Taxonomic Review of Scolytinae and Platypodinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Korea

Abstract

This paper consisted of two main results. First one is concerned on a taxonomic review on the Korean Scolytinae and Platypodinae through the re-examination of Korean specimens preserved in the several institutes. Secondly, I examined the taxonomic status of these two subfamilies, identified undetermined species, and placed newly recognized species into the adequate genera using DNA barcodes analysis. I adopted the higher classification system of the Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera edited by Lobl and Smetana (2011) and modified several generic groups because some generic positions are changed after recent studies (Hulcr and Cognato, 2013). In this results, I discussed the changes of phylogenetic status of Scolytinae and Platypodinae. In fact, these two subfamilies of Scolytinae and Platypodinae are still in the center of controversy about their taxonomic positions. Some taxonomists still prefer to consider the two subfamilies as valid families. In this study, 4 new species and 10 newly recorded species to the Korean fauna were found. And Scolytoplatypus sinensis, which was synonymised with S. mikado resurrected as a valid species after examining the DNA barcodes and morphological characters. Two species belong to Xyleborus transferred to the genus Cyclorhipidon after examining the DNA barcode and morphological characters. New species and newly added species to Korean fauna are as follows:

Hylurgus ligniperda (Fabricius, 1787) new to Korea Tomicus heuksandoensis sp. nov. new to Science Sueus niisimai (Eggers, 1926) new to Korea Hypothenemus expers Blandford, 1894 new to Korea Scolytoplatypus sinensis Tsai & Huang, 1965 new to Korea, resurrected Cyclorhipidion japonicus (Nobuchi, 1981) comb. nov., new to Korea Cyclorhipidion laetus Niisima, 1909 comb. nov., new to Korea Cyclorhipidion pseudopelliculosum sp. nov. new to Science Xyleborinus kwangreungensis sp. nov. new to Science Xyleborus glabratus Eichhoff, 1876 new to Korea Xyleborus muticus Blandford, 1894 new to Korea Xylosandrus compactus (Eichhoff, 1876) new to Korea Xylosandrus pseudogermanus sp. nov. new to Science Dinoplatypus hamatus (Blandford, 1894) new to Korea

Totally, 261 COI sequences of the 109 Scolytinae and Platypodinae species were analyzed in this study. Several tribal groups are clearly divided into separated branches and show monophyletic aspects. For examples, tribe Ipini, Scolytini, Scolytoplatypodini, and Xyloterini are clearly divided each others. In case of tribe Xyleborini, they show almost independent tree from other tribes except containing some species in genus Coccotrypes of tribe Dryocoetini. Tribe Hylastini and Hylurgini also clearly divided into separated monophyletic groups in the level of tribes and genera. Despite of those many efforts on the phylogeny, of the higher classification of the family Curculionidae and the rank of the subfamily Scolytinae and Platypodinae, are still debated and unresolved. To solve the problems on the phylogenetic position of these two groups, additional studies using the both of morphological and molecular methods are required. Many generic and species groups in both subfamilies are still not well-positioned in the classification. Therefore, the phylogenetic studies of the higher category classification should apparently be accompanied with the re-arrangements on unclear generic and species positions.