Kiefferulus tainanus (Kieffer, 1912) is a distinct species, not a synonym of Kiefferulus barbatitarsis (Kieffer, 1911)

Abstract

Morphological and molecular studies indicate that Kiefferulus tainanus (Kieffer 1912) is quite distinct from K. barbatitarsis (Kieffer 1911), and not a synonym of the latter species, as has previously been suggested. The suggestion of synonymy seems to have arisen in part from a comparison based on the figures of K. tainanus in Sasa (1979), which depict an unusually thickened male superior volsella. Other characters, and mitochondrial COI sequence, suggest the two species are not particularly closely related.