A Systematic Study Of Taxonus Hartig (Hymenoptera: Tenthredininae) From China

The research histories on the taxonomy of the genus Taxonus Hartig (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae) are briefly reviewed. The morphology, taxonomic and biological characters of the genus are outlined. The interspecific relationships of the genus is preliminarily analyzed using the principles and methods of Cladistics. The result of the Cladistic analysis demonstrates the rest species excluding Taxonus rufothoracinus, Taxonus alboclypeus and Taxonus attenatus form a monophyletic group. Based on the analysis of the specific distribution of the genus in world, the distribution pattern of the genus is discussed. It is seemed that Mt. Himalayas at the east-southern of Asia and Mt. Hengduan with neighbouring area is one of the major distribution centers of Taxonus. Key to known species of the genus from China are given. Totally 62 species from China are described. To each species full incitations, morphological description, diagnostic characters, distribution and specimens examined are provided, as well as 60 illustrations of female and male genitalia of almost all species of the genus. Among them 31 species are new to science in China: Taxonus melanopedialus sp. nov., Taxonus zhejiangenis sp. nov., Taxonus omeiensis sp. nov., Taxonus quadrants sp. nov., Taxonus poecilus sp. nov., Taxonus circularis sp. nov., Taxonus linealinus sp. nov., Taxonus yigongus sp. nov., Taxonus boyii sp. nov., Taxonus albomaculatinus sp. nov., Taxonus hemistigmus sp. nov., Taxonus accidentus sp. nov., Taxonus erythrotrbiatus sp. nov., Taxonus verticinus sp. nov., Taxonus rugosissimus sp. nov., Taxonus alpicus sp. nov., Taxonus tibetanus sp. nov., Taxonus foveatus sp. nov.,. Taxonus monocellus sp. nov., Taxonus punctistigmus sp. nov., Taxonus minutisomus sp.nov., Taxonus huangleii sp. nov., Taxonus bimaculatinus sp.nov., Taxonus xui sp. nov., Taxonus flavopropodeus sp. nov., Taxonus fuscipennis sp. nov., Taxonus infumatus sp. nov., Taxonus yunnanensis sp. nov., Taxonus kangdingcus sp. nov., Taxonus xueshanicus sp. nov., Taxonus but sp. nov. Fourteen new combinations were established: Taxonus unicolor (Malaise, 1957) comb, nov., Taxonus alboclypeus (Wei, 1997) comb, nov., Taxonus leucotrochanterus (Wei, 1997) comb, nov., Taxonus rufothoracinus (Wei, 1997) comb, nov., Taxonus autumnalis (Takeuchi, 1929) comb, nov., Taxonus bellus (Takeuchi, 1929) comb, nov, Taxonus minomensis (Takeuchi, 1929) comb, nov., Taxonus bicoloris (Saini, 1996) comb, nov., Taxonus canaliculus (Saini, 1996) comb, nov., Taxonus sinensis (Malaise, 1957) comb, nov., Taxonus immarginatus (Malaise, 1957) comb, nov, Taxonus shanicus (Malaise, 1957) comb, nov., Taxonus tajinderi (Saini, 1996) comb, nov., Taxonus thaianus (Togashi, 1979) comb. nov. Five species are new records in China: Taxonus delumbis Konow, 1900, Taxonus tenuicornis (Takeuchi, 1929), Taxonus unicolor (Malaise, 1957), Taxonus tricoloricornis Konow, 1898, Taxonus immarginervis (Malaise, 1957).Type specimens are deposited in the Insect Collection of Institute of Insect Resources of Central South Forestry University, Zhuzhou, China.