Variation and homology in elytral maculation in the Anoplophora malasiaca/macularia species complex (Coleoptera : Cerambycidae) of Japan and Taiwan

A description and assessment of elytral maculation and variation is provide d for the following Anoplsphora taxa in Japan and Taiwan: Anoplophora malas iaca (Thomson, 1865), A. malasiaca tokunoshimana Samuelson (1965), A. macul aria (Thomson, 1865), A. oshimana (Fairmaire, 1895), A. oshimana ryukyensis Breuning and K. Ohbayashi (1964), and A. ogasawaraensis Makihara (1976). E lytral maculae are homologized and compared based on their position to each other and to other elytral features. Because considerable overlap in patte rns of maculation; occurs among members of the A. malasiaca/macularia compl ex, we conclude that elytral maculation alone should not be used to define these taxa.