The first Asian species of Polycaon Castelnau, and a new montane species of Melalgus Dejean from China (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae: Polycaoninae)
Author
Liu, Lan-Yu
Department of Science Communication, National Pingtung University- Pingshi Campus, No. 1, Linsen Rd, Pingtung City, Pingtung County 90049, Taiwan
Author
Beaver, Roger A.
161 / 2 Mu 5, Soi Wat Pranon, T. Donkaew, A. Maerim, Chiangmai 50180, Thailand
text
Zootaxa
2023
2023-07-10
5315
3
271
281
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5315.3.5
journal article
58478
10.11646/zootaxa.5315.3.5
27c8db3e-eaa9-4a88-a65c-0a4d99a18c0a
1175-5326
8130647
3B99C8B1-72B1-4D90-86EE-11EC31FD95AA
Melalgus batillus
(
Lesne, 1902
)
Heterarthron batillum
Lesne, 1902: 223
.
Melalgus batillus
(Lesne)
:
Rai, 1967: 22
.
Heterarthron talpula
Lesne, 1911: 47
. Synonymy:
Borowski & Węgrzynowicz, 2012: 439
.
Melalgus japonicum
[sic]
Chûjô, 1973: 10
.
syn. n.
Taxonomy.
The male
holotype
of
M. batillus
(MNHN)
has been examined by LYL, and we have examined further specimens of both sexes from
China
(
Hong Kong
, Zhejiang).
Melalgus japonicum
[
sic
] Chûjô was described from a single male in a very brief paper in Japanese (
Chûjô 1973
). He compared the species with
M. batillus
, noting differences in the head, mentum and elytra without specifying what the differences were. The paper was overlooked by
Borowski & Węgrzynowicz (2007)
, as noted by
Ivie (2010)
, and the species omitted from the treatment of the genus by
Borowski & Węgrzynowicz (2012)
. The
holotype
was redescribed and illustrated by
Yoshitomi (2021)
, together with further specimens of both sexes from
Japan
. It is evident from
Yoshitomi’s (2021)
excellent description, photographs, and illustrations of the male genitalia, that the species falls within the range of intraspecific variation of
M. batillus
, a species which is rather variable in size and details of morphology.Accordingly, we here synonymise
M. japonicus
with
M. batillus
.
New record.
CHINA
:
Hong Kong
,
Fu Tei
BBQ
Area
, 22.40577[N], 113.98865[E],
139m
,
21‒28.iv.2022
, FIT Vane, MTH[amer]/MR[Liang], FTB2V1–3 (
1 female
)
.
Distribution.
China
(
Hainan
,
Hong Kong
, Zhejiang),
India
(
Assam
),
Japan
,
Vietnam
.
Biology.
Beeson & Bhatia (1937)
obtained adults in March from the cut branch wood of
Vatica lanceifolia
(Roxburgh) Blume
(
Dipterocarpaceae
).