Scolytoplatypus sinensis Tsai & Huang, 1965, revised status

Liao 1, Song, Lai *, Shengchang, Beaver, Roger A., Gebhardt, Heiko & Wang, Jianguo, 2022, New species and new records of Scolytoplatypus Schaufuss (Curculionidae, Scolytinae) from China, and resurrection of Scolytoplatypus sinensis (Tsai & Huang, 1965) as a distinct species, ZooKeys 1082, pp. 27-50 : 27

Scolytoplatypus sinensis Tsai & Huang, 1965, revised status

Figure 4

Scolytoplatypus sinensis Tsai & Huang, 1965: 121.

Taxonomy.

This species has been considered to be a synonym of S. mikado Blandford ( Wood 1989; Beaver and Gebhardt 2006). Having now examined a larger number of specimens from various provinces of China (including Taiwan), we believe it to be a distinct species. Park (2016) in an unpublished thesis came to the same conclusion based on morphology and DNA differences, but has not officially published his results. Therefore, we resurrect the species here. The species was previously recorded from China (Fujian, Sichuan), Korea and Taiwan ( Tsai and Huang 1965; Park 2016). Park (2016) also includes Japan, but we have seen no specimens from that country, nor any published records.

Material examined.

China: Jiangxi, Ganzhou, Longnan , Jiulanshan Mtn Nat. Res. , 24.622N, 114.564E, 440 m, 17.v.2018, Lai, S-C. (1m, 1f RAB); 5 males 5 females (JXAU) as previous except: Chongyi County, Yangmingshan Forest Park , 25°33'56"N, 114°20'18"E, 10.VII.2021, log dissection, Cinnamomum cassia Presl, Ye Xu leg. ; China: Yunnan, Honghe, Hani Yi Auton , Pref. , Jinping Co., 22.78N, 103.23E, 30.vii.2019, A-Hong-chang, Duan-bo (1m, 1f RAB) ; China: Zhejiang, Gutianshan Nat. N. Res. , 29°8'18"- 29°17'29"N, 118°2'14"- 118°11'12"E. CSP 21-SE5, 2009, [no collector] (1f RAB); as previous except: 29°25'N, 118°12'E, 402 m, CSP 13-SE4, 2010 (1m RAB); 7 males, 7 females (JXAU) China: Fujian Province, Zhangzhou City, Yunxiao County, Wushan , 23°55'20"N, 117°11'31"E, ca 740 m, 15.VII.2019, log dissection, Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl, Song Liao, Ling Zhang & Shengchang Lai leg. ; 14 males, 20 females (JXAU) China: Chongqing, Wushan County, Luoping Town , 31°12'23"N, 110°05'18"E, 21.VIII.2016, log dissection, host unclear, Shang Tian leg. ; 43 males, 27 females (JXAU) China: Sichuan Province, Xichang City, Leibo County, Mahu Township , 28°24'54"N, 103°46'16"E, ca 1088 m, 5.VIII.2021, log dissection, C. camphora , Song Liao leg.

Distribution.

China (Chongqing, Fujian, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang)

Remarks.

The characters given by Tsai and Huang (1965) to distinguish the species from S. mikado are not entirely reliable, showing some degree of intraspecific variation, and their figures can be misleading. The male of S. sinensis can be distinguished from S. mikado by the following characters ( S. sinensis given first): Prosternum strongly humped anteriorly when viewed from below vs. anterior part of prosternum almost flat or weakly raised, never strongly humped; anterior processes of prosternum directed forwards, diverging by up to 60° vs. anterior processes directed more laterally, diverging at an angle of 60-120°; procoxae with a dense brush of 15-20 long, erect setae anteriorly near the inner margin vs. procoxae with only a few (4-7) long, erect setae anteriorly; smaller size, male 3.0-3.2 mm long vs. male 3.3-3.6 mm long. It has not been possible to find characters which will reliably separate the females of the two species if they are not collected in association with males. The suggestion of Tsai and Huang (1965) that there is a difference in the position of the mycangial pore on the dorsal surface of the pronotum is not borne out by the examination of numerous specimens of both species.

Hosts.

Alnus cremastogyne Burk. ( Betulaceae ), Amygdalus davidiana (Carr.) C. de Vos ( Rosaceae ), Phoebe zhennan S.K. Lee & F.N.Wei ( Lauraceae ), Theaceae ( Tsai and Huang 1965). Cinnamomum camphora and C. cassia ( Lauraceae ) are newly recorded hosts.

Figures

Figure 4. Scolytoplatypus sinensis (A, C-F male B, G, H female) A dorsal view B dorsal view C ventral view D lateral view E prosternum F head anterior view G ventral view H lateral view.