Colasia Koch, 1965

Bai, Xing-Long, Liu, Jing-Ze & Ren, Guo-Dong, 2023, Revision of the genus Colasia Koch, 1965 (= Belousovia Medvedev, 2007, syn. nov.) (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Blaptini), ZooKeys 1161, pp. 143-167 : 143

Genus Colasia Koch, 1965

Colasia Koch, 1965: 131; Medvedev 2001: 95; Löbl et al. 2008: 231; Ren et al. 2016: 333; Nabozhenko and Chigray 2020: 285; Bouchard et al. 2021: 44. Type species: Colasia akisoides Koch, 1965, by monotypy.

Belousovia Medvedev, 2007: 157; Ren et al. 2016: 328; Nabozhenko and Chigray 2020: 285; Bouchard et al. 2021: 44. Syn. nov. Type species: Belousovia helenae Medvedev, 2007, by original designation.

Remarks.

After the examination of types of the genera Belousovia and Colasia , and also additional materials, we propose the genus Belousovia Medvedev, 2007 as a junior synonym of the genus Colasia Koch, 1965.

Firstly, in male legs: after the re-examination of the types of Colasia akisoides , apical part of metatibiae with a row of setae on the inner side (Fig. 5G, G '; not mentioned in the original description by Koch 1965), although less dense than Belousovia species (Fig. 19G, G '), but dense enough compared to materials from Western Guizhou, and Western Yunnan (Figs 6G, G ', 20; a few setae present only); ventral surface of tarsal segments with hairy tuft at apex (Fig. 5E, F, H ). As emphasized by Medvedev (2007), the degree of development of the setae on ventral surface of pro- and mesotarsomeres of the male, and the setae on the inner side of tibiae steadily characterizes morphological distinctiveness of separate genera in the subtribe Gnaptorinina . However, Medvedev is sometimes a little over-dependent on the degree of development of the setae ( Medvedev 2009), and this has been questioned by the molecular evidence ( Li et al. 2021). Moreover, acquired activities can also damage setae. Thus, the first and the most important evidence presented by Medvedev (2007) is untenable. Secondly, in head capsule, and in appearance: setae on labrum and maxillary palpi, size and shape of eyes, shape of pronotum, and coloration of body are common characters, they may be distinct in separate genera, but are also variable between different species within a genus. Besides, the author is a bit exaggerates the differences between the genera Belousovia and Colasia , as the pictures presented in the publication ( Medvedev 2007). Lastly, the female genital tubes can indeed be used to separate genera, as the author used in the diagnosis ( Medvedev 2007), but is not a decisive character. Therefore, the last three distinctions observed by Medvedev are perhaps not enough to distinguish the genera Belousovia and Colasia .

Figures

Figure 5. Characters of Colasia akisoides Koch, male, lectotype A head B antenna C pronotum D protibia E protarsus F mesotarsus (mesotarsomeres III-V are missing) G metatibia G ' distal part of metatibia H metatarsus I, J aedeagus in dorsal and lateral view, respectively. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Figure 6. Characters of Colasia bijica sp. nov., male, holotype A head B antenna C pronotum D protibia E protarsus F mesotarsus G metatibia G ' distal part of metatibia H metatarsus I, J aedeagus in dorsal and lateral view, respectively. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Figure 19. Characters of Colasia kabaki kabaki (Medvedev) (male) A head B antenna C pronotum D protibia E protarsus F mesotarsus G metatibia G ' distal part of metatibia H metatarsus I, J aedeagus in dorsal and lateral view, respectively. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.