European Journal of Taxonomy
1098 (1) - Pages 1-34Museum specimens and the newly collected material of the species known so far as Copelatus zimmermanni Gschwendtner, 1934 from Japan were examined, and based on our molecular analysis and morphological study, the species is recognised to belong to the genus Austrelatus Shaverdo, Hájek, Hendrich, Surbakti, Panjaitan & Balke, 2023: Austrelatus zimmermanni (Gschwendtner, 1934) comb. nov. Although showing almost no differences in the shape of the male genitalia, specimens from the Minamidaitô-jima and Miyako-jima islands have a very distinct external morphology from those of other localities and, therefore, are described here as two new subspecies: A. zimmermanni daitoensis Watanabe, Kato & Shaverdo subsp. nov. and A. zimmermanni miyakoensis Watanabe, Kato & Shaverdo subsp. nov., which is also supported by the received molecular data. Their important diagnostic characters are compared with those of the nominotypical subspecies and illustrated. In comparison with the Chinese and Korean material, a taxonomic problem of A. zimmermanni is postulated and discussed. Data on the species ecology and distribution, including its two subspecies, are provided as well as the newly received data on its biology and phenology.
