Rhopalopsole trichotoma Yang & Du 2021

Rhopalopsole trichotoma Yang & Du, 2021 Figs. 2–4 Rhopalopsole trichotoma Yang & Du, 2021. In: Yang et al. 2021: 146. Type locality: China: Fujian Province, Wuyi Mountain. Material examined: 2 males, China, Fujian Province, Mt. Wuyi, 2021-III-19, leg. Huo Qing-Bo and Zhu Bin-Qing (ICYZU). Distribution: China (Fujian) Remarks and Conclusion: If Luo et al. (2022) had checked the specimens of R. basinigra collected from Wuyi Mountains, they likely would not have regarded R. trichotoma as a synonym of this species (Fig. 3). Fortunately, we have recently collected specimens of R. basinigra from Wuyi Mountains. The figures of R. basinigra are presented below (Fig. 1) and can be clearly distinguished from R. trichotoma by (1) sternum 9 has two lines strongly sclerotized apically (Fig. 1C); (2) tergum 9 bears a bottle-like and strongly sclerotized structure medially (Figs. 1A–B); (3) tergum 10 bearing a large, strongly sclerotized central plate (Fig. 1A). Conversely, in R. trichotoma (1) sternum 9 lacks the two strongly sclerotized apical lines (Figs. 2C, 3C); (2) tergum 9 bears an oval structure medially (Figs. 2A, 3A); (3) tergum 10 bears a large central plate irregularly covered with sensilla basiconica patch in two oval, lightly sclerotized posteromedial areas (Figs. 2A–B, 3A–B). The shape of the transverse plates and lateral projections also bear some differences between these two species. The genetic distance data and phylogenetic analyses also provide ample evidence that R. trichotoma and R. basinigra are not the same species (Table 1, Fig. 4). The interspecific genetic distance value of the mtCOI gene sequence between R. trichotoma and the two R. basinigra individuals is 6.5% and 6.2%. The value is more than the commonly used 2% for species delimitation with DNA barcoding (Zhou et al. 2009). The Maximum likelihood (ML) tree (Fig. 4) shows R. basinigra KY 304496 and R. basinigra KY 304497 supported by a high bootstrap value (98%), but neither is grouped individually with R. trichotoma. Overall, based on morphological characteristics and molecular evidence, we determined that R. trichotoma Yang & Du, 2021 is a valid species.