapir#fyp
Correctly identifying the species involved in crop damage is more important than it might seem.
Across Latin America, wildlife is often persecuted after being blamed for agricultural losses. In Honduras, Baird’s tapir has historically faced retaliatory hunting in areas where farmers perceive it as a threat to their crops.
When damage is incorrectly attributed to threatened species, conservation efforts can be undermined while the actual source of the problem goes unaddressed.
The study highlights how non-invasive monitoring can provide communities and conservation practitioners with reliable information before management decisions are made.
Technology for coexistence
The project also tested the use of solar-powered motion-sensor lights, sometimes referred to as “silent technology,” as a tool to monitor and potentially deter wildlife activity.
Researchers found that different species reacted differently to the lights. Tapirs tended to show stronger behavioral responses, while rabbits often continued moving through the area despite illumination. These findings suggest that no single deterrent works for every species and that mitigation strategies should be tailored to local ecological conditions.
Solar-powered LED motion-sensor light interacting with female Tapirusbairdii (A), male Tapirusbairdii (B), and Sylvilagushondurensis (C). Credit to Turcios-Casco et al., 2026
More importantly, the technology proved valuable as a diagnostic tool, helping researchers understand not only which species were present, but also when they were active and how they responded to human-made stimuli.
Conservation begins with understanding
Solar-powered LED motion-sensor light interacting with Leoparduswiedii (above) and Didelphismarsupialis (below). Credit to Turcios-Casco et al., 2026
The forests of the Honduran Mosquitia harbor some of the most important wildlife populations remaining in Central America. Yet the long-term conservation of these species depends not only on protecting habitat, but also on fostering coexistence with local communities.
What surprised me most was discovering that the species most frequently blamed by local people was not the one causing most of the crop interactions.
expressed Manfredo Turcios-Casco
This study demonstrates that effective conservation starts with understanding what is actually happening on the ground. Sometimes the evidence confirms what people already suspect. And sometimes it reveals that the animal everyone blamed was innocent all along.
Acknowledgments This article was produced by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), with technical support of the community of Mavita and the financial support from the Fondo para el Manejo de Áreas Protegidas y Vida Silvestre (FAVPS) and the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF), funded by UK International Development. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the UK Government.
Original source
Turcios-Casco MA, Jolon-Morales MR, Padilla B, Scott E, López CM (2026) From forest mosaics to yucales: noninvasive monitoring untangles mammal–crop interactions in eastern Honduras. Neotropical Biology and Conservation 21(2): 173-188. https://doi.org/10.3897/neotropical.21.e187958
An enigmatic new species of wormlion fly, whose larvae construct clever pitfall traps to capture prey, has been revealed in a study led by researchers at Dali University in China.
The fly, described in a recent paper in the open-access journal ZooKeys, was identified after a 2025 expedition successfully collected adult specimens in Yadong County, southern Xizang. Unidentified larvae belonging to the same group had first been collected in the region forty-eight years earlier in 1978, but because the adult stage remained unknown, scientists had been unable to confirm its true identity until now.
Analysing the physical traits of the newly discovered insect, the research team noted that it is particularly large for its group, with adult bodies measuring up to 19.5 millimetres in length and wings reaching nearly 16 millimetres long. The fully grown larvae are even larger, reaching lengths between 20 and 28 millimetres, and they possess a single semicircular proleg bearing a distinct row of five to seven spines.
It has been named Vermitigris tsangyanggyatso, with the species name dedicated to Tsangyang Gyatso, the sixth Dalai Lama, who was a celebrated seventeenth-century Tibetan poet-monk from Xizang known for his romantic verse and unconventional life.
Habitats and habitus of Vermitigristsangyanggyatso sp. nov. Image credit: Li-Xia Shan and Ji-Shen Wang.
The discovery increases the number of species recorded in China within the genus Vermitigris from one to two, expands the total number of species in the genus from four to five, and brings the total number of known living wormlion fly species in the world to sixty-seven.
The insect belongs to the brachyceran family Vermileonidae, a unique group of flies commonly known as wormlions. These flies are notable because their larvae employ a pitfall-feeding strategy that is evolutionarily convergent with pitfall-building antlions, making them the only known family of flies whose larvae capture prey by constructing funnel-shaped pits in loose sand or soil.
The team’s motivation to study this unique family stems from an unexpected discovery a decade ago:
“Well, it was probably an accidental discovery that first motivated us. In 2015, while searching for pit-building antlions on Cangshan Mountain in Dali, China, we discovered an unfamiliar larva that we found particularly interesting. However, because the adults have an extremely short lifespan, we failed for many years to determine its identity.
It was not until 2024 that we finally obtained adults through artificial rearing in the laboratory. It turned out to be a new species, which we named Vermiophis cangshanensis. This first discovery therefore took nine years. Since then, we have paid close attention to wormlions wherever we encounter them.”
Unlike some related lineages that diversified during the Late Mesozoic by developing elongated mouthparts to feed on nectar, this new species features a significantly shortened rostrum, suggesting that the adults do not feed at all during their final stage of life. Although adult flies were primarily found resting quietly on leaf surfaces near their larval breeding grounds on sunny days, one specimen was discovered further away around agricultural fields, indicating that the species possesses strong flight and dispersal capabilities.
The environment where the immature stages thrive consists of rain-protected microhabitats, which provide the stable microenvironments necessary for the wormlions to build their pitfall traps. The research team found the larvae living in three distinct types of sheltered habitats, including fine-grained soil under giant rocks, wood debris beneath a pavilion, and fine-grained river sands accumulated beside a river, with field observations indicating a strong preference for the river sands.
When asked about the specific physical features enabling the larvae to build effective traps across such diverse textures, the team noted:
“We honestly do not know yet. Perhaps future behavioural experiments will help answer this question.”
While wet forested regions have traditionally been shown to act as barriers to the dispersal of wormlion flies, this discovery highlights how the genus Vermitigris manages to thrive in such environments by exploiting these rain-protected microhabitats. The presence of this species on the southern slopes of the Himalayas suggests that the region serves as both a transitional zone and a biodiversity corridor, facilitating the penetration of Oriental elements into Eurasia.
Distribution of Vermitigris spp. Question mark (?) indicates an unconfirmed record from India (Oldroyd 1947).
The team elaborated on what this Himalayan discovery implies for the group’s evolutionary history:
“The previously known species were first discovered in tropical Southeast Asia, and these insects were therefore thought to be restricted to tropical regions. The discovery of this species suggests that they may also be capable of adapting to subtropical climates.
We hope that more unknown species will eventually be discovered in mainland Southeast Asia, such as Thailand, as well as in southwestern China, including Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan Provinces.”
Vermitigris tsangyanggyatso is physically distinct from its closest relatives due to its uniform yellowish-brown to reddish-brown abdomen, which lacks the light and dark rings or longitudinal stripes seen on other species within the genus. Scientists believe that many neighbouring regions along the southern slopes of the Himalayas remain unsampled, meaning that further fieldwork could well yield additional members of this poorly documented group of flies.
Morphological characters of Vermitigristsangyanggyatso sp. nov.
Reflecting on the deeper personal connection to this work from a science communication standpoint, co-author Ji-Shen Wang shared:
“I would say that although my primary research interest is the insect order Mecoptera (scorpionflies), I have gradually expanded my interests into Diptera (flies) as well.
As a naturalist, I find the diversity of life on Earth endlessly fascinating, and this curiosity about nature continually motivates me to explore and wonder. I would like to quote Herman Melville from Moby-Dick: ‘As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote. I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts.’”
Original study:
Shan L-X, Wang J-S (2026) After forty-eight years: An enigmatic new wormlion fly from Xizang, China (Diptera, Vermileonidae). ZooKeys 1276: 249-262. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1276.184675
For more articles on zoology, visit the ZooKeys website and follow the journal on BlueSky and Facebook.
Tropical rainforest patches perched on isolated granite mountains in northern Mozambique have yielded four new species of Sylvan Chameleons, according to a new study by Prof. Krystal A. Tolley and Dr. Werner Conradie, recently published in Vertebrate Zoology.
The new species have been named after the animal behavior scientist and conservationist Jane Goodall, the chemist Rosalind Franklin, and the concept of “vanishing”, honouring scientific pioneers while sounding an alarm about disappearing habitats. The research reveals that each “sky island” harbours its own, previously unknown chameleon species, and highlights the urgent need to conserve these fragile forest habitats.
These mountains rise sharply from the surrounding savanna, trapping clouds and rain and creating cool, moist refuges in an otherwise dry landscape This results in each forest being isolated, making them true ‘sky islands’, and because of this isolation, many of their species occur nowhere else on Earth.
says Prof. Tolley.
Why search these mountains?
Localities for the sky islands where Nadzikambia chameleons were sampled, superimposed over digital elevation layer, with the six species of Nadzikambia, including the newly described species. Credit to Tolley and Conradie, 2026.
Until the 2000s, most of northern Mozambique’s sky islands had been poorly surveyed, even compared with other remote parts of Africa. The team set out to investigate whether the isolated forests on each mountain hold unique reptile and amphibian species that evolved there in isolation. With tropical forests across Africa being rapidly cleared in favour of agriculture, the researchers were heavily motivated by a race against time – species could go extinct before they are even discovered.
How were the new species identified?
The team had to first carry out several different surveys of the remote mountains to assess and catalogue the different reptile and amphibian species present. Noting that there were populations of chameleons on each mountain, measurements and samples were taken. Back at the lab, the team used an approach called the General Lineage Species Concept.
This combines different lines of evidence to identify species. In this case, they sequenced four genes (DNA sequences) from Sylvan Chameleon populations from different mountains and compared the genetic data among these. This was then combined with another type of evidence, body features, to come up with a ‘balance of evidence’ as to whether each mountain has its own species.
Network of nuclear (RAG-1) alleles for Nadzikambia based on phased sequences. Alleles are colour coded according to the proportion of individuals per species having that allele. The sizes of the circles represent the frequency of that allele in the dataset (scaling of circles to left). All branches represent one mutation. Credit to Tolley and Conradie, 2026
Although the chameleons look very similar between different mountains, the DNA told a different story. A phylogeny – a type of family tree built from the genetic data – showed that individuals clustered strictly by mountain. This indicates that each sky island population has been separated for millions of years and does not interbreed with populations on neighbouring peaks.
The similar body shape across species reflects their shared adaptation to life in forest habitats, rather than them being the same species. According to Dr. Conradie “In the same way, African and Asian elephants both look like ‘elephants’ but are distinct species that have evolved similar body forms for similar lifestyles.”
Honouring scientists and a warning about loss
Nadzikambia goodallae male species from Mount Ribáuè. Photo credit to Prof. Krystal Tolley,
Behind each of the three names lies a deliberate choice. Nadzikambia goodallae, from Mount Ribáuè, honours Dr. Jane Goodall’s pioneering work on African chimpanzees that has transformed our understanding of animal behaviour and inspired global conservation efforts. This chameleon is endemic to the region.
Before Dr. Jane Goodall became a conservation icon, she spent decades in the forest observing how every species has a role to play in maintaining our fragile ecosystems. Naming this wonderfully unique Sylvan Chameleon for Jane is a fitting tribute to her advocacy and a reminder of the importance of protecting forest landscapes for all animals, including people.
The newly described Nadzikambia franklinae from Mount Namuli. Photo credit to Werner Conradie.
Nadzikambia franklinae, from Mount Namuli, recognises Rosalind Franklin, whose foundational work on DNA structure underpins the very genetic tools used to identify these species.
Nadzikambia evanescens from Mount Inago. Photo credit to Prof. Krystall Tolley.
The third species from Mount Inago is named Nadzikambia evanescens, meaning “vanishing”, to draw attention to its disappearing habitat and the many species worldwide that may be lost before they can be described.
The Chiperone sylvan chameleon (Nadzikambia nubila) from Mount Chiperone. Photo credit to Prof. Krystall Tolley.
The fourth species, The Chiperone sylvan chameleon (Nadzikambia nubila), was collected by a stream on Mount Chiperone and takes its name from the “Ciperoni” – the local term for the heavy, cloud-laden weather that brings orographic rainfall to the area. This persistent cloud cover sustains the mountain’s mid-elevation wet forest, and the epithet nubila derives from the Latin nubilus, meaning “cloudy”.
Community-led conservation is key
Intact forest habitat (top), and areas of forest destroyed by slash and burn (middle, bottom) on Mount Inago. Credit to Tolley and Conradie
The discoveries come at a time when tropical forests, especially in Africa, are being cleared at alarming rates. The small, isolated forests on Mozambique’s sky islands are particularly vulnerable. The study highlights that local community involvement can make a decisive difference.
On Mount Chiperone, the forest is considered sacred, and cultural values have helped protect both the habitat and its wildlife. Mount Mabu has benefited from more than a decade of community-based conservation.
Together, these two mountains hold the most intact forests surveyed in the study, showing that forest clearance is not an inevitable trade-off for local livelihoods when communities are empowered and supported, and their beliefs are in sync with conservation.
Original source:
Tolley K, Conradie W (2026) Sky Islands of Mozambique harbour cryptic species of chameleons: Description of four new species of sylvan chameleons (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae: Nadzikambia Tilbury, Tolley & Branch, 2006). Vertebrate Zoology 76: 207-246. https://doi.org/10.3897/vz.76.e178403
There is a Chinese saying that east or west, Guilin scenery is the best. Guilin and Chongqing, located in the western part of China, are famous for their many mountains and rivers. They also harbor unique flora and fauna, such as the scaly-sided merganser, a globally endangered species restricted to eastern Asia.
In 2023 and 2024, Dr. Yitong Ma from Nantong University, China, collected springtail specimens from the Huaping Nature Reserve in Guilin and the Yintiaoling Nature Reserve in Chongqing.
Springtails are the most common arthropods living in the soil – you can find them in your yard, in the flowerpot, or on the lawn,
he says.
“Although they are very small, usually 2-3 mm in length, their density can be amazing. As decomposers, they can break down the organic matter and promote material cycling, so they play an important key role in soil ecosystems.”
After checking the specimens from the two reserves under microscopes, Dr. Ma and his colleague from Nantong University, Xiaowei Qian, found rich biodiversity and about 80 different species of springtails. In a study published in the open-access journal ZooKeys, they described five new scaled species belonging to three genera of the springtail family Entomobryidae.
The genus Lepidodens contains five species, all found in China. The researchers find one new species, which is also the first species of the genus from the western part of China.
The new species of Lepidodens:L. maculata. Photo credit to Dr. Yitong Ma.
They also report the first sighting in China of the genus Lepidosira, which thrives best in Oceania. In Huaping Nature Reserve and Yintiaoling Nature Reserve, they found three new species of the genus.
One of the new Lepidosira species：L. cheni
One of the new Lepidosira species：L. guilinensis
One of the new Lepidosira species：L. montis
Among the fifty species of the genus Willowsia in the world, about 30 species have been reported from China. However, the authors concluded this genus is not well represented in the two reserves, and only found one new species in Chongqing.
The new Willowsia species：W. zhangi. Photo credito to Dr. Yitong Ma
In the future, the researchers will further study those specimens collected from the two reserves.
Given the subtropical monsoon climate, mountainous topography and little human disturbance of the reserves, it is likely that more new species will be found,
A new study published in Nature Conservation reveals that threatened amphibian species are being sold under incorrect names in online amphibian trade marketplaces.
When we first began this work, our original aim was to study the evolutionary history and divergence time of the genus Hoplobatrachus using genetic data. The traded specimens we collected were intended to support this phylogenetic analysis, not to investigate the legality of the amphibian trade. However, during samples verification, we found that some frogs sold as Quasipaa were genetically Hoplobatrachus, highlighting mismatch between trade labels and actual species identity.
This discovery led us to take a closer look at species identification in amphibian trade. Like many researchers in wildlife biology, we initially assumed that most trade labels were generally reliable, even if not perfect. What we found turned out to be more complicated and the results have been published in the open-access journal Nature Conservation.
A simple verification revealed unexpected results
Left: Quasipaa spinosa, right: Hoplobatrachuschinensis, photos by Amaël Borzée, via iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/), licensed under CC BY-NC.
Our study focused on frogs traded under the name Hoplobatrachus chinensis, a species commonly recorded in commercial markets. To verify their identity, we used genetic tools and the results were clear: specimens labelled as Chinese edible frogs (Hoplobatrachus chinensis) were in fact Chinese spiny frogs (Quasipaa spinosa), a different species entirely and one that is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN. At first glance, this might appear to be a minor taxonomic issue. However, it raises an important question: how reliable is species identification in wildlife trade once animals enter real-world commercial systems?
Why do these mistakes happen?
One of the main challenges in amphibian trade is that many species are very similar in appearance. Even for experienced handlers, distinguishing between certain species based on morphology alone can be extremely difficult. In most trade contexts, identification is based solely on external characteristics, without genetic confirmation. This creates room for both unintentional misidentification and potential substitution errors. Once specimens move through multiple steps in complex supply chains, their original identity may become increasingly uncertain.
Is this an isolated case?
Based on our findings, we suspect this is not an isolated issue. Instead, our results likely represent only the “tip of the iceberg.” Amphibians are traded in large numbers, often through complex and poorly traceable supply chains. In such systems, even small identification errors can accumulate and go unnoticed. Because genetic verification is rarely applied in routine monitoring, similar cases may be more widespread than currently documented.
Why does it matter?
Four Quasipaaspinosa purchased online under the false visual of Hoplobatrachuschinensis, a farmed species. Panels correspond to individual specimens that were bought. Credit to Zhang et al., 2026
At first, species misidentification may seem like a technical detail. However, it has direct consequences for conservation and wildlife trade regulation. If traded individuals are incorrectly identified, trade data may not accurately reflect which species are being exploited. This can lead to biased assessments of population pressure and potentially mask risks for threatened species. In other words, what is recorded in trade databases may not always match biological reality.
What can be done?
One of the key implications of our study is the importance of incorporating molecular tools into wildlife trade monitoring. DNA-based identification provides a reliable way to confirm species identity, particularly in cases where morphology alone is insufficient. While it may not be feasible to genetically test every traded individual, targeted or random sampling could significantly improve the accuracy and transparency of trade data.
A broader perspective
Beyond amphibians, our findings highlight a more general issue in wildlife trade: hidden uncertainty in species identification can quietly distort our understanding of biodiversity exploitation. Improving traceability and verification is therefore not just a technical improvement, but an essential step toward more effective conservation decision-making.
Original source:
Zhang, X., Borzée, A., Gill, S., & Othman, S. N. (2026). Hidden or inadvertent illegal amphibian trade? Genetic analyses reveal Quasipaa spinosa misidentified as Hoplobatrachus chinensis in the trade. Nature Conservation, 63, 247-257. DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.63.183849
