A Monographic Study of the Lepturine Genus Pidonia Mulsant (1863) with special reference to the ecological distribution and phylogenetical relation : Part IV

The present author would like to investigate in the present research, a monographic revision of the Lepturine genus Pidonia Mulsant, in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera. 1. From 1938, as a result of repetition of his observation and collecting in field in many localities of Japan, the present author distinguished almost all "Forms" by comparative morphological technics at first and the actual and correct, sexual couple, male and female of each form was decided by his repeated observation of mating material. 2. Thus distinguished "Forms" were as well as possible directly compared with the original type specimens of the previously described "Forms", refering all the published works related to the genus and species and numerous "Forms" were decided their correct scientific names and still uncertain "Forms" which did not be given the previously known names were described as new species, new subspecies & so on. 3. After he pointed out that the elytral black and yellow maculations appeared in every species were resulted by the certain varied derections from an imagined original markings being common in Pidonia species which was herein designated, the present author wished to recognize the elytral markings were one of the important characteristic and to especially call an attention to prothorax, maxillary palpi, male genitalia and the fifth abdominal sternites, for grouping the specific groups to gather the closely allied ones each other and for separating the subgenera by the members having strongly differences each other. 4. As a result of his observation in field, the correlations between seasons of appearance and activities of beetles and changes of their inhabited altitudes and the correct geographical distribution of each species were clarified. Then the imagined "Solid distribution pattern" of each species was led from the said data. The data was written and drawn in the graphs and distribution maps. Further, the accurate rankings of "Species", "Subspecies" and "Form" were so decided with the special reference to the completed graphs and maps of each forms and whether it showed distinct differences on morphological features or scarce. 5. The European and Noth American species were added on the species from East Asia which were such treated as the above-mentioned method. All the members of Pidonia at the present are counted 47 species and 12 subspecies, divided into four subgenera, in which 2 species, 2 subspecies, 8 forms and one subgenus are newly described herein. Further numerous new synonymies aud systematic combinations are also proposed, along with one new name given for a homonym. Elytral markings, maxillary palpi, shapes of prothorax, male genitalia and entire figures of each species are also illustrated in plates. 6. As a result of his discussion on geographical distributions separately in each region, such as Europe, Asia and North America, the distribution of the present genus, Pidonia was pointed out to correctly correspond to the ones drawn by the elements of the distribution belt II proposed by the present author, and there were found discontinuations on distribution, each between Europe and Asia, and also between western and eastern parts of North America at their centers, respectively. In North America, it was imagined by the valuable discovery of the fossil species from Colorado where no recent Pidonia material has been reported, the distribution pattern of Pidonia, or the representatives of the distribution belt II should have once been in the form of a continuous transverse belt from the Pacific to the Atlantic in temperate region, crossing the continent, and also there should have been certain relations between North American species and European or Asian species, as far as the knowledge on certain close affinities among some recent species. Judging from the such situations that notwithstanding there are abandant in species and groups in Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, there are very much scarce in numbers in Hokkaido, the ancestors of the recent species of Japanese Pidonia should enlarge their distribution patterns not from, north, but from north west from the continent when Japan was a part of eastern coast of old Asian continent. Without some exceptions, such as Pidonia (Omphalodera) puziloi Solsky and Pidonia (Mumon) debilis Kraatz having very broad distribution patterns and should be imagined young species, in Japan there are found interesting facts showing that the species having southern distribution patterns have wider distribution patterns than the species closely allied to the former and having northern distribution patterns. Further certain small divisions on geographical distribution in Japan (Honshu, so far south western part) should be possibly imagined which corresponded to Tohoku district, Fuji volcanic mountainous region, Central mountainous region, Kinki, Chugoku (excl. the inland sea region), Shikoku (also excl. the inland sea regions) and Kyushu districts, as a result of the inve ...