Megalestes haui Wilson & Reels 2003

Megalestes haui Wilson & Reels, 2003

(Figs. 3i; 4i; 5 g–h, u–v; 6f)

Megalestes haui Wilson & Reels, 2003: 256–257, figs. 46–57 [Shiwandashan, Guangxi, China]; Karube 2014: 74, fig. 2 [Tam Dao, Vinh Phu, Vietnam]; Phan & To 2018: 1–6, figs. 4–6, 12–13, 22–24 [Hoang Lien National Park, Lao Cai, Vietnam]. Megalestes palaceus Zhou & Zhou, 2008: 1–2, figs. 1–5 [Xiaodanjiang, Leishan, Guizhou, China]. Syn. nov.

We examined eight specimens (Table 1), including specimens collected from the type locality of M. palaceus and holotype photos of M. haui that were provided by Dr. Guanhong Huang from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of Hong Kong. Characters of caudal appendages, genitalia and ligula, and body color pattern are coincident among all these individuals. In the molecular phylogeny, M. haui and M. palaceus nested in the same clade with strong support (BPP= 0.8) and cannot be further separated (Fig. 7). Most independent evidence supports classifying these two as the same species (Fig. 8). Therefore, we believe M. palaceus is a junior synonym of M. haui. This species is known to occur in Guangxi and Guizhou in China and in northern Vietnam.