Morphostenophanes jendeki similis Masumoto, 1998

Zhou, De-Yao, 2020, A revision of the genus Morphostenophanes Pic, 1925 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Stenochiinae, Cnodalonini), Zootaxa 4769 (1), pp. 1-81 : 67

Morphostenophanes jendeki similis Masumoto, 1998 KOEẎȐAEƤAEAEƜdzď

Morphostenophanes jendeki similis Masumoto, 1998: 308 (type locality: Jizu Mountain, Yunnan, China), fig. 3, 18–20; Löbl et al. 2008: 344; Gao & Ren 2009: 313 .

Material examined. None.

Comments on type material. The entire type series of Morphostenophanes jendeki similis was from Jizu Mountain . Based on the author’s correspondence with Kimio Masumoto, the type series is still in the collection of Stanislav Bečvář , and according to the original publication should be transferred and deposited in NMP (= NMNHP) in the future. Unfortunately, the type series was unavailable for study because the author failed to contact Stanislav Bečvář.

Comments. Morphostenophanes jendeki similis is very similar to the nominate subspecies. According to the original description ( Masumoto, 1998), they share similar body color, body size, aspect ratio of pronotum and elytra, antennae, and aedeagus. However, compared with M. jendeki jendeki , M. jendeki similis has ‘more noticeably punctate’ head, less dilated genae and tempora; ‘less densely punctate’ pronotum, ‘a pair of round impressions slightly before the middle’ of pronotum, less produced lateral margins of pronotum; and ‘more noticeably wrinkled’ elytra ( Masumoto 1998). The above-mentioned differences can be noticed from the photos in the original publication, and are still considered here as main diagnostic characters. However, considering the whole genus, the differences between these two subspecies are quite vague, and some character states might be unstable within the population (as in the case of M. yunnanus ). At least the shape of male pronotum in M. jendeki jendeki is here attested to be variable (see comments of M. jendeki jendeki ). Moreover, as continuous high altitude ranging from about 2000 meters to over 3500 meters (see Map 3) connects habitats of the two subspecies, potential gene flow might exist between these two populations, and specimens with transitional characters may be found in these mountains. If so, M. jendeki similis will be synonymized with M. jendeki in the future.

Distribution. ( Map 1 , 3) CHINA: Yunnan.

Figures

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