Plethus thingana Olah

Pseudoxyethira thingana (OLÁH)

(Fig. 7)

Scelotrichia thingana OLÁH 1989, 267, fig. 12; type locality: Vietnam.

Remarks. This species is recorded from China for the first time. The male genitalia of our single specimen from southern China is basically congruent with the original description and drawings of S. thingana. However, the inferior appendages of our specimen are somewhat similar to the drawing of O. nana (MEY 1996) when viewed ventrally (Fig.7 C), but like O. thingana, our specimen can be distinguished from P. nana by the fact that 1) the ventral process on segment VII is absent (present in P. nana), 2) the anterior apodemal rods of segment IX are set dorsally, they are no more than 3 times as long as segment IX in lateral view, and each rod is not straight and needle-like (Fig. 7 A) (the anterior apodemal rods of segment IX are set ventrally, they at least 4 times as long as segment IX in lateral view, and each rod is straight and needle-like in P. nana); and 3) the basal 1/5 of the fused inferior appendages are convex laterally and gradually narrowing to the base in ventral view (Fig. 7 C) (they are slightly concave, abruptly narrowing to a handle in the basal 1/ 4 in P. nana). The male genitalia of our specimen are redrawn here for comparison.

Taxonomic problems resulting from adherence with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1999) certainly are to be corrected in compliance with professional standards and journal requirements (as for Zootaxa). Recently, though, some so-called “cyber nomenclaturalists” (O’HARA 2011) have undertaken searches for junior homonyms among genera of animals. Upon finding a junior homonym, they then have published a replacement name, generally in an isolated paper, without communicating with specialists for the affected taxon, without peer review, and in obscure journals that they edit and publish themselves. The practice has been decried in Zootaxa by O’HARA (2011) and, with respect to old junior homonyms, by NEMÉSIO (2011). As they noted, lack of expertise with the affected taxa by these nomenclaturalists can often lead to errors and complications that must later be corrected (O’HARA 2011). Such is the case also with the junior homonym Scelotrichia ULMER 1951, homonym of Scelotrichia REUTER 1890 (Hemiptera: Nabidae, a subgenus of Prostemma). Upon discovery of this overlooked homonymy, KOÇAK & KEMAL (2012) published for this hydroptilid genus the replacement name Orientalitrichia nomen novum in their Centre’s Miscellaneous Papers, apparently without peer review and without consulting modern trichopterologists. [Dr. Georg ULMER (1877–1963) is dead and could not be consulted.] Had their proposal been peer reviewed, especially by a modern trichopterologist, they would have learned that ULMER’s name has at least one available synonym and should have been replaced by the oldest of these, Pseudoxyethira SCHMID 1958, rather than a new name (ICZN 1999, Article 60.2).

Specimen examined. CHINA: Jiang-xi Province: Jiu Lian Shan National Nature Reserve, tributary of Da-qutian River, Xia-gong-tang Stream at Jiu-lian-shan Station Hotel, N24°32’26”, E114°27’58”, elev 590 m, 7 June 2005, Coll. YANG L-f. and C. GERACI, 1 male.

Distribution. Jiang-xi, south China; Vietnam.