Morphostenophanes papillatus Kaszab 1941
Creators: name: Zhou, De-Yao
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Tenebrionidae
Morphostenophanes
Morphostenophanes papillatus

description: Morphostenophanes papillatus Kaszab, 1941 ǾÜẎȐAEƤ
(Figs. 10 A–D; 16K, O; 17E, J; 18F; 19A–C, U; 20F, Q)
Morphostenophanes papillatus Kaszab, 1941: 11 (type locality: Giufuschan, Grenze Tibet [=Jinfoshan, Chongqing, China]), fig. 4; Ando & Ren 2006: 90; Masumoto & Bečvář 2008 (in key): 206; Löbl et al. 2008: 344; Gao & Ren 2009: 8–15, 42 (partly identified).
Material examined (7♂♂, 9♀♀). CHINA: Chongqing: 1♀ (CZDY), Mount Simian Nature Reserve, 28°35’13.87”N, 106°22’15.79”E, 1033m, 2018.viii.15, De-Yao Zhou; 1♀ (CQL), Simianshan Nature Reserve, Feilong Temple, 2017.vii.7–11, Yi Zhang; 1♀ (CBNX), Simianshan Nature Reserve, 1000 m, 2017.v.1, Qiao-Qiao Liu; 1♀ (MYNU), Simianshan Nature Reserve, 2016.vi.3, Hong-Mei Lou; 1♀ (MYNU), Simianshan Nature Re- serve, Feilong Temple, 1000 m, 2014.iv.26, Hao Xu; 1♀ (MYNU), Simianshan Nature Reserve, Dawopu, 2013. vii.24, Hao Xu & Jian-Yue Qiu; 1♂ (CBWX), Simianshan Nature Reserve, Dawopu, 2008.ix.8, Xiao-Dong Yang; 2♂♂, 1♀ (MYNU), Simianshan Nature Reserve, Dawopu, 2014.vii.28, Hao Xu & Jian-Yue Qiu. Guizhou: 1♂ (CZDY), Xishui Nature Reserve, Sanchahe, 890 m, pupa in rotten word 2015.vii.12, adult merged 2015.viii, De- Yao Zhou; 1♀ (CLRY), Zunyi City, Mount Jinding, 1100m, without date, Run-Yu Li; 1♂, 1♀ (MYNU), Zunyi City, Dabanshui forest park, 2100 m, Run-Yu Li. Sichuan: 1♂ (MYNU), Luzhou City, Gulin County, Honglonghu Park, 2012.viii.18, Lu Qiu. Yunnan: 1♂ (CZDY), Shaotong City, Weixing County, back hill near Ba’erlin, ca. 1350 m, 2018.ix, native collector.
Comparative notes. Morphostenophanes papillatus is distinguished from congeners by the rows of strongly inflated tubercles on the elytra. It is also distinguishable by its extremely convex body and nearly straight pro- and mesotibiae. Alhough M. papillatus has exaggerated elytral tubercles different from other congeners, other character states (cephalic impressions, elytra widest behind middle, with encircled and merely interrupted segments of elytral striae, impressions on sternites III and IV) undoubtedly place it within the aenescens -group. Similar bronze body color suggest possible close relationship to M. luoxiaoshanus and M. curvitibialis.
Comments. Until now, all known specimens of this species were from Dalou Mountain, except one male examined by Gao & Ren (2009), which is from Fanjing Mountain, a part of Wuling Mountains. This specimen has less convex elytral tubercles, and narrower pronotum, which is different from those from Dalou Mountains. Therefore it is considered here as an uncertain identification. More specimens from Wuling Mountains are required for a reliable identification.
Distribution. (Map 1) CHINA: Chongqing, Guizhou, Sichuan (new province record), Yunnan (new province record).
description: Published as part of Zhou, De-Yao, 2020, A revision of the genus Morphostenophanes Pic, 1925 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Stenochiinae, Cnodalonini), pp. 1-81 in Zootaxa 4769 (1) on pages 21-22, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4769.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3797078