A novel facultatively anaerobic and Gram-stain-negative bacterium, designated FJH33T, was isolated from mangrove sediment sampled in Zhangzhou, PR China. Cells of strain FJH33T were rod-shaped or slightly curved-shaped, with widths of 0.3-0.5 µm and lengths of 1.0-3.0 µm. Optimum growth of strain FJH33T occurred in the presence of 3 % NaCl (w/v), at 33 °C and at pH 7.0. Oxidase activity was negative, while catalase activity was positive. Its iron-reducing ability was determined. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain FJH33T was most closely related to Maribellus luteus XSD2T (95.1 %), followed by Maribellus sediminis Y2-1-60T (95.0 %) and Maribellus maritimus 5E3T (94.9 %). Genome analysis of strains FJH33T and M. luteus XSD2T revealed low genome relatedness, with an average nucleotide identity value of 73.8% and a digital DNA-DNA hybridization value of 19.0%. Phylogenetic trees built from 16S rRNA genes and genome sequences showed that strain FJH33T represents a relatively independent phylogenetic lineage within the genus Maribellus. The major cellular fatty acids (≥10 %) were iso-C15 : 0 and C18 : 1  ω9c. The sole respiratory quinone was MK-7. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylcholine, diphosphatidyglycerol and one unidentified lipid. The DNA G+C content was 41.4 mol%. Based on the integrated results of phylogenetic, physiological, biochemical and chemotaxonomic characterizations, we propose that strain FJH33T represents a novel species of the genus Maribellus, for which the name Maribellus mangrovi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is FJH33T (=KCTC 102210T=MCCC 1H01459T).

Seven new species of the subgenus Homoneura are described, Homoneura (Homoneura) biconica Chen & Li, sp. nov., Homoneura (Homoneura) dilatata Chen & Li, sp. nov., Homoneura (Homoneura) jiangjinensis Chen & Li, sp. nov., Homoneura (Homoneura) microtricha Chen & Li, sp. nov., Homoneura (Homoneura) multiseta Chen & Li, sp. nov., Homoneura (Homoneura) serrulata Chen & Li, sp. nov., Homoneura (Homoneura) simianshana Chen & Li, sp. nov., which were collected from Jiangjin District, southwestern Chongqing, China and are assigned to the henanensis group. A key to all of the 53 species of this species group in China is presented.

A taxonomic study of Korean Mantodea using morphological and molecular characters (COI) is presented. Eight species [Amantisnawai (Shiraki, 1908), Acromantisjaponica Westwood, 1889, Mantisreligiosasinica Bazyluk, 1960, Statiliamaculata (Thunberg, 1784), Tenoderaangustipennis Saussure, 1869, T.sinensis Saussure, 1871, Hierodulachinensis Werner, 1929, H.patellifera (Audinet-Serville, 1838)] belonging to six genera in three families are recognized. Interspecific genetic divergence of COI using uncorrected p-distance ranged from 6.7% to 22.4%, while intraspecific divergence ranged from 0% to 2.2% among eight Korean Mantodea species. All eight species were each strongly supported as a single lineage using COI on both neighbor-joining and parsimony trees. An illustrated key, redescriptions, habitus photographs, and illustrations of diagnostic characters of the species of Korean Mantodea are provided to facilitate identification.

Species of the family Microdochiaceae (Xylariales, Sordariomycetes) have been reported from worldwide, and collected from different plant hosts. The proposed new genus and two new species, viz., Macroidriella gen. nov., M.bambusae sp. nov. and Microdochiumaustrale sp. nov., are based on multi-locus phylogenies from a combined dataset of ITS rDNA, LSU, RPB2 and TUB2 with morphological characteristics. Microdochiumsinense has been collected from diseased leaves of Phragmitesaustralis and this is the first report of the fungus on this host plant. Simultaneously, we annotated 10,372 to 11,863 genes, identified 4,909 single-copy orthologous genes, and conducted phylogenomic analysis based on genomic data. A gene family analysis was performed and it will expand the understanding of the evolutionary history and biodiversity of the Microdochiaceae. The detailed descriptions and illustrations of species are provided.

Amphichorda has been previously accepted as a member of the Cordycipitaceae and currently it is considered a member of the Bionectriaceae. The substrates of Amphichorda were complex and varied, being mainly animal faeces. This study reports two new species of Amphichorda from Yunnan Province in south-western China. Based on the five-gene (nrSSU, nrLSU, tef-1α, rpb1 and rpb2) sequence and ITS data phylogenetic analysis, two new species, namely A.excrementa and A.kunmingensis, are proposed and a detailed description of the new species is provided. Amphichordaexcrementa and A.kunmingensis were isolated from animal faeces in the park. The morphological characteristics of two novel species and seven known species in Amphichorda are also compared.

The marine prasinophyte green algae Pycnococcus provasolii and Pseudoscourfieldia marina represent the only extant genera and known species of the Pycnococcaceae. However, their taxonomic status needs to be reassessed, owing to the very close relationship inferred from previous sequence comparisons of individual genes. Although Py. provasolii and Ps. marina are morphologically different, their plastid rbcL and nuclear small subunit rRNA genes were observed to be nearly or entirely identical in sequence, thus leading to the hypothesis that they represent distinct growth forms or alternate life-cycle stages of the same organism. To evaluate this hypothesis, we used organelle genomes as molecular markers. The plastome and mitogenome of Ps. marina UIO 007 were sequenced and compared with those available for two isolates of Py. provasolii (CCMP 1203 and CCAP 190/2). The Ps. marina organelle genomes proved to be almost identical in size and had the same gene content and gene order as their Py. provasolii counterparts. Single nucleotide substitutions and insertions/deletions were localized using genome-scale sequence alignments. Over 99.70% sequence identities were observed in all pairwise comparisons of plastomes and mitogenomes. Alignments of both organelle genomes revealed that Ps. marina UIO 007 is closer to Py. provasolii CCAP 190/2 than are the two Py. provasolii strains to one another. Therefore, our results are not consistent with the placement of Ps. marina and Py. provasolii strains into distinct genera. We propose a taxonomic revision of the Pycnococcaceae and the erection of a new class of Chlorophyta, the Pseudoscourfieldiophyceae.

Worldwide, herbaria maintain collections of reference specimens representing global plant diversity. These collections are a valuable resource for fundamental botanical research and applied scientific research across various disciplines, and play a significant role in addressing major societal challenges such as biodiversity conservation. The digitisation of herbarium specimens and their online dissemination is one of the most important recent developments in the curation of these collections. Digitisation significantly enhances access to the collections for the research community and facilitates large-scale analysis of biodiversity data. Digitisation also provides a means for preserving the physical specimens, as it reduces the need for handling and transportation. Rapid technological developments have greatly accelerated the rate of databasing and digital imaging of collections. Meise Botanic Garden recently completed a six-year project to mass digitise its herbarium collections of about 3 million specimens mounted on sheets and through this process we have learned valuable lessons. We have captured our experience in 10 recommendations for other collection-holding institutions to take inspiration from as they start planning their own digitisation efforts. We also present case studies where we delve deeper into certain topics as examples.

Recent fieldwork conducted in Sumatra resulted in unusual collections of the conspicuous ginger genus Geocharis, a genus that harbours a total of six species distributed in Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, Borneo and the Philippines. After carefully reviewing types and protologues of existing taxa, we conclude that the recent collections represent a new species described here as Geocharisglobosa, which is similar to G.aurantiaca, G.rubra and G.radicalis by the flowers spreading evenly in all directions but differs from these by the less divided labellum and by the unstructured and smooth globose fruits. We provide a detailed description and a photographic plate as well as a preliminary Red List Assessment for the new species. With the new species added to Geocharismacrostemon and G.radicalis, the number of species in Sumatra hereby increases to three. A recircumscription of the genus is provided, taking into account the unusual fruit character of the new species.

Iraq is a large country in the Middle East region that borders both Turkey and Iran, countries known to host two of the largest bee faunas globally, as expected for a group of insects that favour dry to Mediterranean climates. Despite this huge regional species richness, the bee fauna of Iraq is chronically understudied and poorly known, both in relative and absolute terms. This is true for the hyper-speciose bee genus Andrena, for which only 17 species have been previously published for Iraq. This work is the first modern contribution to the revision of the Andrena fauna of Iraq. Based on new specimen collections in Duhok Governorate (Iraqi Kurdistan) during 2023, a revised total of 59 Andrena species for Iraq (42 species recorded for the first time) is presented, including the description of two new species: Andrena (Aciandrena) duhokensis Wood, sp. nov. and Andrena (Notandrena) baiocchii Wood, sp. nov. The unknown males of A. (Micrandrena) elam Wood, 2022, A. (Micrandrena) obsidiana Wood, 2022, and A. (Notandrena) ayna Wood, 2023 are described. Andrenabakrajoensis Amin & Mawlood, 2019, syn. nov. is synonymised with A. (Holandrena) variabilis Smith, 1853. Additional records are presented from nearby Middle Eastern countries, particularly Lebanon. These results highlight the fundamentally understudied nature of the Iraqi Andrena fauna.

A new species of the genus Bannana Tong & Li, 2015 and a new species of the genus Trilacuna Tong & Li, 2007 are recorded from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province: Bannanazhengguoi Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀) and Trilacunaaoxian Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀). An identification key to species of the genus Bannana from Xishuangbanna is provided. Detailed diagnoses, descriptions, and photomicroscopy images of new species are provided.