Bioacoustics of Scolopocryptops spinicaudus

Remarks. Attems (1930: 260) wrote that S. sexspinosus (Say, 1821) (actually S. spinicaudus in part) has all antennal articles setose which data have been confirmed by Chao (2002) based on Taiwanese material. However, in all studied specimens from both IEBR and ZMMU two basal antennal articles are definitely not setose ( Figs 5 AB). Schileyko (2007: 74) wrote in Remarks to this species: “Based on all taxonomic characters, the above specimens fit well Shinohara’s [1990] concept of Scolopocryptops nipponicus , a species synonymised with S. spinicaudus Wood, 1862 by Shelley [2002] ”. In some ZMMU specimens (one of six adults of Rc 7497, adult Rc 7225, adult Rc 6342, adult + juvenille Rc 7165) tarsus and tibia (and sometimes femur) of the ultimate legs are covered by quite long and well-developed setae ( Fig. 6E ) which are slightly less dense at femur comparing to more distal articles. As these setae are present only in a few specimens of the same sample (for example in Rc 7497 of four adults which kept the ultimate legs, only one specimen has these legs setose) one can suppose them to be, very probably, a result of the sexual dimorphism. The recent literature ( Qiao et al . 2021 ) states that a “lack” of tergal paramedian sutures (in fact a lack of the complete ones) is the main diagnostic character to distinguish S. spinicaudus from S. rubiginosus . In fact, all IEBR material as well as the majority of ZMMU specimens of S. spinicaudus do not have these sutures (except for extremely short rudiments at very anterior and posterior margins of practically all tergites). However at least two adults of this species (both of ZMMU)—the largest (ca 50 mm ) one of Rc 7497 and large (ca 40 mm ) one Rc 6342—demonstrate tergites 4(8)–(18)21 with well-developed but incomplete (i.e. somewhat interrupted in the middle) paramedian sutures ( Fig. 6F ). Thus S. spinicaudus and S. rubiginosus differ from each other less than it was thought before. Also, the recent authors (for example Song et al . 2004 ) wrote that tergites of S . spinicaudus have “incomplete” lateral margination, but re-investigation of the ZMMU material, made by the second author, demonstrates this margination to be practically complete (at least in LBS of posterior body half, Fig. 5F ). This fact supports as well the closest similarity of this species and S. rubiginosus , thus the further analyses may possibly show an identity of two these species. Another noteworthy point is that the largest adult of the mentioned above Rc 7497 (ZMMU) has a pair of the well (!) developed spiracles on LBS 7 ( Fig. 6D ); thus this specimen seems to be quite similar to S. broelemanni esulcata . Also this fact much reduces taxonomical value of such character as the number of spiracle pairs (at least in the genus Scolopocryptops ). Range. Canada , Southern USA , Mexico , Korea , Japan , China ( Attems 1930 , Shelley 2002 , Schileyko 2007 ). In Vietnam ( Fig. 7 ) this species occurs from Northern to Central regions ( Lao Cai , Vinh Phuc and Gia Lai Provinces; Schileyko 2007 ).