Morphostenophanes birmanicus ( Kaszab, 1980 )

Zhou, De-Yao, 2020, A revision of the genus Morphostenophanes Pic, 1925 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Stenochiinae, Cnodalonini), Zootaxa 4769 (1), pp. 1-81 : 46-47

Morphostenophanes birmanicus ( Kaszab, 1980) ṀḦẎȐAEƤ

( Figs. 27 A–E; 31C, H, M, R; 32C, M–O; 33C, I)

Promorphostenophanes atavus birmanicus Kaszab, 1980: 219 (type locality: Shan states, Myammar); synonymized by Masumoto & Bečvář 2008: 210; Gao & Ren, 2009: 307 (in introduction).

Promorphostenophanes koyamai Masumoto, 1990: 228 , fig. 1–3; Gao & Ren, 2009: 307 (in introduction); synonymized by Masumoto & Bečvář 2008: 210.

Morphostenophanes birmanicus ( Kaszab, 1980) : Masumoto & Bečvář 2008: 210, fig. 6; Gao & Ren, 2009: 308 (in introduc- tion).

Type material examined. Paratype of Promorphostenophanes koyamai labelled: THAILAND CHiang Mai Fang , 24.VIII.1989 leg. K. Masumoto [handwritten in white label] // Paratype Promorphostenophanes komiyai [sic!] MA- SUMOTO [handwritten in pink label with underlines] (male, HNHM, examined through five photographs taken by Tamás Németh, sent by Ottó Merkl, Fig. 27D ) .

Additional material examined. CHINA: Yunnan: 1♂ ( MYNU), Pu’er City, Lancang County, Zhutang Coun- try, Cizhuhe Village , Xiaolushan , 22°45’31.78” N, 99°42’23.72” E, 2180 m, 2017.i.30, Hao Xu & Jian-Yue Qiu ; 1♂ ( MYNU, a sample of muscle tissue was preserved in 99.7% ethanol at –18 °C in CZDY), Pu’er City, Lancang County, Zhutang Country , Cizhuhe Village , Xiaolushan , 22°45’31.78” N, 99°42’23.72” E, 2180 m, larva 2017.i.30, adult emerged 2017.v, Hao Xu & Jian-Yue Qiu .

Comparative notes. M or phostenophanes birmanicus is closely related to M. lincangensis , M. bannaensis and M. vietnamicus , but can be easily distinguished from the related species by its unmodified pro- and mesotibiae, elytra with bronze metallic luster, elytral intervals evenly convex, elytral apex distinctly furcate.

Comments. This species was originally treated as a subspecies of Promorphostenophanes atavus by Kaszab (1980) with a very brief description. Later, it was elevated to species rank ( Masumoto & Bečvář 2008). In 1990, Ma- sumoto described a new species from north Thailand named P. koyamai , which was later placed as a junior synonym of M. birmanicus by Masumoto & Bečvář (2008). Thanks to this little ‘episode’, M. birmanicus was redescribed in detail, and compared with M. atavus . In the present study, the author examined one male paratype of M. koyamai through photos taken from dorsal, lateral and ventral views. M. birmanicus is herewith recorded from China as a northernmost part of distribution. It was observed by the author that specimens from China and Thailand are almost identical.

Distribution. ( Map 1 ) CHINA: Yunnan (new country record), MYANMAR, THAILAND.

Figures

Map 1. Distribution of the Morphostenophanes species. A. Enlargement of Central and Western Yunnan Province.

FIGURE 27. Habitus of male Morphostenophanes birmanicus (Kaszab) from Yunnan, China in dorsal (A), ventral (B) and lateral view (C). paratype of M. koyamai (Masumoto) in dorsal view (D) with labels (E). Scale bars of A–C = 5 mm; D, E not to scale.