Description of two new species and larvae of three species of Blaps Fabricius, 1775 from China (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Blaptinae), with molecular species delimitation

Blaps is the most species-rich genus in the subtribe Blaptina. In this study, a preliminary phylogenetic tree was reconstructed based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences representing 35 species. Multiple molecular species-delimitation approaches were then applied to evaluate species boundaries and taxonomic hypotheses.

Based on these results, the adults and larvae of two new species, Blaps lineolata X. - M. Li, sp. nov. and Blaps ovalis X. - M. Li, sp. nov., as well as the larva of Blaps caraboides intermittens Kaszab, 1962, which is newly recorded from China, are described and illustrated. This work provides new molecular and morphological evidence that improves our understanding of interspecific relationships within Blaps.