A new species of Calamaria Boie, 1827 is described based on a single specimen collected in evergreen forest at 1240 m elevation of Ta Dung Nature Reserve in Dak Nong Province, Central Vietnam. The new species is characterized by (1) rostral wider than high; (2) paraparietal surrounded by six shields and scales; (3) eye diameter larger than eyemouth distance; (4) preocular present; (5) supralabials 5/4, 3-4/2-3 entering orbit; (6) maxillary teeth nine, modified; (7) infralabials 5/4, first three touching anterior chin shields; (8) mental touching tip of right anterior chin shield; (9) ventrals 1 + 174; subcaudal scales 18/17, divided; (10) precloacal plate single; (11) tail relatively short (6.2% of the total length), nearly as thick as body, slightly tapering, and ending in obtuse point; (12) dorsal scales reducing to six rows at position above 4th subcaudal, and to four rows above 13th subcaudal on tail; (13) dorsum dark with irregular yellow blotches; and (14) ventral side dark with few yellow blotches and bands. This is the sixth new Calamaria species described from Vietnam in the past thirteen years and the tenth species of Calamaria recorded from this country.

Identifying alien species is important to detect invaders early and to survey shifts in species ranges in the context of global change. Here we present the first recorded occurrences of the Mediterranean digger wasp Psenulus fulvicornis (Schenck, 1857) (Crabronidae) in Switzerland. To aid species identification and separation from the morphologically similar congener P. schencki (Tournier, 1889), which is known to occur in Switzerland, we show discriminating morphological characters and deliver the first DNA barcode sequences and a molecular phylogenetic tree of the mitochondrial cox1 locus from specimens sampled at the European scale. While the species can be readily separated by morphological characters, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inferred phylogenetic trees revealed the existence of polyphyly. Thus, we could not identify a barcoding gap at the European scale, which may hamper taxon identification. Nevertheless, cox1 sequences were diagnostic for all Central European specimens. Finally, an exhaustive revision of P. schencki accessions in the Swiss historical museum and private collections did not reveal overlooked specimens of P. fulvicornis. This confirms the status of P. fulvicornis as a new species to Switzerland, where it is currently only known from the Cantons of Zurich and Geneva; inhabiting warm lowland habitats such as urban gardens.

Spiders collected by Antoine Senglet on Corsica include 26 linyphiid species, one of which, Bolyphantes subtiliseta sp. nov., is described as new from a male and a female. The male of Trichoncus hirtusDenis, 1965 is described for the first time. Three new combinations are proposed: Improphantes huberti (Wunderlich, 1980) comb. nov. and Palliduphantes corsicos (Wunderlich, 1980) comb. nov., both ex LepthyphantesMenge, 1866; P. gladiola (Simon, 1884) comb. nov. ex MansuphantesSaaristo & Tanasevitch, 1996. Agyneta mollis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871), Entelecara acuminata (Wider, 1834), Minicia marginella (Wider, 1834) and Trichoncus hackmaniMillidge, 1955 are reported as new for the Corsican fauna; Agyneta mesasiaticaTanasevitch, 2000 is new for the Corsican and for the French fauna. In addition, a new locality of A. mesasiatica from Italy (Toscana) is given. The type of distribution is given for each species. The linyphiid fauna of Corsica is rich, containing at least 94 species, and can be characterized as Mediterranean, with a high proportion of presumed endemics (14%).

The linyphiid spider genus RacataMillidge, 1995 is re-diagnosed. Three species are described as new: R. brevis sp. nov. (male and female), R. laxa sp. nov. (female) and R. sumatera sp. nov. (male and female). The unknown female of R. grataMillidge, 1995 is described for the first time. The structure of the male palp of R. grata (the type species) is re-examined and illustrated. The taxonomic position of the genus among the linyphiid subfamilies is discussed. Most probably the genus Racata belongs to the subfamily Erigoninae, not to the Dubiaraneinae, and is closely related to AperturinaTanasevitch, 2014b.

For more than a decade, the keelback snake Hebius andreae was only known from the holotype from the limestone forest in the central Truong Son (the Annamite Mountain Range) of Quang Binh Province in Vietnam. As the adult male was formaldehyde-fixed, the description was based on morphological characters only. During recent herpetological surveys in the karst forest of central Laos, opposite to the type locality of H. andreae on the other side of the Annamite Range, the Andrea's keelback is rediscovered. Based on a juvenile male from Bualapha District, Khammouane Province, within Hin Nam No National Protected Area, we herein report the first country record of this species from Laos, provide an expanded morphological definition, and for the first time recover the phylogenetic relationship of H. andreae, based on the sequences of four genes, including one mitochondrial, cytochrome b, and three nuclear markers, Cmos, NT3, and Rag1. The phylogenetic placement of H. andreae reveals it to be a member of Hebius, in fact the most basal representative of the genus. The rediscovery of the beautiful but still poorly known and obviously rare species underlines the conservation importance of the Annamite Mountain Range as habitat and refugium for the regional unique biodiversity, which only occurs in this karst massif.

All of the specimens placed in the genus Anaulacomera Stål, 1873 in the collection of the Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève had been on a long-term loan since the 1960s. The recent return of this loan allowed the identification of potential type specimens of eleven species. These are listed, the label data is given and the condition of the specimens summarised.

The Asian Ortholasmatinae fall into two groups which are attributed to different genera: CladolasmaSuzuki, 1963 from Japan and Asiolasma gen. nov. The latter is established as a new genus to encompass six mainland Asian species, with a relatively homogeneous male genital morphology, that are different from Cladolasma and from all New World ortholasmatines. Seven Asian species are characterized, four of them redescribed: Cladolasma parvulumSuzuki, 1963 (Shikoku Is., southern Japan), Asiolasma angka (Schwendinger & Gruber, 1992) comb. nov. (northern Thailand), A. damingshan (Zhang & Zhang, 2013) comb. nov. (Guangxi, southern China), A. ailaoshan (Zhang, Zhao & Zhang, 2018) comb. nov. (southern Yunnan, China). Three species are described as new: A. juergengruberi (northern Yunnan, China; male and female), A. schwendingeri (northern Vietnam; male and female) and A. billsheari (southern Gansu, China; male). All species are illustrated and keyed. Apparently the Ortholasmatinae is a relict group in Asia, represented by morphologically similar and geographically scattered species. A phylogenetic old age is indicated by plesiomorphic character states (poorly developed keel cell network; simple male genitalia with uniform armature; hood at anterior margin of prosoma with lateral apophyses, interconnected by tubercles at the basis of the apophyses which form minute bridges; species restricted to moist forest litter on mountains). It is assumed that ortholasmatines have originated in what is presently Southeast and East Asia where they now represent a relict group; presumably they arrived in the New World later. American species show a number of apomorphic characters which are largely lacking in Asian species. Species in Asia survive in forest formations from tropical (southern China, northern Vietnam, northern Thailand) to subtropical (southern Japan) and to temperate climate conditions (southwestern and northwestern China). Primeval montane forests with a closed canopy and a moist litter layer are important habitat requirements. Except for two species, only single locality records are known.

The harvest mouse Micromys minutus has, through nest findings, been documented to live in wetlands in tall sedges and grasses in Central Europe. However, there is very little information on the type of habitat this species uses outside of nesting, because this rodent is difficult to capture in ordinary trapping set ups. In France and Switzerland, the harvest mouse populations have decreased strongly in the past two centuries due to the drastic reduction of its favored habitat. The present study used radiotracking to examine a small population in Eastern France living in a fragmented rural landscape. The aim was to learn more about the habitat and vegetation selection of this population during autumn. The results showed that the most favored habitats were in patches of stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) and American goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) rather than in their supposedly preferred vegetation type, which are tall grass wetlands. The results also presented migrating behavior in three out of the eight monitored individuals, which lead to the discovery of a possible wintering area in an unmown grassy site around a plant dump. These results suggest that disturbed, but unmown areas are important for the harvest mouse as wintering vegetation and should be available in the surrounding of a reproduction site. The results also showed that wetland management must take into account the affinity of this mammal for areas invaded by American goldenrod, in order to prevent the harvest mouse populations from decreasing in those secondary habitats.

The Achilia approximans and A. puncticeps species groups sensu Jeannel (1962) of the species-rich genus AchiliaReitter, 1890 are revised. Achilia puncticeps (Reitter, 1883) is redescribed, and A. approximans (Reitter, 1885) synonymized with it (syn. nov.). Six new species – A. adorabilis n. sp., A. baburra n. sp., A. cunniceps n. sp., A. nipponobythoides n. sp., A. reitteri n. sp., and A. trulla n. sp. – sharing a unique combination of characters with A. puncticeps are described, as well as a seventh new species – A. zaurda n. sp. – whose male was initially confused with that of A. puncticeps. For these species the distribution is detailed, and the habitat/collecting data are summarized.