The phylogenetic position of the genera Caryandoides, Paratoacris, Fer and Longchuanacris were clarified based on mitogenomic and morphological evidence. The results show that the four genera were consistently assigned to the subfamily Oxyinae rather than Catantopinae in all phylogenetic trees deduced from mitogenome sequences, and this finding is entirely consistent with their morphological characters. Therefore, it is more appropriate to place them in Oxyinae rather than Catantopinae.

Our study provides new insights into the evolutionary relationships and diversity of Taczanowskia, a distinctive and rare group of spiders that lack webs, instead being furtive hunters that catch prey using enlarged claws at the tip of their frontal legs. We propose the first hypotheses depicting evolutionary relationships of Taczanowskia within the family Araneidae, placing Taczanowskia as sister of Mastophora and confirming the genus as a monophyletic group. We describe the first Taczanowskia from Ecuador, collected in the Amazonian rainforests of the River Curaray.

Phyllodistomum is the most speciose genus within the Trematoda, a group of parasitic platyhelminthes of marine and freshwater fish. Morphologically, species identification within the genus is a challenging task. The increased genetic data for Phyllodistomum species has permitted the use of an integrative taxonomic approach as a framework for species discovery and delimitation. Here, we describe five new species in Middle America using morphology, DNA sequences, species delimitation methods, host association, and geographical distribution.

Benthesicymidae provide an opportunity for insight into evolutionary processes favouring colonisation of all principal oceanic biotopes. The first comprehensive phylogenetic study of the global fauna of Benthesicymidae is based on six molecular markers and 105 morphological characters. Two major clades represent two new subfamilies: benthic Benthesicyminae (five genera) and pelagic Gennadinae (seven genera, one new). Evolutionary traits within benthic and pelagic clades are different; elaboration of the copulatory structures is a key to successful colonisation of the pelagic realm.

Currently, the largest number of known Okenia species are inhabiting the Indo-Pacific. However, ~20 species are still reported as undescribed in field-guides to this genus. In the present paper, we obtain new DNA sequences for Okenia species and study their evolutionary relationships. Moreover, we describe five new Okenia species from the coastlines of Japan, Mozambique and Australia: Okenia aurorapapillata sp. nov., Okenia elisae sp. nov., Okenia nakanae sp. nov., Okenia siderata sp. nov. and Okenia tenuifibrata sp. nov.