Knowledge of the spatial distribution of reptiles is essential for decision-making in conservation under future climate change scenarios. We present a new compilation of reptile records for Odesa Oblast (i.e. province), south-west Ukraine. We compiled 662 records: 200 from our own research during 2012–2022, 362 from the published literature, 73 from public databases and 27 from museum collections. Fourteen native species of reptile (one species of Emydidae, four of Lacertidae, one of Anguidae, six of Colubridae and two of Viperidae) have been recorded in Odesa Oblast but the distribution of several are poorly known and/or records have rarely been published. We also report four introduced reptile species (one each of Emydidae, Gekkonidae, Lacertidae and Anguidae). We present the data in a grid of 462 10 × 10 km cells covering the oblast. In this compilation we did not record any new species, but our records include previously unreported localities for some species. Species richness was highest in the areas along the Black Sea, in protected areas. The main threats to the reptiles in Odesa Oblast are the alteration and degradation of habitats, military action, uncontrolled pressure from infrastructure projects and the presence of invasive species.

Examination of the material collected by Taiwan deep-sea cruises reveals the presence of five species of the deep-sea shrimp genus Glyphocrangon A. Milne-Edwards, 1881, representing new records for Taiwan and Dongsha (Pratas Island; under jurisdiction of Taiwan). These species are Glyphocrangon albatrossae, G. caecescens, G. indonesiensis, G. major and G. proxima, all of which belong to the informal Glyphocrangon spinicauda species group. These findings bring the total number of species in the G. spinicauda species group reported in the waters around Taiwan and Dongsha to 11. The complex ornamentation of the body surface of each species is shown using micro-computed tomography. Diagnosis and illustrations showing diagnostic characters and living colouration are provided for most, if not all, of these species. Glyphocrangon grandis is placed under the synonymy of G. major based on morphology, because it was found that diagnostic characters proposed to distinguish these two taxa are variable within the current series of specimens. The biogeographical distributions of these species are presented, and a key is provided to help identify the 11 known species in this region.

The implementation of consistent and continuous biodiversity survey efforts over a long period of time is imperative to the examination of temporal diversity patterns and the evaluation of existing conservation measures' effectiveness. In Hong Kong, a marine biodiversity hotspot in the South China Sea, reef fish diversity has been poorly documented due to inconsistent and sparse biodiversity surveys, posing considerable challenges to long-term monitoring of biodiversity dynamics. To fill in the data gap, regular scuba underwater visual surveys were conducted across 55 dive sites in Hong Kong during the wet seasons from 2018–2021. After ~3171 hours of underwater survey, 31 reef fish species from 14 families that are new to Hong Kong have been recorded, including species from Acanthuridae, Chaetodontidae, Diodontidae, Gobiidae, Labridae, Mullidae, Nemipteridae, Pinguipedidae, Pomacanthidae, Pomacentridae, Ptereleotridae, Solenostomidae, Tetraodontidae and Tetrarogidae. As Hong Kong sits within the natural distribution range of the newly recorded species, the possibility of artificial release was eliminated after careful consideration. These species were all found outside the currently established Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Hong Kong, indicating the need for comprehensive research to identify potential marine reef fish hotspots in areas that are unprotected thus far. Our findings demonstrate the need to establish a long-term monitoring programme that can fill in data gaps of local marine biodiversity to enable the establishment of effective MPAs, and to lay down a baseline for future research and monitoring, so as to safeguard Hong Kong's marine biodiversity in the long term.

This study focused on a jellyfish monitoring and sampling programme along the eastern Qatar seawaters and reports the first jellyfish records for the Qatar pelagic ecosystem and the occurrence of three scyphozoans: the semaeostome Chrysaora cf. caliparea and the rhizostomes Marivagia stellata and Catostylus perezi, considered as first records of Scyphomedusae for Qatar. Jellyfish monitoring, underwater photography and sample collection were carried out along an inshore-offshore transect composed of five stations along the eastern coast of Qatar. Jellyfish material examined, systematic description, general distribution and sting risk of the three species are provided. The discussion section highlights the blooming capabilities of Chrysaora cf. caliparea and Catostylus perezi, while Marivagia stellata seems scarcer, being spotted for the first time since we started our jellyfish investigation programme in August 2018.

The number of rays in pectoral and pelvic fins are the major diagnostic character for species discrimination in the genus Bathophilus. However, all of the five species of Bathophilus we studied showed considerable differences from the existing counts in the number of rays in pectoral and pelvic fins, which has made species identification and interrelations doubtful. We believe taxonomy focusing on the number of rays in the pelvic and pectoral fin alone does not fully discriminate species. At present, the importance of other characters has to be validated for correct species identification. We also report the first record of Bathophilus proximus from the Indian Ocean and additional new records of Bathophilus cwyanorum, Bathophilus altipinnis and Bathophilus digitatus from the Arabian Sea.

This is the first detailed study of the distribution of mosses and lichens at Alexandra Mountains and Rockefeller Mountains, Edward VII Peninsula, Antarctica. A total of 418 samples was collected on 21 nunataks in the summer of 1987–1988. Lichens included 44 taxa, bringing the total known from Edward VII Peninsula to 50. Ten lichen species were new records for the Continental Antarctic zone, whilst only six were endemic to that zone. There were six species and one variety of moss, bringing the total known from Edward VII Peninsula to seven species and one variety. These included the first record of a species of Orthotrichum in Continental Antarctica. Two other species and a variety were new records for Edward VII Peninsula. Overall, the flora was species rich for a Continental Antarctic region and was comparable with the species-rich sites of Botany Bay and Kar Plateau, which are at approximately the same latitude (77°S) in southern Victoria Land. This rich flora was probably supported by a reliable summer water supply from melting snowfall and snowdrift and by the range of microenvironments at nunataks with different degrees of nutrient enrichment from nesting birds.

Seven species of chirostyloid and galatheoid crustaceans, including three new species, are reported from the eastern Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, India, based on material from depths ranging from 32–1420 metres. Trapezionida samudrika sp. nov. appears close to T. munin (Komai, 2011), but is distinguished by the shape of the carapace and fourth thoracic sternite, the armature of the third maxilliped merus, the length and armature of the cheliped, and the armature of the ambulatory legs. Paramunida travancorica sp. nov. differs from its closest species P. bineeshi Macpherson, Chan, Kumar & Rodriguez-Flores, 2020, P. mozambica Cabezas, Macpherson & Machordom, 2010, and P. stichas Macpherson, 1993 in the morphology of the carapace and antennular and antennal peduncles. Munidopsis bhavasagara sp. nov. is similar to M. dentifalx Osawa, Lin & Chan, 2007, but distinguishable by the absence of a pair of elevated, short ridges on the epigastric carapace region and the proportionally shorter chelipeds and ambulatory legs. The present material of Munidopsis unguifera Alcock & Anderson, 1894 represents only the third record of the species in India and a detailed description and illustrations are provided to supplement the previous descriptions. The remaining three species, Eumunida multispina Komai, Chakraborty, Paramasivam & Gidda, 2019, Munidopsis scobina Alcock, 1894, and M. stylirostris Wood-Mason in Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891, are recorded from additional localities within their known geographic regions.

A recent survey of The Canyons Marine Conservation Zone provided noteworthy records of several crustacean species, which are presented here. The geographic or bathymetric ranges of several species are considerably extended, while the genus Rhachotropis, which has not previously been reported from British waters, is represented by two species. Other species that were previously only known in British waters from very few, often historical, records are also reported.

The macroalgae of the Balleny Islands (66°15′S–67°35′S and 162°30′E–165°00′E) have been infrequently collected and the flora remains poorly known. This chain of islands is located on the edge of the Antarctic Circle in the northern Ross Sea, ~250 km north of the coast of northern Victoria Land, and it represents the most northerly land in the Ross Sea region. As well as being very remote, access to these islands is difficult given the highly variable prevailing ice conditions. We summarize the macroalgal floras of the Balleny Islands and the Ross Sea, including reporting new records, extending the known distribution of other taxa and highlighting the need for further taxonomic research on some of the most common and widespread species. Many of the taxa reported have been collected on few occasions and, as a consequence, there is insufficient material available, including reproductively mature samples, for some species to be fully documented. While these collections are providing intriguing insights into the relationships between the macroalgae found around the Antarctic continent, the full biodiversity of the Balleny Islands remains to be investigated, and further collections are required to enable detailed comparisons with other parts of the Antarctic region.

The poorly known sponge species Axinella vellerea (Topsent, 1904), Acarnus levii (Vacelet, 1960) and Haliclona poecillastroides (Vacelet, 1969) are reported from bottom-trawl samples off the Balearic Islands, Western Mediterranean. A re-description is provided for all three species and the Folmer fragment of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) obtained for A. levii and H. poecillastroides. This is the second report of A. vellerea in the Mediterranean, the first time that A. levii is reported outside Corsica and the first time that H. poecillastroides is documented outside the Gulf of Lion, France. The systematic allocation of A. levii and H. poecillastroides is discussed based on a COI phylogenetic analysis and morphology. The poorly understood phylogeny of the Haplosclerida does not permit us to find a proper allocation for H. poecillastroides, although its current position in the genus Haliclona or the family Chalinidae is not defensible. On the other hand, A. levii currently fits best in the family Microcionidae, and seems related to some Clathria species with mixed features between Clathria and Acarnus. Considering that the species of the genus Acarnus shares a strong synapomorphy (the possession of Cladotylotes), it is plausible for all Acarnus species to be Microcionids. We conclude that H. poecillastroides needs to be reallocated to a new genus: Xestospongia poecillastroides comb. nov. (Petrosiidae). However, a reallocation of A. levii is not advisable for the moment, as this would imply major systematic changes such as the reallocation of the whole genus Acarnus to Microcionidae, and the redescription of Microcionidae and Acarnidae.

Understanding the distribution of wildlife species and their response to diverse anthropogenic pressures is important for conservation planning and management of wildlife space in human-dominated landscapes. Assessments of anthropogenic impacts on mammals of the Indian Himalayan Region have mostly been limited to locations inside protected areas. We studied the occurrence of mammals in an unexplored landscape, the 7,586 km2 Bhagirathi basin, at an altitude of 500–5,200 m. The basin encompasses wilderness areas of various habitat types and protection status that are exposed to a range of anthropogenic pressures. Camera trapping at 209 locations during October 2015–September 2017 confirmed the occurrence of 39 species of mammals, nine of which are categorized as threatened (four Vulnerable, five Endangered) and four as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. We recorded five mammal species that were hitherto undocumented in Uttarakhand State: the argali Ovis ammon, Tibetan sand fox Vulpes ferrilata, woolly hare Lepus oiostolus, Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx and woolly flying squirrel Eupetaurus cinereus. In addition, we recorded two Endangered species, the dhole Cuon alpinus and tiger Panthera tigris. Threatened species such as the sambar Rusa unicolor, common leopard Panthera pardus and Asiatic black bear Ursus thibetanus occur in a wide variety of habitats despite anthropogenic disturbance. We recorded the snow leopard Panthera uncia in areas with high livestock density but temporally segregated from human activities. The musk deer Moschus spp. and Himalayan brown bear Ursus arctos isabellinus were recorded in subalpine habitats and appeared to be less affected by human and livestock presence. Our findings highlight the potential of the Bhagirathi basin as a stronghold for conservation of several threatened and rare mammal species.

Sixty new or updated records of plants species are reported from the Sultanate of Oman, as a result of fieldwork and research undertaken. Five taxa represent new records for Arabia, twenty-seven taxa are new records for Oman, and twenty-eight records represent an extended distribution within Oman. Some previously doubtful records are confirmed. Brief comments are given on the phytogeography, taxonomy and ecology of the taxa. Most new records have been collected in mountainous areas, either in southern Oman or in northern Oman, mainly in areas that previously were botanically poorly known.

The amphipod Ericthonius didymus Krapp-Schickel, 2013 is reported for the first time outside its type locality in European waters, from the French Atlantic coast and from the Azores, Portugal. In particular, a large population was recorded in Arcachon, France. Molecular analyses were made to confirm the validity of three closely related Ericthonius species: E. didymus, E. convexus and E. pugnax. An identification key is provided, distinguishing Ericthonius species into three groups, based on the presence or absence of stridulating ridges on coxa 2 and posterodistal lobe on basis of male pereopod 5.

Sixteen species of lichenicolous fungi are documented from Siphula-like lichens. Two new genera based on new species are introduced. Amylogalla Suija, Motiej. & Kantvilas, characterized by I+ blue, K/I+ violet vegetative hyphae and ascomatal wall, immersed, cleistohymenial, yellowish to orange ascomata, unitunicate, non-amyloid, 8-spored asci and hyaline, ellipsoid, aseptate ascospores, is described from Parasiphula in Tasmania. Saania Zhurb., characterized by superficial, stromatic, multilocular ascomata, non-amyloid hymenial gel, persistent periphysoids, bitunicate, non-amyloid, 4(–8)-spored asci and narrowly obovate to ellipsoid, 1(–3)-septate, initially hyaline and smooth-walled, later sometimes brown and verruculose ascospores, is described from Siphula in South Africa. Four additional species are described as new: two from Siphula (Cercidospora santessonii Motiej., Zhurb., Suija & Kantvilas and Stigmidium kashiwadanii Zhurb.) and two from Parasiphula (Endococcus hafellnerianus Motiej., Suija & Kantvilas and Pyrenidium macrosporum Motiej., Zhurb., Suija & Kantvilas). Additional hosts and/or expanded geographical ranges are reported for Aabaarnia siphulicola, Epigloea soleiformis, Plectocarpon gayanum and Pyrenidium actinellum. The Southern Hemisphere is the centre of species richness for siphulicolous fungi, with 12 species restricted to this region. Taxa recorded for the Northern Hemisphere are Sphaerellothecium siphulae (arctic and boreal) and the subcosmopolitan Epigloea soleiformis and Pyrenidium actinellum, both of which are also known from various lichen hosts. The distribution of siphulicolous fungi strongly underpins the current generic classification of Siphula-like lichens, with five species being confined exclusively to Parasiphula and nine to Siphula. A key to the taxa occurring on Siphula and Parasiphula is provided.

Cerrado vegetation is the main formation covering c.60% of the land surface of Maranhão, Brazil, with cerradão being the dominant physiognomy. To characterise the cerrado flora in Maranhão, 12 localities were selected across its distribution in the northeastern, central, southern and southeastern regions of the state. A total of 150 angiosperm species were identified, distributed across 105 genera and 43 families. Twelve are new occurrences in Maranhão, and of these, four are also new records for Northeast Brazil. Two distinct floristic regions were recognised: the cerrados of the northeastern and central regions, and the cerrados of the southern region. Three subgroups were recognised in the southern region: cerrados of the highest altitudes, medium-altitude cerrados and cerrados of variable altitudes. Floristic comparisons with the Brazilian cerrados suggest that the medium-altitude southern cerrados of Maranhão are similar to those of the central region of Brazil, whereas the northeastern, central and southern highest-altitude regions form a distinct floristic group.

Descriptions, illustrations, discussion and an identification key are presented for six saxicolous and terricolous species of the lichen genus Bacidia De Not. occurring in temperate Australia and Tasmania. Three species are described as new to science: B. lithophila Kantvilas from northern Tasmania, characterized by having only brown apothecial pigments and 3–5-septate, acicular ascospores, 23–35×1·5–2·0 µm; B. littoralis Kantvilas from Tasmania, South Australia (Kangaroo Island) and New South Wales, characterized by green and brown apothecial pigments and acicular, 3–7-septate ascospores, 24–48×2·0–3·5 µm; and B. maccarthyi Kantvilas from New South Wales, with pruinose apothecia and long, filiform, 17–25-septate ascospores, 65–115×2·5–4·0 µm. Three further species are reported for the region for the first time: B. bagliettoana (A. Massal. & de Not.) Jatta (Tasmania), B. curvispora Coppins & Fryday (Tasmania) and B. scopulicola (Nyl.) A. L. Sm. (Tasmania, Victoria).

The flora of Laos remains one of the least known within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. A floristic inventory was carried out in Phou Hin Poun National Biodiversity Conservation Area, an under-explored area of the Khammouane Limestone. This study provides a list of 27 taxa that are additions to the most recent country checklists. The Ebenaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Myrtaceae are the families with the highest species number. In this list, four species are endemic to Indochina (Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam): Cynometra dongnaiensis Pierre, Jasminum vidalii P.S.Green, Memecylon chevalieri Guillaumin and Pothos gigantipes Buchet ex P.C.Boyce. These results illustrate the paucity of our knowledge of the region surveyed and of the flora of Laos in general.

Thirty angiosperm species in 20 families, collected in Nam Kading National Protected Area, are recorded in Laos for the first time. Because the flora of Nam Kading is rich in endemic species, the area represents one of the core sites of plant biodiversity in Laos. To elucidate the plant diversity accurately, further intensive floristic surveys are required.

Globally, the Cerrado is the most diverse savanna in terms of plant species, as well as one of the most threatened as the result of human impact; it is therefore considered a priority area for conservation. Some areas of the Cerrado have still not been subject to botanical collections and detailed studies, the Jalapão region being one of these. We describe four recently rediscovered species previously known only from type specimens collected at least 160 years ago: Hyptis caduca Epling (Lamiaceae), Duguetia rotundifolia R.E.Fr. (Annonaceae), Diospyros ovalis Hiern (Ebenaceae) and Rhabdodendron gardnerianum (Benth.) Sandwith (Rhabdodendraceae). Comments on their ecology, conservation status and occurrence are provided, together with a distribution map. New morphological data have been recorded, and all species are considered to be under some degree of threat. These rediscoveries highlight the importance of further fieldwork in poorly sampled and highly biodiverse regions such as Jalapão and neighbouring areas, as well as the urgent need for conservation of the highly threatened Cerrado biome.

Polychaetes of 31 species from 17 families (Amphinomidae, Chrysopetalidae, Eunicidae, Glyceridae, Hesionidae, Iphionidae, Lumbrineridae, Maldanidae, Nereididae, Oenonidae, Phyllodocidae, Polynoidae, Sabellidae, Serpulidae, Syllidae, Terebellidae, Trichobranchidae) were studied from five locations around Abu Musa Island, the Persian Gulf. Perinereis iranica sp. nov. is described as a new species for the Persian Gulf. Perinereis iranica sp. nov. is most similar to members of the Perinereis cultrifera species complex, which are also found in the Persian Gulf, but can be most easily distinguished from them by the number, shape and arrangement of paragnaths in Areas V and VI. Perinereis camiguana is compared to members of the genus Pseudonereis, and found to resemble them closely, but until type specimens can be re-examined, we recommend treating this species as Nereidinae incertae sedis. Fifteen species, belonging to 13 genera: Eunice ‘sp_Abu Musa’, Marphysa ‘sp_Abu Musa’, Glycera cf. tesselata, Hesione splendida, Lumbrineris ‘sp_Abu Musa’, Notoproctus ‘sp_Abu Musa’, Nereis sp. cf. N. pelagica, Eteone ‘sp_Abu Musa’, Harmothoe liaoi, Potamilla ‘sp_Abu Musa’, Branchiosyllis cf. exilis, Trypanosyllis ‘sp. 1_Abu Musa’, Trypanosyllis ‘sp. 2_Abu Musa’, Terebella ‘sp_Abu Musa’, Terebellides cf. stroemi are reported for the first time from the Persian Gulf; nine species remain to be named formally. Three genera: Notoproctus, Eteone, Terebella are recorded for the first time from the Persian Gulf.