INTRASPECIFIC VARIABILITY OF MELASIS BUPRESTOIDES (LINNAEUS, 1761) CHALLENGES THE VALIDITY OF MELASIS FERMINI SANCHEZ-RUIZ AND ROSA, 2003 (COLEOPTERA: EUCNEMIDAE)

摘要

A study of the variation in morphology and color showed that all characters used for defining Melasis fermini Sanchez-Ruiz and Rosa, 2003 fall within the range of variation found in Melasis buprestoides (Linnaeus, 1761). In addition, small specimens of M. buprestoides with red elytra agreed with large dark ones in their DNA barcodes. As both forms could be reared from the same source wood as well, it is clear that they cannot be regarded as two different species. Consequently, we regard M. fermini to be a junior subjective synonym of M. buprestoides.