The spider genus Argiope Audouin, 1826, comprises 88 species worldwide, including 23 species occurring in China. Two Argiope species were collected by the spider survey on Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon National Nature Reserve, Xizang, southwest China, conducted in 2023. Two species of the orb-weaver spider genus Argiope from Xizang, China are described, including a new species, A. beibeng Mi & Wang, sp. nov. (♂♀) and a known species, A. caesarea Thorell, 1897 (♂♀). The unknown male of A. caesarea is described for the first time.

Lycodon gammiei (Blanford, 1878), a rarely encountered species of Asian snake, is characterized by ambiguous systematics and biology. Based on a sole specimen of L. gammiei rediscovered in southeastern Xizang, China, we conduct a detailed morphological examination and description, and investigate the systematic position of this species. Morphologically, the newly collected specimen is closely aligned with specimens previously described. Mitochondrial DNA-based phylogenetic analyses reveal that L. gammiei constitutes an independent evolutionary lineage, forming a clade with L. fasciatus (Anderson, 1879), L. gongshan Vogel & Luo, 2011, L. butleri Boulenger, 1900, and L. cavernicolus Grismer, Quah, Anuar, Muin, Wood & Nor, 2014. The closest genetic distance between L. gammiei and its congeners was 10.2%. The discovery of L. gammiei in Medog County, China, signifies an eastward expansion of its known geographical distribution.

Knowledge of the mechanisms of species coexistence is crucial for biodiversity conservation. The tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus), alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster), and Chinese serow (Capricornis milneedwardsii) are all found in alpine ecosystems in Tibet, China. To investigate how these sympatric species achieve stable coexistence, we compared species distribution models and diurnal activity rhythms to analyze their spatial and temporal niche characteristics based on data collected from 186 camera traps set in Changdu prefecture. The results indicate he following: (1) In Changdu, the total area of suitable habitats for tufted deer, alpine musk deer and Chinese serow are 14,968 km², 41,909 km², and 36,954 km², respectively. These areas represent approximately 13.62%, 38.14%, and 33.63% of the study area, respectively. (2) The total overlapping area of suitable habitats between tufted deer and alpine musk deer is 5102 km². The total overlapping area of suitable habitats between tufted deer and Chinese serow is 6483 km². Additionally, the total overlapping area of suitable habitats between alpine musk deer and Chinese serow amounts to 26,869 km². (3) The overlap index for daily activity rhythms between tufted deer and alpine musk deer is 0.88—this difference is statistically significant (p < 0.001). Similarly, the overlap index for daily activity rhythms between tufted deer and Chinese serow is 0.82—also significantly different (p < 0.001). Lastly, the overlap index for daily activity rhythms between alpine musk deer and Chinese serow is 0.76—again showing a significant difference (p < 0.001). The results provide valuable insight into conservation strategies aimed at preserving populations and habitats of tufted deer, alpine musk deer, and Chinese serow while contributing to a deeper understanding of resource partitioning mechanisms as well as population dynamics among coexisting species.

Balanophora xinfeniae C.L.Fu, M.Li & B.Xu, a new species discovered in Xizang, China, is described and illustrated here. Molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological comparisons strongly support B. xinfeniae as a new species within the genus Balanophora . The most distinctive characteristic of the new species is its dioecious sexual system, with male flowers having a 3-lobed perianth, opposite leaves with serrated tips, and yellow scapes. Although it shares morphological similarities with B. henryi , B. xinfeniae can be distinguished by its flat spheroid tubers without stellate lenticels, yellow scape, prominently serrated apical leaf margins, and nearly spherical or ovoid-ellipsoid female inflorescences.

The genus Soriculus (Soricidae, Eulipotyphla) currently comprises five recognized species, predominantly distributed in the Himalayas and the Gaoligong Mountains. During our survey of small mammals in Medog County, Tibet, China, 11 Soriculus specimens were collected. In this study, we conducted phylogenetic analyses of the genus using one mitochondrial gene ( Cytb ) and three nuclear genes ( BRCA1 , APOB , and RAG2 ) to assess the phylogenetic relationships of these specimens. The morphology of the 11 specimens was compared with other species within the genus. Our results demonstrate that these specimens represent a new species, Soriculus dexingensis sp. nov. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that S. dexingensis sp. nov. forms a distinct sister clade to S. medogensis , and the Kimura 2-Parameter (K2P) distances between all known species of Soriculus ranged from 0.111 to 0.187, indicating interspecific divergence. Morphologically, the new species is distinguished by a relatively longer tail and a significantly higher TL/HB ratio. The discovery of S. dexingensis sp. nov. in Medog County suggests that the diversity of Soriculus species remains underestimated. Further biodiversity surveys of small mammals across the Himalayan region are warranted.

Ceropegia setuligera, a new species from Mêdog, Xizang, China, is described and illustrated. This new species is morphologically similar to C. pubescens and C. hookeri, but can be distinguished by its indumentum, swollen internodes of lateral branches, the size of the corolla, and the shapes of the corolla lobes and staminal corona lobes. Phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear ribosomal DNA region (nrITS) and four plastid markers (trnL-trnF, trnS-trnG, psbA-trnH and rps16) support the placement of C. setuligera within C. sect. Chionopegia, and recovered it as sister to C. pubescens. A comparative table and illustrations of the morphologically similar species are provided.