Establishment of six new Rhabdoblatta species (Blattodea, Blaberidae, Epilamprinae) from China

By

Yang, Rong
Wang, Zhenzhen
Zhou, Yanshuang
Wang, Zongqing
Che, Yanli

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2019

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

851

Pages

27-69

Subjects

ABGD , female genitalia , GMYC , new species , species delimitation

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.851.31403

 

Abstract

This study examined 504 Rhabdoblatta specimens sampled from China, of which, 86 Rhabdoblatta specimens were used for COI sequencing. A phylogenetic analysis using the ML method and MOTUs estimations by ABGD and GMYC based on COI sequences was performed. Eighteen Rhabdoblatta species were identified when these data were combined with morphological data. Six new species were established among these samples, i.e., Rh.similsinuatasp. n., Rh.densimaculatasp. n., Rh.gyroflexasp. n., Rh.chaulformissp. n., Rh.maculatasp. n., and Rh.ecarinatasp. n. For the first time, females including female genitalia of 14 known Rhabdoblatta species are described worldwide. Our study shows that combining molecular species delimitation methods with morphological data helps to delimit species and understand cockroach biodiversity.