How do non-dispersive species get around? Rafting at sea is often invoked as a means by which coastal species can move across long stretches of ocean, but there is little direct evidence for this process. Here we directly document the long-distance rafting of a brooding New Zealand sea-star, in association with buoyant kelp adrift at sea. The observed rafting provides an explanation the genetic similarity observed among isolated populations of this coastal sea-star species.

Pseudoscorpion species has been classified based on traditional morphological diagnostics; however, recent studies have suggested that some of diagnostics are unreliable for distinguishing species. We revealed the existence of seven major genetic clades of Japanese Mundochthonius pseudoscorpions, likely corresponding to three described species and four cryptic species, based on the molecular phylogenetic analyses. This study highlights a problem of current species classification of pseudoscorpions, and exemplifies the need for further exploration of pseudoscorpion taxonomy and species diversity.

The uplift of the Panamanian isthmus during the Pliocene resulted in the diversification of marine organisms. Assessment of molecular and morphological divergence of trans-isthmian lineages of trypanorhynch cestodes from stingrays revealed four new species of Parachristianella and presence of geminate species. That unveils direct impacts of this vicariance event on the co-divergence of parasite lineages of marine populations.

Bee flies are cosmopolitan with over 5,000 known species, and are of great ecological and agricultural importance as their larvae are insect parasitoids, and adults are pollinators. This study is focussed on the Australian Bombyliinae and clarifies the generic limits and their evolutionary relationships for the first time. This study provides a framework for species taxonomic studies and ecological studies focussed on pollinating insects and insect biological control.

Despite advances in spider phylogenetics, relationships among the long-jaw orb-weavers of the subfamily Metainae remain little understood. Following a molecular analysis building on previous studies, we found support for the subfamily and the relationships within, including a new genus and species of metaine and a new species of a leucaugine tetragnathid with an extreme palp modification. This new hypothesis should form the foundation of further study of the numerous undescribed and little known members of Metainae.

Estimating biodiversity and distribution of subterranean fauna is a challenge that WA environmental agencies are facing, so studies of neglected groups like Bathynellidae are fundamental. The aim of the paper is to describe a new genus and species using morphological and molecular data, and define additional species through molecular delimitation methods. This study provides a framework to work with Bathynellidae, especially where a highly diverse fauna remains still undescribed.

The infraorder Glypheidea has long been excluded from many phylogenetic studies due to its limited sequence representation on public databases. Using next generation sequencing, we contribute the complete mitochondrial genome of the only two extant species in this infraorder and further explore their phylogenetic relationships with other decapod groups. Importantly, the success in recovering these mitogenomes and some nuclear sequences from old glypheid museum specimens also demonstrates potential in the effective use of existing resources that have been housed in museums from much earlier expeditions.

Monanchora arbuscula is a highly variable species complex distributed throughout the Tropical Western Atlantic. Here, we provide a redescription of M. arbuscula and critically analyse the monophyly of Crambe and Monanchora using morphological and molecular data. Five new species are described, mostly from Eastern and Southeastern Brazil, which may represent centres of diversity for Monanchora in the Tropical Western Atlantic.