title: Eleven nominal species of Burmoniscus are junior synonyms of B. kathmandius (Schmalfuss, 1983) (Crustacea, Isopoda, Oniscidea).
abstract: Holotypes, paratypes, and specimens newly collected from the type localities (i.e., topotypes) of Burmoniscus aokii (Nunomura, 1986), Burmoniscus boninensis (Nunomura, 1986), Burmoniscus daitoensis (Nunomura, 1986), Burmoniscus hachijoensis Nunomura, 2007, Burmoniscus japonicus (Nunomura, 1986), Burmoniscus kagoshimaensis Nunomura, 2003, Burmoniscus murotoensis (Nunomura, 1986), Burmoniscus okinawaensis (Nunomura, 1986), Burmoniscus shibatai (Nunomura, 1986), Burmoniscus tanabensis Nunomura, 2003, and Burmoniscus watanabei (Nunomura, 1986) were examined in order to clarify their taxonomic status. Observation of 13 morphological characters that were purposed to show species-level diagnostic variations in the original descriptions suggests that all eleven nominal species are identical, and molecular analysis based on three gene fragments supports this suggestion. Additionally, the morphology of the carpus of pereopod 1 and of the endo- and exopodites of pleopod 1 of these species are consistent with those of Burmoniscus kathmandius (Schmalfuss, 1983). The eleven above-mentioned species of Burmoniscus described from Japan are therefore relegated to junior synonyms of Burmoniscus kathmandius, originally reported from Nepal.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education, Fukuoka University of Education, 1-1 Akamabunkyo-machi, Munakata, Fukuoka, 811-4192 Japan; Faculty of Regional Sciences, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-machi Minami, Tottori, 680-8551 Japan (Present).
authors.forename: Shigenori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karasawa
keywords: 12S rRNA; 16S rRNA; COI; Japan; Philosciidae; taxonomy