Oliver Macek

Recently, we had the opportunity to re-explore the collection of Pauropoda housed in the Natural History Museum Vienna (NHMW), restudy the specimens of the different taxa and catalogue their diversity. To achieve this, several historical specimens are transferred from ethanol into permanent slides mounted in Polyvinyl-Lactophenol, re-identified and, for the first time, databased and digitised in line with the extended specimen concept. Permanent slides in other media like Canada balsam or Swan medium, already present in the collection, were also restudied. All specimens and corresponding metadata were newly marked with persistent identifiers. Two morphologically very similar species, of which the holotypes are housed at the NHMW, were reanalysed using an integrative approach. Acopauropus hastatus Attems, 1895 was collected over 130 years ago, while Acopauropus attemsi Hasenhütl, 1986 was described much later based on recently collected samples and those discovered among the type specimens of A. hastatus housed in the NHMW. Despite subtle differences in tergal structures, sequencing of DNA barcodes based on the standard fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene (COI) shows a genetic distance of 19%, which supports the morphology-based hypothesis of two separate taxa. A catalogue of all Pauropoda housed in the NHMW is here presented. Species are listed taxonomically in an alphabetical order under their currently accepted names. Revision of species identifications of the historical material revealed eight overlooked taxa and allowed to update the nomenclature of other taxa. At present, the collection of the NHMW houses a total of 105 slide preparations including 21 historical ones and 84 newly prepared by Klaus Hasenhütl (KH), in addition to and 19 remaining lots. These correspond to 20 species and one subspecies classified in eight genera and three families. The importance of natural history collections for biodiversity and systematic research is further highlighted, with an emphasis on the use of emerging non-destructive methods to study obscure taxa.

Dragonflies and damselflies are important indicator species for quality and health of (semi-)aquatic habitats. Hitherto, 78 species of Odonata have been reported for Austria. Ecological data, Red List assessments, and a dragonfly association index exist, but population- and species-level genetic data are largely lacking. In this study, we establish a comprehensive reference DNA barcode library for Austrian dragonflies and damselflies based on the standard barcoding marker COI. Because of the increasing significance of environmental DNA (eDNA) analyses, we also sequenced a segment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, a marker often used in eDNA metabarcoding approaches. In total, we provide 786 new COI barcode sequences and 867 new 16S sequences for future applications. Sequencing success was >90 percent for both markers. Identification success was similar for both markers and exceeded 90 percent. Difficulties were only encountered in the genera Anax Leach, 1815, Chalcolestes Kennedy, 1920, Coenagrion Kirby, 1890 and Somatochlora Selys, 1871, with low interspecific genetic distances and, consequently, BIN (barcode index number) sharing. In Anax, however, individual sequences clustered together in species-specific groups in the COI tree. Irrespective of these challenges, the results suggest that both markers perform well within most odonate families in terms of sequencing success and species identification and can be used for reliably delimiting Austrian species, monitoring, and eDNA approaches.

Here, we describe a new species of Schindleria, Schindleria nana, from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The new species belongs to the long dorsal-fin type (LDF) of Schindleria and is the first very small (‘dwarf’) LDF species (< 13 mm TL) to be described. It is characterized by an elongate and narrow body; a dorsal fin longer than the anal fin (predorsal-fin length 63.3% of SL: preanal-fin length 72.1% of SL); a long, relatively narrow head (head width 46.2% of head length) with a straight profile; small and round eyes (24.9% of head length); a large postorbital distance (52% of head length); a narrow, slender pectoral radial plate (width at origin 46.4%, maximum width 57.0% of pectoral radial plate length); 16 dorsal-fin rays; 11-12 anal-fin rays; first anal-fin ray ventral to the sixth dorsal-fin ray; six procurrent rays gradually increasing in length, last ray elongated, twice the length of the penultimate ray; premaxilla with tiny, conical, densely set teeth; dentary with zero teeth in the holotype and with two teeth on the left dentary and five teeth on the right dentary in the adult paratype; females with few (approx. 4-7) but very large eggs (3.4-3.9% of SL); urogenital papilla inconspicuous, de facto just an urogenital opening; swim bladder not pigmented; black eyes; no other external pigmentation on the body.

Lithobius (Lithobius) iranicus Attems, 1951, is recorded for the first time since its original description and is rediagnosed and redescribed based on recent and type material deposited at the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (NHMW). The revision of the species includes genetic information from three loci and modern illustrations of its key morphological characters. Restudy of the syntypes of two nominal species collected in the same expedition, Lithobius inaequidens Attems, 1951, and L. rhiknus Attems, 1951, reveals no reliable distinguishing characters from L. iranicus, with which they are placed in junior subjective synonymy. Lithobius inquiriendus Attems, 1951 is based on immature specimens from southern Iran that likely include two species, neither of which can be confidently identified as conspecific with L. iranicus. Incorporating L. iranicus in a molecular phylogeny for Lithobiidae recovers it as an isolated lineage allied to a clade of mostly Palaearctic species of Lithobius (Lithobius).

The taxonomy of the family Paracortinidae Wang & Zhang, 1993 is revised based on literature, old and recently collected material. A new genus Crassipetalum Akkari & Stoev, gen. nov. is described, to accommodate a new species Crassipetalum magnum Akkari & Stoev, gen. nov. et sp. nov. and a recently described species Crassipetalum inflatum (Chen, Zheng & Jian, 2023), comb. nov. The genus Scotopetalum Shear, 2000 hitherto described for the Vietnamese species S. warreni Shear, 2000 and subsequently synonymised with the genus Paracortina Wang & Zhang, 1993 is here resurrected and supplemented with another species, S. chinensis (Stoev & Geoffroy, 2004), comb. nov., ex Paracortina chinensis Stoev & Geoffroy, 2004. The status of the fourth genus in the family, Angulifemur Zhang, 1997, is reconfirmed. Based on recently collected specimens from China, two new species of the genus Paracortina are described: P. asciformis Akkari & Stoev, sp. nov. (Sichuan Prov., Lixian County) and P. kabaki Akkari & Stoev, sp. nov. (Yunnan, Shangrila County). The Vietnamese species Paracortina multisegmentata Stoev & Geoffroy, 2004 and Paracortina kyrang Nguyen, Stoev, Nguyen & Vu, 2023 are considered of uncertain taxonomic position within Paracortinidae. Differential diagnoses for the proposed genera as well as for all the species are presented, and descriptions or descriptive notes for all the species are provided, using a standardised terminology, and when possible, accompanied by micrographs of the habitus and gonopod structures. An identification key based on gonopod structures is proposed for all the members of the family. A discussion on species affinities, secondary sexual characters, troglomorphic characters, geographical distribution, and habitat preferences are also provided together with a distribution map for all members of the family.

Monitoring of odonates has become an important instrument for ecological status assessment of (semi-)aquatic habitats. Besides information on presence and abundance, knowledge about a species´ autochthony at the surveyed waterbody is a significant information within the assessment process. Here, the finding of exuviae represents the ultimate proof of successful reproduction. Although feasible for most odonate species, morphological identification of exuviae is often time consuming, as it relies on small, fragile structures. To facilitate species identification of exuviae, a DNA barcoding approach was developed, including (1) non-destructive extraction of DNA using whole exuviae or their tracheal tubes, and (2) primer systems for long (< 600 bp) and short (< 200 bp) CO1 fragments. A total of 85 exuviae from 33 species were analysed and compared to results of morphological identification. Additionally, factors potentially influencing DNA quality and quantity, as well as PCR and sequencing success were investigated. Eighty-two exuviae matched the morphologically identified genus, and 60 matched at species level. Of the 33 species present in the data set, 82% could be identified to species level via DNA barcoding. The results show how DNA-based approaches can support fast and accurate species identification and therefore enhance monitoring of an ecologically important taxonomic group, with high relevance for conservation and habitat restoration. Moreover, the use of exuviae as DNA resource once more shows that non-invasive sampling offers great potential for molecular species identification, which is essential when studying rare and endangered species. Implications for insect conservation: Our results show how molecular tools, here DNA barcoding of odonate exuviae, can support species monitoring without the need of catching individuals, harming, or even killing them. Obtaining DNA from non-invasive sources can thus be a direct advantage to the conservation of insects, especially when dealing with rare and endangered species and/or populations. Using the example of odonates as bioindicator organisms for aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats, we highlight the importance of non-invasive genetic approaches for population studies and monitoring of insect species and/or species communities for ecosystem assessments and conservation management.

The glomerid genus Trachysphaera Heller, 1858 in Serbia is revised, based on recently collected specimens and historical material. Six species are presently recorded from Serbia, viz., Trachysphaera corcyraea (Verhoeff, 1900), T. cristangula (Attems, 1943), T. schmidtii Heller, 1858, and T. similicostata (Radu & Ceuca, 1951), all new to the fauna of the country, as well as T. costata (Waga, 1857a) and T. lobotarsus (Attems, 1943). All of these species are richly illustrated and mapped. To verify the identity of some species, historical material from the Natural History Museum in Vienna, including syntypes, is also studied, and two lectotypes have been designated. Some misidentifications from the literature have been corrected. Trachysphaera acutula (Latzel, 1884) syn. n., T. cultrifera (Verhoeff, 1906) syn. n. and T. multiclavigera (Verhoeff, 1898) syn. n. are all considered as junior subjective synonyms of T. schmidtii. Trachysphaera attemsi Golovatch, 1976 syn. n. is transferred from the list of synonyms of T. costata to the list of synonyms of T. corcyraea. One species, T. similicostata, is resurrected from synonymy. Relationships between some congeners and the taxonomic problems within the genus are briefly discussed.

The north-west alpine distributed hairy snail Trochulus clandestinus (Hartmann, 1821) was recorded for the first time from Austria. Two living specimens were found in Vorarlberg 11 July 2016. The animals were subjected to genetic barcoding and their genital organs were dissected. The taxonomic situation within north-west alpine species of the genus Trochulus is not unambiguously resolved, but the assignment of the Austrian specimens as T. clandestinus is the most reliable at the current state of knowledge. The habitat of the Austrian location concurs with those of autochthonous populations in Switzerland. Nevertheless, for now it cannot be clearly stated whether the species settled in Vorarlberg directly after the end of the last glaciation or whether the current finding is a result of recent anthropogenic introduction.