Aims: Coleoptera are the most diverse of all insect orders, exhibiting high economic and ecological significance. The aim of this study is to grasp the situation of new taxa and name changes of Coleoptera from China published in 2020.

Methods: In this study, 198 articles published in 2020 were utilized to form an annual taxonomic report outlining new taxa and name changes of Chinese Coleoptera.

Results: A total of 421 new taxa of Chinese Coleoptera were published in 2020, including 21 new genera, 2 new subgenera, 387 new species, and 11 new subspecies. At the Chinese national level, 51 new taxa were recorded. In addition, 56 new combinations, 70 synonyms, 7 restorations and 3 degradations were provided. The taxa of greatest attention included Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Tenebrionidae, Cerambycidae and Curculionidae. 33 Chinese provincial-level administration areas contributed to new taxa and records, with most discoveries being concentrated in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces.

Conclusion: It is crucial that taxonomic information is regularly updated, digitized, and made available to researchers to promote the dissemination of recent research results and reflect the most current state of scientific knowledge.

Aims: This study aims to summarize the new taxa of Chinese Hemiptera and 28 other orders of Insecta (i.e., orders other than Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera) in 2020.

Methods: We collected information about newly described taxa, including new genera, species, and subspecies for Chinese Hemiptera and 28 other insect orders in 2020 by searching journals and the Zoological Record database. Based on the described taxa and published literature, we compiled a catalogue of type specimens and a bibliography for new species of Chinese Hemiptera and other insects described in 2020. We also analyzed the biodiversity information provided by type specimens, such as authors, locations, and preservation sites.

Results: In 2020, a total of 349 new taxa, including 35 new genera, 311 new species, and 3 new subspecies, were described in Chinese Hemiptera and 28 other insect orders. The hotspots for the new species described were in Southwest China and the adjacent areas. Additionally, there are as many as 69 institutions that are designated for the deposition of type specimens; within these, the holotype was primarily collected in domestic collection institutions. In contrast, there were relatively few type specimens collected by foreign institutions, and those collected were mainly paratypes. The 349 new taxa described this year were contributed by 356 authors, and a total of 182 articles were published. Zootaxa and ZooKeys were the main publication journals for these descriptions.

Conclusion: This study provides baseline data for further in-depth studies in the temporal and spatial patterns of species evolution and biodiversity protection in China. Moreover, in the face of today's rapidly declining biodiversity, we should accelerate the construction of data platforms and the integration of diverse information sources to strengthen the biodiversity research and protection.

Aim: China has the richest and most diverse flora in the northern hemisphere, with more than 37,098 accepted species of higher plants throughout its vast territory. Each year more than 200 new species from China have been described, but these data have not been updated in international databases expediently. To meet this need, it is necessary to produce an annual report on new taxa, name changes, and latest statuses of higher plants in China.

Methods: We collected information about new taxa and name changes for Chinese higher plants by searching 231 journals and books and 405 articles published in 66 journals and 2 books. We compiled the information and checked the scientific name, author, location, type specimen, and additional relevant information for each species.

Results: In 2020, a total of 359 new taxa of higher plants described from China were reported, including 21 new genera, 312 new species, 6 new subspecies, 14 new varieties, and 6 new forms, as well as 217 new combinations and names at new ranks and 11 new replacement names. In addition, 48 plants were new records for China, 85 names were determined as synonyms of 65 taxa, 14 names were revised, lectotypes or neotypes were designated for 147 names, 2 species were rediscovered, and 3 species were excluded from China. These newly described species belong to Marchantiophyta (3 species), Bryophyta (3 species), Pteridophyta (6 species), Gymnospermae (1 new nothospecies), and Magnoliophyta (299 species). A total of 86 new species were published with detailed molecular evidence, and 78 new species were evaluated as threatened species according to IUCN standards. Four southwestern provinces, including Yunnan, Xizang, Guangxi, and Sichuan, were the most important sources of new discoveries, accounting for two thirds of the total number of new species published in China. Yunnan, Hainan, Taiwan, Guangxi, and Zhejiang had the highest density of newly discovered species.

Conclusions: In 2020 in China, a net of 294 (0.79% of the total number) new plant taxa were recorded and 313 (0.84% of the total number) plant names were changed. 2020 was undoubtedly a fruitful year in plant taxonomic research, with the largest increase in the number of species discovered, the number of taxonomic revisions made, and the number of articles published on Chinese higher plants since 2000.

Aim: The aim of this study is to summarize the new taxa and taxonomic changes of Hymenoptera from China published in 2020.

Method: Through searching the available zoological databases and collecting data from Chinese hymenopterists, in 2020, 104 journal publications and 1 monograph related to the new taxa and taxonomic changes of Hymenoptera from China were obtained and analyzed.

Results: Based on these publications, 469 records of new taxa, new records and taxonomic changes of Hymenoptera from China were retrieved, including 4 new genera (1 extinct genus), 1 new subgenus, 321 new species (10 extinct species), 8 new combinations, 22 new synonyms, 1 newly recorded subfamily, 18 newly recorded genera, 93 newly recorded species, and 1 replaced name. In 11 records of them, 3 superfamilies, 3 families and 5 genera of extinct hymenopteran were involved. Another 458 records belong to 11 superfamilies, 29 families, 170 genera of extant Hymenoptera, of which 40 genera distributed in 6 families are only related to new distribution records or taxonomic changes. Among these 11 superfamilies, 9 superfamilies with new species published in 2020 include Symphyta: Tenthredinoidea (23 new species); Aculeata of Apocrita: Apoidea (29 new species), Chrysidoidea (2 new species), and Vespoidea (20 new species); Parasitica of Apocrita: Chalcidoidea (23 new species), Cynipoidea (12 new species), Ichneumonoidea (206 new species), Platygastroidea (4 new species), Trigonalyoidea (2 new species).

Conclusions: Among the 9 superfamilies, Ichneumonoidea had the largest number (206) of new species by covering about 2/3 of 321 new species published in 2020. Five provinces with more new species published in 2020 are Yunnan, Zhejiang, Xizang, Fujian, and Liaoning, covering about 1/2 of the 321 new species. Moreover, the current status and future development of Hymenoptera taxonomy were discussed here based on these results.

Aims: Research and publication of the planet's remaining plant species as yet unknown to science is essential if we are to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 “Life on Land” which includes the protection of terrestrial ecosystems and halting of biodiversity loss. If species are not known to science, they cannot be assessed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, and thus reducing the possibility to protect them from extinction. Scientific discovery, including naming new taxa, is important because without a scientific name, a species is invisible to science and the possibilities of researching its ecology, applications, and threats, and conserving it, are greatly reduced. This study analyzes the new species of vascular plants in the world published in 2020, aims to enrich the basic information about the new species of vascular plants in the world, discuss the current threats to biodiversity, and summarize the direction of future research.

Methods: The data were derived from the International Plant Name Index (IPNI; https://www.ipni.org/). Statistics of new species of vascular plants published in 2020 were available as of February 1, 2021 excluding new combinations, new statuses or new names and bryophyte data. In order to facilitate the comparison of new species of vascular plants discovered and published in major regions and countries in 2020, the data in this article were only from IPNI, although IPNI had not documented all new species published in 2020 by February 1, 2021, and those species published in some local journals (such as university journals) and local monographs were not available in IPNI.

Results: In 2020, 1,747 new species of vascular plants were described worldwide in 103 journals and 5 books by 1,544 botanists (264 Chinese botanists, 1,280 non-Chinese botanists), as documented in IPNI. Among the 1,747 new species, 1,689 belonged to angiosperms, 52 to pteridophytes, and only 6 to gymnosperms. A large number of new species were from the largest families, such as Asteraceae, Orchidaceae, and Piperaceae. Southern America and tropical Asia were the most important regions of new discoveries with more than 828 new species described in 2020. By country, China, Brazil, and Madagascar were the top three with the most new species discovered in 2020, with 247, 223, and 99, respectively. Phytotaxa and PhytoKeys were the top two journals in terms of the numbers of new species of vascular plants published in 2020 and published 644 and 168 species, respectively. Among various new names there were five invalid names and two illegitimate names.

Conclusions: Despite the increased attention given to biodiversity in recent years, the evidence indicates that a number of species in the world have yet to be discovered. Further investigations of the world vascular plants are still needed, especially in biodiversity hotspots and islands. We recommend an urgent increase in investment in scientific discovery of plant species, while they still survive. Priorities include more investment in training taxonomists, in building and equipping collections-based research centers, especially in species-rich, income-poor regions where the bulk of species are yet unknown to science.

Aim: Spiders are the most common and abundant predators in terrestrial ecosystems. Regularly summarizing the new taxa of the Araneae will help disseminate recent achievements in the field of spider diversity. The aim of this paper is to provide a global tally of new spider taxa published in 2021.

Progresses: A total of 975 new taxa (including species in amber) were described in 2021, including 47 new genera and 928 new species. They belong to 81 families, with type localities spanning across 81 countries. The new taxa were reported by 304 arachnologists in 254 papers, published in the 64 journals. China is the country where the most new species have been discovered, accounting for 28.7% of the worldwide. The most productive arachnologist is Shuqiang Li from China, who has discovered the most new taxa (21.8%) of the worldwide. Digital images have become the most predominant means of illustration, with 95.2% of publications using photomicroscopy images. New species published with both sexes described (60.3%) outnumbered those described based on specimens described from either a holotype male or female. The contribution of Chinese arachnologists took up a lion’s share of the new taxa of spiders described in 2021 in the world. Altogether, they described a total of 330 new taxa, comprising 13 new genera and 317 new species belonging to 39 families, from 15 countries, including China, Myanmar, etc. These new taxa described by Chinese arachnologists made up 33.8% of the 2021 global aggregate, an improvement over the Chinese output during the 2016-2020 period, which averaged at 28.1% within that time frame.

Aims: Coleoptera is the largest group of insects. The aim of this study is to summarize the new taxa and taxonomic changes of Coleoptera from the world in 2021, and sort out the new species and new records in China separately.

Methods: By searching the online databases and some papers from peer experts, 1,114 journal publications related to the new taxa and taxonomic changes of Coleoptera from the world were obtained and analyzed.

Results: Totally, 3,375 new taxa of Coleoptera from the world were reported in 2021, including 2 new subfamilies, 1 new supertribe, 9 new tribes, 3 new subtribes, 178 new genera, 36 new subgenera, 3,070 new species and 76 new subspecies. In addition, 1,071 new combinations, 485 new synonyms, 70 upgradations and 26 degradations were provided. There are 534 new staphylinids and 461 new scarabaeids, accounting for about 31.6% of the total species. China with the largest number of Coleoptera new species founded in the world, and it has published 13 new genera, 4 new subgenera, 635 new species, 6 new subspecies and 2 newly recorded subfamily, 13 newly recorded genera, 1 new recorded subgenera, 112 newly recorded species, 6 newly recorded subspecies in 2021. There are 204 new species of Coleoptera in China published in 2021 belong to Scarabaeidae, and Yunnan is the region with the highest number of new species discovered, with 172 new species reported.

Conclusion: Summarizing and sorting out taxonomic information timely has an important impact on guiding taxonomic research.

Aims: To collate and report new vertebrate species discovered in China in 2021.

Methods: This paper summarized the basic information of new vertebrates published in literature in 2021, including 83 papers and one website (http://www.birdreport.cn/).

Results: In 2021, 95 vertebrate species were newly discovered in China, including 80 new species and 15 national new record species. Among them, there were 15 new species of fish, 28 new species of amphibian, 31 new species and 10 national new record species of reptiles, 1 new species and 3 national new record species of bird, 5 new species and 2 national new record species of mammal. Among them, cold-blooded vertebrates accounted for 88%, suggesting that they are the focus of future taxonomic research of vertebrates; most of amphibians and reptiles are Anuran and Squamata, having 27 and 40 species, accounted 96% and 98% of the total new species of them, respectively. All newly added mammals belong to small types. The distribution of these new vertebrates involves 30 provincial regions, including 33 species in Yunnan, 11 species in Sichuan, 10 species in Guangxi, 7 species in Xizang and Guangdong, 6 species in Taiwan, totally accounting for 70.5% of the total new vertebrates. Only 5 or fewer species were discovered in other provincial regions. A total of 84 species (accounting for 88%) have been supported from molecular systematics, suggesting that the application of molecular systematics technology is still an important method for the classification of taxa. Most of the species of new vertebrates discovered in China in 2021 were published by Chinese scholars, except for the 3 new national record species of birds, the rest were officially published in English journals, of which 3 journals in China have published 21 new species and 2 new records.

Conclusion: This work provides comprehensive basic information for the classification and protection of vertebrates in China, also indicates that taxonomic studies, particularly the cold-blooded vertebrates, should be the continuous focus of biodiversity research in China. An integrative taxonomic approach, including molecular genetic data, should be more important in future studies.

Aim: Lepidoptera is one of the largest orders in Insecta and is a group with high economic importance as many pest species of Lepidoptera occur all over the world. China is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, as it ranges from the Palaearctic to Oriental Regions, and many species new to science are described each year. The aim of this study is to summarize the new taxa of Lepidoptera from China that were reported in 2020.

Methods: Information regarding new species, newly recorded species, and new synonyms and combinations were collected from several common journals of taxonomy and monographs. In total, 102 articles and 3 monographs are included in this report. From these sources, the scientific names, type localities, and the other relevant information have been summarized.

Results: The number of new taxa of Chinese Lepidoptera published by domestic and foreign researchers in 2020 has been summarized. In 2020, 196 new taxa of Lepidoptera were reported, including 1 new genus, 190 new species, 5 new subspecies, and 71 newly recorded species for China. Additionally, 55 new combinations and 11 new synonyms have been suggested. All of the new species and subspecies belong to 23 families.

Conclusions: The number of new species published in Hainan and Yunnan was significantly higher than that in other regions and accounted for two-fifths of the total number of new species published in China in 2020. Yunnan Province had the highest number of newly recorded species for a region in China and accounted for about half of the total number of newly recorded species in China. In general, the number of new species and newly recorded species collected in the south are significantly higher than those in north of China. Moreover, the discovery and description of all Lepidoptera species in China are far from completed, and further investigation of Lepidoptera in China is necessary.

Aims: Several thousands of new vascular plant taxa have been discovered and described every year in the past 20 years. Timely analysis of the published data of new vascular plant taxa can show the research hotspots of vascular plant taxonomy in details and provide reference data for studies of related fields such as botany, ecology, and conservation science.

Methods: The data of global new taxa of vascular plants were derived from the IPNI (https://www.ipni.org/), Tropicos (https://www.tropicos.org/), WCSP (https://wcsp.science.kew.org/), and WFO (http://www.worldfloraonline.org/). Statistics of new taxa of vascular plants published in 2022 were available as of April 17, 2023 excluding new combinations, new statuses or new names and bryophyte data.

Results: In 2022, at least 2,482 new taxa of vascular plants (based on data available as of April 17, 2023; the final number will increase ca. 20% to ca. 3,000) were described worldwide, including 3 new subfamily, 19 new tribes, 11 new subtribes, 80 new genera, 7 new subgenera, 1 new supersection, 51 new sections, 16 new subsections, 4 new series, 2,160 new species, 44 new subspecies, 65 new varieties, and 21 new forms. These new taxa belong to 174 families and 905 genera, among which Orchidaceae, Araceae, and Asteraceae had received more attentions. The 2,482 new taxa of vascular plants were described worldwide in 166 journals and 15 books by 2,016 scholars, of which 53 authors published more than 10 new taxa. The number of new taxa described in 2022 was about 12% increase in comparison with that in 2021. Phytotaxa and PhytoKeys were the top two journals in terms of the numbers of new taxa of vascular plants published in 2022 and published 556 and 193 new taxa, respectively. Among the 2,290 new species and infraspecific taxa, 2,195 belonged to angiosperms, 86 to lycophytes and pteridophytes, and only 9 to gymnosperms, among which Orchidaceae were the most, with 268. The 2,290 new species and infraspecific taxa were from 110 countries and regions. Asia and South America were the hotspots of discoveries of new species and infraspecific taxa, with 874 and 577, respectively. By country, China, Brazil, and Australia were the top three with the most new species and infraspecific taxa discovered in 2022, with 337, 256, and 130, respectively.

Aim: Each year, more than 220 species from China are documented as new species. However, much of this information has yet to be updated in international databases. Here we aimed to update the annual report with the newly discovered taxa and name changes of existing plants in China from the year 2021.

Methods: Information on newly discovered taxa and name changes for Chinese higher plants were collected by reviewing 222 journals and monographs, where 380 articles published in 62 journals and 2 monographs concerning the new taxa and nomenclatural changes of higher plants published in 2021. For each species, we compiled the scientific name, author, location, type specimen, and other relevant information.

Results: In 2021, a total of 342 new taxa of higher plants from China were reported, including 1 new family, 11 new genera, 289 new species, 3 new subspecies, 18 new varieties, and 20 new forms. The newly described species belong to the Marchantiophyta (5 species), Bryophyta (4 species), Lycopodiophyta (3 species), Pteridophyta (22 species), Gymnospermae (2 species), and Magnoliophyta (253 species). A total of 111 new species had been published with detailed molecular evidence, 76 of which were considered threatened species according to IUCN standards. Four provinces in southwestern China, including Yunnan, Xizang, Sichuan, and Guangxi, were the sources of the majority of the discoveries. The species found in these regions account for 63.3% of the total reports collected in our review. Taiwan, Hainan, Yunnan, Zhejiang, and Guangdong have the highest densities of newly discovered species. Additionally, we identified 134 new combinations and new rank names. We identified 9 replacement names transferred from other species distributed across China. Sixty-two plants were reported as novel to China, 92 names were given as synonyms of 62 taxa, 7 names were revised, and 2 genera and 10 species were re-recognized. Further, 49 names were designated lectotypes or neotypes, 9 species were rediscovered, and 7 were considered no longer present in China.

Conclusion: In 2021, a net increase of 364 new plant taxa of higher plants occurred in China, accounting for 0.98% of the total growth. Also, 230 plant names have been changed, accounting for 0.62% of total changes. The high number of new plant species found in China has been consistent and held in the year 2021, implying that the country, mainly located in the subtropical regions of the northern hemisphere, still has many plants waiting to be discovered.

Aim: To review the new species and new national records of vertebrates discovered in China in 2020.

Methods: We compiled and analyzed the taxonomic literature on China's fauna published in 2020.

Results: In 2020, 100 new species and nine new national records of vertebrates were discovered in China. These include: 24 new species of fishes; 41 new species and four new national records of amphibians; 30 new species and four new national records of reptiles; one new species of bird; and four new species and one new national record of mammals. Of these newly recorded vertebrate species, molecular genetic data were used to evaluate 92 of the species described, which constituted 84.4% of the total number of newly recorded species. Most of these species are within the classes Amphibia and Reptilia; the orders Anura and Squamata constituted 70% of the total newly recorded vertebrate species. Geographically, more than 60% of the newly recorded vertebrate species were discovered in southwestern China; Yunnan, Xizang, Hunan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces each had 10 or more new species described in 2020. The majority of the species were described by Chinese researchers and most of their findings were published in English language journals.

Conclusion: These results indicate that taxonomic studies, particularly those of the basal groups of vertebrates, should be the continuous focus of biodiversity research in China. Future studies should adopt an integrative taxonomic approach and include molecular genetic data.

Aims:Fungi have the richest biodiversity on earth, second to insects. Thousands of new fungal species have been discovered and described every year recently. Timely analysis of the published data of new fungal names can show the research hotspots of fungal taxonomy in details and provide reference data for the future development of mycology.

Method: The taxonomic data of new published fungal name were retrieved from the database of Fungal Names, Index Fungorum and MycoBank.

Results: In 2020, at least 4,996 new fungal names including 652 new higher taxa, 2,905 new species and new intraspecific taxa, 1,342 new combinations, and 97 other novelties, were published by 1,978 scholars in 885 articles and 9 monographs all over the world, reaching the historically highest annual record of new fungal names. These new names belong to 12 phyla, 44 classes, 173 orders, 469 families and 1,386 genera, among which ascomycetes had received more attentions. The type specimens of new species were from 103 countries and regions in the world. East and Southeast Asia were the hot spots of new species discovery, while China was the country with the highest number of new species discovered (663 species), accounting for 23% of the world's total. Besides, China had made remarkable achievements in fungal taxonomy in 2020, with 333 Chinese scholars participating in the publications of 1,271 new fungal names, accounting for about a quarter of the total number in the world.

Conclusion: As shown by the analysis, the discovery of new fungal species is accelerating, with the increased number of new published names and authors. However, the description rate of fungal species is still at a low level, which leaves a long-term and arduous task for mycologists to discover undescribed fungi efficiently.

Aim: To collate and report new vertebrate species discovered in China in 2023.

Method: This paper summarizes the basic information about discoveries of vertebrate species from academic literature published in 2023, including 73 citations.

Results: In 2023, 93 vertebrate species were discovered in China, including 69 species new to science, 15 species not previously reported in China, and 9 valid species that were upgraded from subspecies. These species belong to 14 orders, 40 families, and 61 genera. Among them, there are 18 new species of fish; 31 species of amphibian, including 23 new species and 8 newly recorded in China; 22 species of reptile, including 21 new species and 1 newly recorded in China; 10 species of bird, including 4 species upgraded from subspecies and 6 newly recorded in China; 12 species of mammal, including 7 new species, 1 newly recorded in China, and 4 species upgraded from subspecies. Ectotherm vertebrates account for 76% of new discoveries; most of the fishes, amphibians, reptiles, and birds were species of Cypriniformes (15/18), Anura (27/31), Squamata (21/22), and Passeriformes (8/10), respectively, while most of mammals were species of Eulipotyphla (6/12) or Rodentia (5/12). These 93 newly discovered vertebrates were recorded in 21 provincial regions. Of these species, 79 were recorded in only one provincial region, while there were 29, 13, 10, 10, and 9 new species recorded in Yunnan, Xizang, Guangxi, Sichuan, and Guizhou, respectively. A total of 79 of these discovered species have been supported by molecular systematics. There were 82 species published in academic journals, 14 of which were published in two English journals in China and 3 of which were published in two Chinese journals.

Conclusion: This article provides basic information needed for the classification and protection of vertebrate species in China. In addition, it indicates that ectotherm vertebrates may be the hot group of vertebrate species studied in diversity research in China, and an integrated classification approach is essential to support future taxonomic studies.

Aims: Compilations of biodiversity catalogs are of great significance for biodiversity research, resource protection, and social and economic development. However, due to rapid research progress, a large number of new species and distribution records are reported every year, which requires accurate methods to summarize the discoveries of new taxa, as well as update species checklists frequently.

Method: Taxonomic data for newly published fungal names were retrieved and analyzed from the Fungal Names nomenclatural repository.

Results: In 2023, 2,050 scholars published 4,372 new fungal names throughout the world, including 7 classes, 17 orders, 56 families and subfamilies, 316 genera and subgenera, 2,997 species and intraspecific taxa, 831 combinations, 33 replacement names and 115 other names. These new names belonged to 3 kingdoms, 13 phyla, 47 classes, 170 orders, 441 families and 1,342 genera, among which micro-ascomycetes received the most attention. These newly published 2,975 fungal species were discovered from 102 countries and regions throughout the world, with eastern and southern Asia as the most noticeable spot for novel species discovery. In particular, China remained the most imminent country for annual species discoveries (1,249 species) that accounts for 41.98% of the world’s total new species. Additionally, Chinese scholars led the world in research output on fungal taxonomy in 2023, where 548 Chinese scholars participated in the publications of 2,160 new fungal names to contribute to nearly half of the world’s total new names.

Conclusion: The total number of fungal nomenclature novelties published globally this year has decreased slightly compared to last year, but it still remains fluctuating upwards in line with the general trend of previous years. Except for China, Australia, Brazil, Thailand and the United States remain in the lead, Asian countries such as India, Japan and Pakistan have become the new hot spots of fungal research instead of European countries. Since 2021, the number of new names published by Chinese scholars, and the contribution ratio to the world have broken the historically record for consecutive two years.

Aim: Lepidoptera is one of the largest orders in Insecta. It is of high economic importance, as many Lepidopteran pest species occur all over the world. China crosses the Palaearctic and the Oriental regions and has many new species described each year, making it one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. The aim of this study is to summarize the new taxa of Lepidoptera from China reported in 2021.

Methods: Information regarding new species, newly recorded species, new synonyms and combinations were collected from related taxonomic journals. In total, 104 articles and 1 monograph were selected, based on which the scientific names, the type localities, and the other relevant information were sorted out. The new taxa of the Chinese Lepidoptera published by domestic and foreign researchers in 2021 were summarized.

Results: A total of 230 new taxa were recorded, including 7 new genera, 215 new species, 8 new subspecies, and 78 newly recorded species (including 2 subspecies) for China. Additionally, 31 new combinations, 4 new synonyms and 2 new replacement names were proposed. All of the new species and subspecies belong to 34 families of Lepidoptera.

Conclusions: The number of new species and newly recorded species published in Yunnan Province in 2021 was significantly higher than that in other regions of China, accounting for 36.8% and 39.7% of the total published new species and newly recorded species in China, respectively. All the data show that the published new species and newly recorded species collected from southern China in 2021 are still significantly higher than those collected from northern China.

Aims: Since 2020, the average annual number of changes in plant names in China has accounted for roughly 1.5% of all changes. Although these plant name changes are not large, cumulative changes over time should not be ignored. Indeed, it is necessary to annually compile information on new taxa, records, and name changes to Chinese plants to integrate these changes into the Catalogue of Life China in a timely manner to facilitate more accurate references for academia and research.

Methods: We collected data on newly discovered taxa and name changes for Chinese higher plants by reviewing 233 journals and related monographs, supplemented by cross-referencing and systematic review using various online databases to ensure the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the compiled information. This compilation involved 419 articles from 63 journals and 4 monographs, and mainly focused on the new taxa and nomenclatural changes in higher plants in 2023.

Results: In 2023, China reported several new taxonomic findings, including 14 genera, 241 species (including new hybrid species), 13 infraspecific taxa, 13 higher taxa (including 7 subfamilies, 4 supertribes, and 2 tribes), 2 subgenera, and 6 sections in higher plants. Additionally, 185 novel combinations (173 at the species level and 12 at the infraspecific level) and 15 new names were published. At the national level, 1 new record family, 5 new record genus, 82 new record species, and 4 new record infraspecies were recently documented. Furthermore, 86 names were synonymized into 58 names. Five species that had not been observed for many years were rediscovered, and one species distribution was excluded. Among the newly published species, there were 9 bryophytes, 23 pteridophytes (including 1 infraspecific taxon), 1 gymnosperm hybrid, and 221 angiosperms (including 2 hybrids and 12 infraspecific taxa). Detailed molecular evidence was provided for 116 of these novel species at the time of publication that account for 46% of all new species. Additionally, 62 species were assessed as threatened according to IUCN standards upon their publication, which represents 24% of all new species. By location, the four southwestern provinces, i.e. Yunnan, Xizang, Guangxi, and Sichuan, published the highest number of new species and accounted for two-thirds of the total new species reported nationwide. In particular, Mêdog County recorded the highest number of new species among county-level administrative units, with 14 new species and records. Likewise, Yingjiang County reported the highest number of national new records, with 21 new plant records documented.

Conclusion: In 2023, China witnessed a net increase of 262 new taxa of higher plants that accounts for roughly 0.56% of all Chinese higher plant species. In addition, 200 names underwent changes, which accounts for 0.43%. These changes represented 0.99% of all Chinese higher plant names modified in 2023 and encompasses both species additions and nomenclature treatments. Multiple indicators suggest that the number of newly published plant taxa and name changes in China are beginning to show a downward trend. However, data tracking and analysis are needed to determine if this decline will continue in the future.

Aim: Notwithstanding talk of a “taxonomic impediment” over the past 30 years, the exponential growth in the global number of newly described spider species during the 1975-2000 period has continued unabated. This paper focuses on the advances in taxonomic studies of spiders in 2022 worldwide, with detailed statistical analyses of new taxa, type localities, arachnologists driving such research, and journals publishing their work.

Progress: A total of 1,177 new taxa (including species in amber) were described in 2022, comprising 81 new genera and 1,096 new species. They belong to 74 families, with type localities spanning across 97 countries and jurisdictions. The new taxa were documented by 340 arachnologists in 289 papers, published separately in 60 journals. Out of these 289 papers, 23 or 8% comprised monographs, regional studies, and revisions of selected higher taxa (at family and genus levels). The proportion of papers incorporating DNA analyses made up 18.3% (totaling 53 papers). China is the country with the highest number of new species discovered, a total of 362, accounting for 33.0% of the global tally. With as many as 75 arachnologists naming new spider taxa, China becomes the country with the highest number of publishing spider taxonomists, accounting for 22.1% of the world’s total. Among them, the most prolific arachnologist is Shuqiang Li who described a total of 194 new taxa, accounting for 16.5% of the new taxa described in 2022 worldwide. Altogether, Li and his remaining 74 Chinese colleagues described a total of 436 new taxa, comprising 26 new genera and 410 new species belonging to 50 families, from China, Myanmar, and eight other countries and jurisdictions. These new taxa described by Chinese arachnologists made up 37.0% of the 2022 global aggregate, an improvement over the Chinese output 2021 (33.8%) and during the 2016-2020 period (28.1% on average).

Aim: The aim of this study is to catalogue and summarize new taxa of the order Hymenoptera published in 2021.

Methods: In 2021, 355 journal publications on new taxa in the order Hymenoptera were obtained and analyzed by researching the available zoological databases.

Results: Based on the collected journal publications, there were 1,152 records on the new taxa of Hymenoptera for 66 families and 416 genera in 21 superfamilies, including 5 new families, 4 subfamilies, 83 new genera, 3 subgenera, 1,054 new species, and 3 new subspecies. A total of 980 extant hymenopterans from 52 families and 332 genera in 18 superfamilies were recorded in 309 of the 355 journal publications, including 2 new families, 26 new genera, 3 new subgenera, 946 new species, and 3 new subspecies. Another 46 journal publications on fossil Hymenoptera recorded 172 extinct Hymenoptera from 27 families and 86 genera in 14 superfamilies, including 3 new families, 4 new subfamilies, 57 new genera, and 108 new species. In 2021, 235 new taxa from 34 families and 91 genera in 17 superfamilies were recorded in 83 of the 309 relevant journal publications in China. These include 3 new genera (1 extinct) and 232 new species (2 extinct). The above 2 new extant genera were described from Taiwan and Zhejiang, China. The five Chinese provinces with the most new species published in 2021 are Yunnan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Xizang, and Xinjiang. Based on the publications in 2021, Ichneumonoidea was the superfamily with the highest number of new species, accounting for 32.5% (307/946), 19.4% (21/108), and 37.0% (85/230) of the extant, extinct, and Chinese new species in the Hymenoptera database, respectively. Grouping the extant Hymenoptera new species by continental regions and subregions shows that 56.9% (538) of the new species were discovered in Asia, 28.6% (271) in East Asia and 24.3% (230) in China, which tops the list of regions, subregions, and countries with the most new species. Of the 355 publications in 76 journals, 348 were published in English, 4 in Chinese, and 3 in French.

Conclusion: These results indicate that the taxonomy of Hymenoptera in China plays an important positive role in expanding our understanding of the order Hymenoptera around the world.

Aims: Vascular plants provide most of the planet’s biomass. Thousands of new vascular plant species have been discovered and described every year recently. Timely analysis of the published data of new vascular plants taxa can show the research hotspots of vascular plant taxonomy in details and provide reference data for studies of related fields such as botany, ecology, and conservation science.

Methods: The data were derived from the IPNI (https://www.ipni.org/), Tropicos (https://www.tropicos.org/), WCSP (https://wcsp.science.kew.org/) and The Plant List (http://www.theplantlist.org/). Statistics of new taxa of vascular plants published in 2021 were available as of April 16, 2022 excluding new combinations, new statuses or new names and bryophyte data.

Results: In 2021, at least 2,219 new taxa of vascular plants were described worldwide, including 1 new subfamily, 7 new tribes, 7 new subtribes, 68 new genera, 7 new subgenera, 15 new sections, 8 new subsections, 10 new series, 1,979 new species, 46 new subspecies, 59 new varieties, and 12 new forms. These new taxa belong to 185 families and 881 genera, among which Orchidaceae, Asteraceae and Rubiaceae had received more attentions. In 2021, 2,219 new taxa of vascular plants were described worldwide in 165 journals and 14 books by 1,942 scholars, of which 42 authors have published more than 11 new taxa. Phytotaxa and PhytoKeys were the top two journals in terms of the numbers of new taxa of vascular plants published in 2021 and published 586 and 112, respectively. Among the 2,096 new species and infraspecific taxa, 1,940 belonged to angiosperms, 147 to pteridophytes, and only 9 to gymnosperms, among which Orchidaceae are the most, with 227. The 2,096 new species and infraspecific taxa were from 115 countries and regions in the world. Asia and South America were the hotspots of discoveries of new species and infraspecific taxa, with 837 and 571, respectively. By country, China, Brazil, and Madagascar were the top three with the most new species and infraspecific taxa discovered in 2021, with 283, 269, and 169, respectively. Considering the fact that IPNI added 797 new species described in 2020 after February 1, 2021, we estimate ca. 700 new species described in 2021 will be added in various databases after April 16, 2022. This will increase the number of new species (and infraspecific taxa) published in 2021 to ca. 2,800, which is comparable to the annual numbers since 2001.

Aim: The aim of this paper is to provide the 2020 tallies of new taxa of Chinese spiders, and new taxa described by Chinese arachnologists.

Progresses: Firstly, based on specimens collected in China, a total of 223 new taxa were described in 2020. They comprised a new subfamily, 12 new genera and 201 new species, reported by Chinese arachnologists in 56 papers published over 12 journals, plus another nine new species described by foreign arachnologists. Most new species were discovered in Yunnan, accounting for 38.1% of the new species found in China. Secondly, Chinese arachnologists described a total of 95 new taxa from 12 foreign countries such as Myanmar. The tally stems from two new families, seven new genera and 86 new species. In addition, this paper assesses the impact of Chinese contribution to the taxonomy of spiders on a global basis, one Chinese arachnologist authored for 771 new taxa from 2016 to 2020.

Aim: To collate and report new vertebrate species discovered in China in 2022.

Methods: This paper summarizes the basic information on vertebrate species discoveries published in 2022, including 87 papers and 1 annual report of bird watching in China (http://www.birdreport.cn/).

Results: In 2022, 120 vertebrate species were discovered in China, including 98 species new to science, 17 species not previously reported in China, and 5 valid species upgraded from subspecies. These species belong to 17 orders, 43 families, and 71 genera. Among them are 30 new species of fishes; 44 species of amphibians, including 34 new species and 10 newly recorded in China; 26 species of reptiles, including 21 new species and 3 newly recorded in China, and 2 species upgraded from subspecies; 6 species of birds, including 1 new species, 3 newly recorded in China, and 2 species upgraded from subspecies; 14 species of mammals, including 12 new species, 1 newly recorded in China and 1 species upgraded from subspecies. Cold-blooded vertebrates account for 83% of new species discoveries; most of the fishes, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals were species of Cypriniformes, Anura, Squamata, and Rodentia, with 22, 37, 25, and 11 species, respectively. These 120 newly discovered vertebrates were recorded in 26 provincial regions. Of these species, 106 were only recorded in one provincial region. A total of 97 of these species have been supported by molecular systematics. There were 111 species described by Chinese scholars; 105 species were published in journals, and 19 species of these were published in three English journals in China.

Conclusion: This work provides important basic information for the classification and protection of vertebrates in China. In addition, it also indicates that cold-blooded vertebrates are the key group of the vertebrate species diversity research in China, and that an integrated classification approach is essential to support future taxonomic studies.

Aims: This study aims to review and update information from 2021 about newly described taxa of Chinese Hemiptera and 28 other insect orders (all orders except Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera).

Methods: We reviewed the literature on new taxa of Chinese Hemiptera and 28 other insect orders described in 2021 and compiled a list of type specimens and a bibliography. We characterized the hotspots for new species discovery by analyzing provincial administrative regions and at the spatial scale of 200 km × 200 km, respectively. We also examined the specimen preservation sites, the authorship of new species descriptions, and the journals where the work was published.

Results: In 2021, 422 new taxa—including 35 new genera, 386 new species, and 1 new subspecies—were described in Chinese Hemiptera and 28 other insect orders. The hotspots for new species discovery were mainly in Southwest China (Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, etc.) and the adjacent areas (Guangxi, Xizang, etc.). And at the spatial scale of 200 km × 200 km, the hotspots are mainly located in mountainous regions. Three hundred ninety-five researchers participated in the naming and description of new taxa this year, and related works were published in 28 journals, with a total of 205 articles.

Conclusion: This timely study updates basic biodiversity data about Chinese insects in Hemiptera and 28 other insect orders. This work plays an essential role in accelerating the construction of a data-sharing platform, supporting biodiversity conservation and management, and ensuring national biosecurity.

Aims: Due to the application of new technologies, more extensive field surveys, and data sharing, researchers are continuously discovering and describing new plant species, leading to a constant increase in the number of known plant species worldwide. Annual analysis of the published data of new vascular plant taxa not only enriches our understanding of plant diversity but also provides a crucial foundation for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.

Methods: The data were derived from the IPNI (https://www.ipni.org/), Tropicos (https://www.tropicos.org/), and WCSP (https://wcsp.science.kew.org/). Statistics of new taxa of vascular plants published in 2023 were available as of April 30, 2024 excluding new combinations, new statuses or new names and bryophyte data.

Results: In 2023, at least 2,316 new taxa of vascular plants (based on data available as of April 30, 2024; the final number will increase by ca. 20% and to ca. 2,900) were described worldwide, including 1 new family, 11 new subfamily, 4 new supertribes, 7 new tribes, 3 new subtribes, 102 new genera, 9 new subgenera, 41 new sections, 8 new subsections, 5 new series, 1,967 new species, 79 new subspecies, 67 new varieties, and 12 new forms. These new taxa belonged to 162 families and 914 genera, among which Orchidaceae, Asteraceae, and Rubiaceae were the top three families with the most new taxa described. The 2,316 new taxa of vascular plants were described worldwide in 192 journals and 12 books by 1,983 scholars, of which 60 authors published more than 10 new taxa. Phytotaxa and PhytoKeys were the top two journals in terms of the numbers of new taxa of vascular plants published in 2023 and published 526 and 182 new taxa, respectively. Among the 2,125 new species and infraspecific taxa, 2,061 belonged to angiosperms, 58 to lycophytes and pteridophytes, and only 6 to gymnosperms, and 254 to Orchidaceae alone. The 2,125 new species and infraspecific taxa were from 115 countries and regions. Asia and South America were the hotspots of discoveries of new species and infraspecific taxa, with 873 and 506, respectively. By country, China, Brazil, and Mexico were the top three with the most new species and infraspecific taxa discovered in 2023, with 207, 197, and 116, respectively.

Aim: Lepidoptera has high diversity and economic importance. Many species are pests, and some are beneficial or have high ornamental value. China has a large area, spanning the Palearctic and the Oriental regions. The biota is complex and diverse, and many new species are found and described every year. The aim of this study is to summarize the new taxa of Lepidoptera recorded from China in 2022.

Methods: Information regarding new species, new synonyms, new combinations, and new record species for China were from related taxonomic journals. The scientific names and the type localities of the new species as well as other relevant information were sorted out based on a total of 98 articles. The new taxa of the Chinese Lepidoptera published by domestic and foreign researchers in 2022 were summarized.

Results: A total of 238 new taxa were recorded, including 8 new genera and 1 subgenus, 214 new species and 15 new subspecies. Five new record genera, 76 new record species (including 5 subspecies) and 28 new combinations were reported in China. Twenty-six new synonyms were proposed, 4 species were downgraded to subspecies, and 5 subspecies were upgraded to species. A total of 229 new species and subspecies belong to 103 genera of 27 families in Lepidoptera, of which 127 new species belong to Microlepidoptera, 86 new species belong to Macrolepidoptera, and 3 new species and 13 new subspecies are butterflies.

Conclusions: The number of new species and new record species of Lepidoptera distributed in Yunnan Province in 2022 was still significantly higher than that in other regions of China, accounting for 24.02% and 55.26% of the total published species in China, respectively. All the data show that the published new species and new record species collected from southern China in 2022 are still significantly higher than those collected from northern China.

Aim: This paper focuses on the advancements in taxonomic studies of extant spiders in 2023 worldwide, with detailed statistical analyses of new taxa, type localities, arachnologists conducting such research, and journals publishing these works.

Progress: A total of 1,311 new taxa were described in 2023, including 1 new family, 70 new genera and 1,240 new species. They belong to 71 families, with type localities spanning across 75 countries and jurisdictions. The new taxa were documented by 344 arachnologists in 315 papers, published in 63 different journals. Out of these 315 papers, 52 (16.5%) comprised revisions of selected higher taxa (at family and genus levels), regional studies, and monographs. The proportion of papers incorporating DNA analyses made up 16.8% (totaling 53 papers). Among the 1,240 new species, 740 new species were published based on both male and female specimens, accounting for 59.7% of the total, and 500 new species only published based on male or female specimens, accounting for 40.3%. China is the country with the highest number of new species discovered, a total of 412, accounting for 33.2% of the global tally. With as many as 94 arachnologists naming new spider taxa, China becomes the country with the highest number of publishing spider taxonomists, accounting for 27.3% of the world’s total. Among them, the most prolific arachnologist is Shuqiang Li, who described a total of 171 new taxa, comprising 13.0% of the worldwide total for 2023. Altogether, Li and the other 93 Chinese colleagues described a total of 540 new taxa, comprising 33 new genera and 507 new species from China, Vietnam, and the other nine countries and jurisdictions. These new taxa described by Chinese arachnologists made up 41.2% of the 2023 global aggregate, higher than the Chinese output in 2022 (37.0%), 2021 (33.8%) and during the 2016-2020 period (28.1% on average).

Aim: Plant species names undergo revisions and changes in response to deepening taxonomic research deepens and new discoveries. These valuable diverse pieces of information are scattered across various publications, requires necessitate timely consolidation into the Species Catalogue of China, under the guidance of taxonomic experts. To address this requirement, it is necessary to create a dataset containing information on new taxa, name changes, and the latest statuses of plants in China.

Methods: We collected data on newly discovered taxa and name changes for Chinese higher plants by reviewing 228 journals and monographs. This compilation involved 403 articles from 62 journals and 1 monograph, focusing on the new taxa and nomenclatural changes of higher plants in 2022.

Results: In 2022, China reported a total of 318 new taxa of higher plants, encompassing 12 new genera, 286 new species, 3 new subspecies, 10 new varieties, and 7 new forms. The recently described species fall into bryophytes (15 taxa), pteridophytes (28 species), gymnosperm (1 species), and angiosperms (362 taxa). Notably, 155 newly identified species have been published with detailed evidence covering molecular systematics, chromosomes, micromorphology, genome, etc. Among these, 92 species were considered as threatened according to IUCN standards. The majority of these discoveries originate from five southwestern provinces in China, namely Yunnan, Sichuan, Xizang, Guangxi, and Guizhou. Medog, a county-level unit, recorded the highest number of newly discovered species in 2022. Furthermore, 122 new combinations and 11 replacement names were transferred from other species. Additionally, 103 names were designated as synonyms for 76 taxa, while 4 names were re-accepted.

Conclusion: In 2022, China witnessed a net increase of 346 new taxa of higher plants, accounting for 0.89% of the total Chinese plant species. Additionally, 240 names of higher plants underwent changes, accounting for 0.62% of the total. These changes represented 1.5% of all Chinese plant names modified in 2022, encompassing both species additions and nomenclature treatments.

Aims: The aim of this paper is to summarize the world new taxa of extant Coleoptera in 2022, and to sort out the new species and new records in China separately.

Methods: By searching the relevant databases and related taxonomic journals, with the help of peer experts, 857 journal publications and 1 monograph were obtained and analyzed.

Results: In 2022, a total of 2,810 new taxa of extant Coleoptera globally, including 1 new subfamily, 2 new tribes, 3 new subtribes, 144 new genera, 48 new subgenera, 2,570 new species, and 42 new subspecies were observed. Additionally, 620 new combinations, 457 new synonyms, 39 upgradations, and 12 degradations were proposed. As China is the most biodiverse countries in the world of these new taxa, 8 new genera, 7 new subgenera, 480 new species, 9 new subspecies, 11 newly recorded genera, 1 newly recorded subgenus, 87 newly recorded species, and 1 newly recorded subspecies were recorded in China.

Conclusion: Yunnan and Xizang are hot regions for new species (subspecies) discovery in China, accounting for about 46% of the total published new species (subspecies). The new taxa for extant Coleoptera in 2022 is lower than it was in 2021, globally.

Aims:In order to outline the contributions and advances of Diptera taxonomy in China in 2020, we summarize the detailed information of the new taxa, species distribution, and publication cases.

Methods: Potential source articles were searched and identified from online resources. The Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Web of Science, Elsevier, Springer, and other related academic literature index databases were searched.

Results: Totally three new genera and 113 new species of Diptera were reported from China in 2020. We ranked the publications from different perspectives: the most newly described taxa were found in Drosophilidae (31 new species), Lauxaniidae (17 new species), and Chironomidae (17 new species); the regions with the greatest number of new taxa were Yunnan (43 new species), Xizang (19 new species or genera) and Sichuan (17 new species or genera); the journals with the most published new taxa are ZooKeys (30 new species or genera), Zootaxa (27 new species or genera) and Entomotaxonomia (22 new species or genera); The research groups that published the most new taxa are Hongwei Chen, Ding Yang, and Xinhua Wang.

Conclusion: Some progress has been made in the Chinese Diptera classification in 2020, however, gathering a deeper understanding of the dipteran taxonomy remains challenging due to the relatively short research history and insufficient and uneven research foundation. Diptera is a major order of insects, with about 150,000 described species and perhaps more than a quarter of a million species. According to our statistics, 113 new species were described in China last year, then it can be seen that the taxonomic research of Diptera in China has a long way to go. More professionals, more taxonomic group coverage, and wider international collaboration would contribute to the Chinese Diptera research to a higher level.

Aim: Since the 21st century, taxonomists have accelerated the discovery of new fungal species. The summary and analysis of the yearly new published names of fungi can reveal the research trend and existing problems for future development of mycology.

Method: The taxonomic data of newly published fungal names were retrieved and analyzed from the three recognized fungal name repositories of Fungal Names, Index Fungorum and MycoBank.

Results: In 2021, a total of 3,734 new fungal names were published all over the world, including 288 new higher taxa (i.e., 1 new phylum, 2 new classes and subclasses, 16 new orders and suborders, 36 new families, 233 new genera and subgenera), 2,551 new species and intraspecific taxa, 782 new combinations, 113 other new names. These new names belonged to 3 kingdoms, 13 phyla, 40 classes, 159 orders, 425 families and 1,165 genera, among which ascomycetes and agaricomycetes have received more attentions. There were 2,060 scholars worldwide participated in the new name publishing this year, reaching the historically highest annual number of authors. The newly published 2533 new fungal species were discovered from 101 countries and regions in the world. East and South Asia were the hottest spots of new species discovery, while China was the country with the highest number of new species discoveries (756 species), accounting for nearly 30% of the world’s total. Besides, Chinese scholars has made the most contributions in the word. Almost 380 Chinese scholars participated in the publications of 1,124 new fungal names in 2021, contributing about 30% of the world’s total.

Conclusion: Although the number of newly published fungal names declined from last year, but it still kept the increasing trends compared to the average number of last few years. The most concerned groups by researchers and localities of new species were similar with last year. A suggestion for the future taxonomic research of fungi is to continue to expand the research groups and field survey area.

Aims: Diptera is one of the most diverse insect groups in the world with the high economic and ecological significance. The aim of this study was to summarize the new taxa of Diptera from China published in 2021.

Methods: In this study, the taxonomic literature of Diptera from China published in 2021 were systematically collected and analyzed.

Results: In 2021, a total of 136 new taxa of Diptera from China were published, including 1 new genus and 135 new species. There are 41 new taxa recorded from China for the first time. All the new species and new records belong to 27 families. The taxa of greatest attention included Drosophilidae, Empididae, Chironomidae and Tipulidae by covering about 1/2 of 135 new species published in 2021, and 23 Chinese provincial-level administration areas contributed to new taxa and records. The number of new species from Yunnan was significantly higher than that in other regions, accounting for 1/3 of the total number of new species published in China. The 177 new taxa described this year were contributed by 150 authors, and totally 70 articles were published. Zootaxa, ZooKeys and Entomotaxonomia were the main publication journals for these descriptions.

Conclusion: In 2021, significant progress has been made in Diptera from China, while the research level of different areas and groups are still uneven, and more attention and support are needed in the future.

Aim: The order Hymenoptera encompasses rich biodiversity and provides essential ecosystem services. This study aims to catalogue and summarize new taxa of extant Hymenoptera based on published works in 2023.

Methods: We obtained and analyzed a total of 297 journal publications on the new taxa of extant Hymenoptera in 2023 by searching the available zoological databases.

Results: Across 297 journal articles, 957 new taxa were recognized, including 23 new genera, 7 new subgenera, 920 new species, 7 new subspecies, spanning 17 superfamilies, 51 families, and 313 genera. The superfamilies Ichneumonoidea, Apoidea, and Vespoidea display the highest number of new species, which accounts for approximately 31.1% (286/920), 19.8% (182/920), and 13.4% (123/920) of the total new species, respectively. In 2023, 57 journal articles detailing newly classified extant Hymenoptera taxa in China were published, comprising 151 new taxa. These include 4 new genera, 103 new species, as well as 2 newly recorded genera, 2 newly recorded subgenera and 40 newly recorded species. These taxa span 11 superfamilies, 26 families, and 62 genera. Notably, the superfamilies Ichneumonoidea, Chalcidoidea and Vespoidea account for the highest number of new species in Chinese extant Hymenoptera, contributing approximately 35.9% (37/103), 24.3% (25/103), and 17.5% (18/103) of the new Chinese species, respectively. Globally, Asia accounts for the highest number of newly described species with approximately 47.5% (437/920), and Southeast Asia leads the count at approximately 15.5% (143/920) of new species. At the national and regional administrative level, China contributed the highest number of new species, accounting for approximately 11.2% (103/920). Of the 297 articles published in 75 journals on the newly classified taxa of extant Hymenoptera, 295 were in English, 1 was in Chinese, and 1 in Spanish. Of these 297 articles, 295 reported the newly described species. In 2023, a total of 389 scholars contributed to naming Hymenoptera new species, including 69 scholars (17.7%) from China. Worldwide, 150 institutions preserved the holotypes of newly described Hymenoptera species, including 21 located in China, accounting for approximately 14.0% of the total.

Conclusion: Our results suggest China plays a key role in the global taxonomy of Hymenoptera.

Aim: Lepidoptera exhibits high diversity and has significant economic importance. Many species are pests, while others are beneficial or have high ornamental value. China has a vast territory, spanning both the Palearctic and the Oriental regions. The biota is complex and diverse, with many new species being described every year. The aim of this study is to summarize the new taxa of Lepidoptera recorded in China in 2023.

Methods: Information regarding new species, new synonyms, new combinations, and new record species for China was referred to from related taxonomic journals. The scientific names and type localities of the new species as well as other relevant information, were sorted out based on a total of 87 articles. The new taxa of Chinese Lepidoptera published by domestic and foreign researchers in 2023 were summarized.

Results: A total of 224 new taxa were recorded, including 10 new genera, 195 new species, and 19 new subspecies. Three genera and 96 species (including 19 subspecies) were newly recorded in China, and 40 new combinations and 52 synonyms were proposed. One species and one subspecies were each replaced with a new name, respectively. 13 species were downgraded to subspecies, and 18 subspecies were upgraded to species. A total of 214 new species and subspecies belong to 85 genera across 26 families in Lepidoptera, of which 120 new species belong to Microlepidoptera, 57 new species belong to Macrolepidoptera, and 18 new species and 19 new subspecies are butterflies.

Conclusions: The number of new species and new record species of Lepidoptera distributed in Yunnan Province in 2023 was still significantly higher than that in any other regions of China, accounting for 31.78% and 42.71% of the total published species in China, respectively. All the data show that the number of new species and new record species collected from southern China in 2023 are still significantly higher than that collected from northern China.

Aims: The aim of this paper is to summarize the new taxa of the world’s Coleoptera published by scholars around the world in 2023, and to sort out the new species and records in China separately.

Methods: A total of 881 journal publications or monographs were obtained by querying journals and databases related to the classification, as well as supplements from relevant experts.

Results: In 2023, a total of 2,397 new taxa of extant Coleoptera globally, including 5 new tribes, 3 new subtribes, 85 new genera, 60 new subgenera, 2,157 new species, and 87 new subspecies were observed. Additionally, 837 new combinations, 402 new synonyms, 85 upgradations, and 50 degradations were proposed. The country with the largest number of Coleoptera new taxa founded in the world is China, 16 new genera, 6 new subgenera, 388 new species, 6 new subspecies, 2 new record subfamily, 24 new record genera, 49 new record species, and 2 new record subspecies were recorded in China.

Conclusion: The hotspots for the discovery of new species (subspecies) in China are Yunnan and Sichuan, accounting for about 37.1% of the total published new species (subspecies). The total number of the new taxa of the world’s Coleoptera in 2023 is lower than it was in 2022.

Aims: The aim of this study is to summarize the new Diptera taxa from China published in 2022.

Methods: In this study, 75 journal publications on new Diptera taxa in 2022 from China were systematically collected and analyzed.

Results: In 2022, a total of 176 new taxa of Diptera from China were published, including 3 new genera and 173 new species, and 46 new taxa were newly recorded from China, including 2 subfamilies, 8 genera, 1 subgenus and 35 species. Additionally, 10 new synonyms and 1 new replacement names were proposed. Families with highest number of newly described species including Empididae, Tachinidae, Chironomidae, Drosophilidae and Phoridae account for 46% of all Diptera. Twenty-seven Chinese provincial-level administration areas contributed to new taxa and records. The number of new species from Yunnan was significantly higher than that in other regions, accounting for 1/3 of the total number of new species published in China. The number of newly recorded species in northern China is higher than that in southern China.

Conclusion: In 2022, some progress has been made in the field of Diptera in China, while the research areas and groups are still uneven, and more attention and support are needed in the future.

Aims: This study aims to compile and update information on China’s newly described taxa of Hemiptera and 28 other orders of Insecta (excluding Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera) from 2022 to 2023.

Methods: We summarized the list of type specimens and bibliographies for China’s newly described taxa of Hemiptera and 28 other insect orders during 2022-2023. The preservation locations of type specimens and the journals in which the new species were published were also analyzed.

Results: From 2022 to 2023, a total of 727 new taxa were published for Hemiptera and 28 other insect orders in China, comprising 668 new species/subspecies, 58 new genera and 1 new family. Among these, Hemiptera, Orthoptera, and Plecoptera were the top three orders with the highest number of new taxa. Specifically, Hemiptera had 252 new species, 22 new genera, and 1 new family; Orthoptera had 183 new species and 19 new genera; and Plecoptera included 54 new species and 1 new genus. No new taxa were reported for Mantophasmatodea, Zoraptera, Isoptera, and five other orders during this period. Based on an analysis of provincial administrative regions, hotspots for new taxa discovery were concentrated in Southwest China (Yunnan, Guizhou, Xizang and Sichuan), South China (Guangxi, Hainan and Guangdong), Central China (Hunan and Hubei), and Southeast China (Taiwan, Zhejiang, and Fujian). Yunnan led with 338 new species, representing 50.60% of the total, followed by Guangxi with 115 new species (17.22%), and Guizhou, Xizang, and Sichuan with 90, 88, and 79 new species, respectively. In total, 5,252 type specimens of the 668 new species and subspecies were deposited across 70 preservation facilities. Over 95% of holotypes and paratypes are preserved in 40 universities and 11 research institutions in China, while less than 5% of paratypes are deposited in 3 universities and 12 research institutions abroad. Type specimens are predominantly stored in universities, followed by research institutes and museums. These newly described taxa were published in 320 articles across 35 journals. Over 70% of these articles appeared in Zootaxa, ZooKeys and European Journal of Taxonomy. The Chinese journal Entomotaxonomiaaccounted for 4.69% of the articles, while Systematic Entomology and 24 other journals each published one relevant article.

Conclusion: This study provides a timely update on the biodiversity data of Hemiptera and 28 other insect orders in China for 2022-2023. It plays a crucial role in accelerating the development of data-sharing platforms and enhancing the understanding of insect biodiversity.

Aim: To summarize the new Diptera taxa from China published in 2023.

Method: We synthesized information from 52 journal publications from relevant databases and taxonomic journals on new Diptera taxa in 2023 from China.

Results: A total of 186 new taxa of Diptera from China published in 2023 including 2 new genera and 184 new species and 34 new taxa were recorded. These taxa included 2 subfamilies, 7 genera, and 25 species. Additionally, 5 new synonyms and 1 replacement name was proposed. Families with the highest number of newly described species include Drosophilidae, Empididae, Phoridae, Chironomidae, Tachinidae, and Tipulidae which account for 77% of all Diptera. Twenty-eight Chinese provincial-level administration areas contributed to new taxa and records. The number of new species from Yunnan was significantly higher than in other regions, accounting for more than 1/3 of the total number of new species published. Liaoning, Jilin, and Inner Mongolia were the main distribution areas for new species records.

Conclusion: The number of published papers decreased in 2023, but the discovery of new species and records continued to grow steadily. The locations where new species are found remain concentrated in hotspot regions.

Aim: To collate and report on new vertebrate taxa in China published in 2024.

Method: This paper summarizes the basic information about new vertebrate taxa in China from the academic literature published in 2024.

Results: In 2024, 133 new vertebrate taxa were recognized in China, including 97 new species, 24 new record species, and 7 subspecies elevated to species rank, in addition, 1 new subspecies was described, and 4 species were reinstated as valid. These taxa belong to 16 orders, 47 families, and 87 genera. Among them, there are 40 new species of fish; 30 species of amphibian, including 25 new species and 5 new record species; 43 species of reptile, including 28 new species and 10 new record species in China, in addition, plus 1 new subspecies and 4 reinstated valid species; 10 species of bird, including 6 subspecies elevated to species rank and 4 new record species; 10 species of mammal, including 4 new species, 5 new record species, and 1 subspecies elevated to species rank. Ectothermic vertebrates account 85% of new discoveries; most representative orders were Cypriniformes (28/40) for fish, Anura (26/30) for amphibians, Squamata (39/43) for reptiles, Passeriformes (8/10) for birds, and Eulipotyphla (5/10) for mammals. These 133 new vertebrate taxa were recorded across 34 provincial-level regions. Most species (115) were found in only one region, while Yunnan, Guangxi, Xizang, Guangdong, and Fujian were the top five regions, with 46, 25, 18, 18, and 13 species recorded, respectively. A total of 111 of these discovered taxa have been supported by molecular systematics. Most findings (126 taxa) were published in 28 academic journals, with 15 of which were published in 4 English journals and 9 of which were published in 3 Chinese journals in China.

Conclusion: This article provides essential baseline data for the classification and conservation of vertebrates in China. In addition, it highlights that ectothermic vertebrates are a major focus of current diversity research, and underscores the importance of an integrated taxonomic approach for future studies.

Aim: The order Hymenoptera has rich biodiversity and provides essential ecosystem services. This study aims to catalogue and summarize new taxa of extant Hymenoptera based on published works in 2022.

Methods: We obtained and analyzed a total of 360 journal publications on the new taxa of extant Hymenoptera in 2022 by researching the available zoological databases.

Results: Across 360 journal articles, 1,698 new taxa were identified, comprising 7 subfamilies, 53 new genera, 25 new subgenera, 808 new species, 6 new subspecies, 334 new synonyms, 241 new combinations, 76 new status, 14 new names, 5 revived synonyms, 71 revived combinations, 1 revived name and 57 revived status, spanning across 17 superfamilies, 77 families, and 446 genera. The superfamilies Apoidea, Ichneumonoidea, and Vespoidea displayed the highest number of new species, accounting for approximately 25.9% (209/808), 21.0% (170/808) and 18.1% (146/808) of the total new species, respectively. In 2022, 71 journal articles were published detailing newly classified extant Hymenoptera taxa in China, comprising 165 new taxa. These include 5 new genera, 126 new species, as well as 4 newly recorded genera and 30 newly recorded species, spanning across 13 superfamilies, 31 families, and 83 genera. Notably, the superfamilies Ichneumonoidea, Tenthredinoidea, and Chalcidoidea accounted for the highest number of new species in Chinese extant Hymenoptera, contributing approximately 20.6% (26/126), 19.0% (24/126) and 17.5% (22/126) of the overall new Chinese species total, respectively. Globally, Asia accounted for the highest number of newly described species, approximately 55.9% (452/808), with East Asia leading the count at approximately 20.7% (167/808) of new species. At the national and regional administrative level, China contributed the highest number of new species, approximately 15.6% (126/808) of the total. Of the 360 articles published in 85 journals on the newly classified taxa of extant Hymenoptera, 353 were in English, 5 were in Chinese, 1 in French and 1 in Spainish. Among those, 314 articles from 79 journals reported the newly described species. In 2022, a total of 412 scholars contributed to naming Hymenoptera new species, with 76 scholars (18.4%) from China. Worldwide, 167 institutions preserved the holotypes of newly described Hymenoptera species, with 19 of them located in China, representing approximately 11.4% of the total.

Conclusion: These results indicate that China plays a key positive role in the global taxonomy of Hymenoptera.

Aims: The compilation of authoritative biodiversity catalogs is of great significance for biodiversity research, resource protection, as well as social and economic development. In the era of rapid development and progress on scientific research, a large number of new species and new distribution records are reported every year. It is very important to summarize the discoveries of new taxa and update the species checklist in time.

Methods: The taxonomic data of newly published fungal names were retrieved and analyzed from the Fungal Names nomenclatural repository.

Results: In 2022, 1,948 scholars have published 4,679 new fungal names all over the world, including 4 new orders, 25 new families, 271 new genera and subgenera, 2,782 new species and intraspecific taxa, 1,433 new combinations, 16 replacement names and 148 invalid or illegitimate names. These new names belonged to 3 kingdoms, namely Fungi, Chromista and Protozoa, 12 phyla, 38 classes, 139 orders, 407 families and 1,205 genera, among which micro-ascomycetes and agaricomycetes have received more attentions. The newly published 2,664 fungal species were discovered from 103 countries and regions in the world. East and southeast Asia were the hottest spots of new species discovery, while China retained the top country for yearly new species discoveries (1,102 species), accounting for 41.37% of the world’s total. Besides, Chinese scholars led the world in research outputs on fungal taxonomy this year. There were 519 Chinese scholars participated in the publications of 1,814 new fungal names, contributing nearly 40% of the world’s total.

Conclusion: After a slight decline in 2021, the number of globally published new fungal names has rebounded to more than 4,500. Although cross-regional communication and collection have been reduced, scholars paid more attention to mining domestic and local resources. For the contribution of Chinese scholars, they have participated in 40% of the taxonomic outputs in 2022, which has significantly increased than last year. With the rapid development of fungal taxonomy, it is equally important to improve the quality of taxonomic research. It is suggested that the new authors should pay more attention to learning and understanding of the nomenclature code to avoid publication of invalid or illegal names.