Nomenclatural changes in Phymatodes

A newly published paper by Ian Swift and Ann Ray has made some nomenclatural changes to the cerambycid genus Phymatodes affecting several of the species listed here. In short:

P. blandus is no longer divided into subspecies, with P. blandus concolor now being recognized as a full species.
The name P. decussatus has been used for the wrong species, which is actually P. obliquus. It is distinct from true P. decussatus, which has until now been called P. juglandis. The subspecies formerly placed under P. decussatus are also synonymized under P. obliquus.
P. hirtellus is no longer divided into subspecies.
P. lecontei is synonymized under P. grandis.
P. mojavensis is synonymized under P. nitidus.
P. oregonensis is synonymized under P. nigrescens.
P. ursae is synonymized under P. hirtellus.

Full discussion of these nomenclatural changes and dorsal habitus color photographs and updated key to all of the native and introduced species of the genus in North America are included in the paper.

Swift, I. P. & A. M. Ray. 2010. Nomenclatural changes in North American Phymatodes Mulsant (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Zootaxa 2448:35–52.

Contributed by Ted C. MacRae on 7 May, 2010 - 4:43pm
Last updated 7 May, 2010 - 5:45pm

answer for the record, please:

-- is

indeed obliquus? and what would be the best way to reflect the past nomencl. mess on the guide page?

… v belov, 7 May, 2010 - 6:17pm

Yes...

...this should be Phymatodes obliquus because of the non-setose, arcuate white fasciae (setose and angulate in decussatus).

Linsley (1964) confused things by applying the name decussatus to this common, oak-associated species and the name juglandis to the species associated with walnut. The type of decussatus, however, matches the walnut species and, since it is the older name, takes priority. The common oak species is thus left without a name, and obliquus is the oldest of the many synonyms created by Thomas Casey.

Chuck's suggestion is good, except I would say "the name decussatus was incorrectly applied to the species now called obliquus".

… Ted C. MacRae, 7 May, 2010 - 11:10pm

The mechanics:

It looks to me like the only change to our current taxonomic structure should be to change the name of the decussatus page to obliquus, without moving anything. All the other changes can be addressed when new guides are created- especially for the old juglandis/new decussatus taxon

As for how to explain it, I believe the best way is to start from the new status in referring to the old, something like this:

"Until recently, the name decussatus was incorrectly applied to obliquus, so all older references to decussatus should be assumed to really be obliquus.

Likewise the name juglandis was incorrectly applied to the actual decussatis, so all older references to juglandis should be assumed to really be decussatis."

… Chuck Entz, 7 May, 2010 - 7:59pm

thanks much for the headsup, Ted

we'll get the pages updated

… v belov, 7 May, 2010 - 5:19pm

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