A new species of longhorn beetle, Prionus zhumingyui (朱氏锯天牛, named after the local collector Zhu Mingyu), has been discovered in the Guangdong Yunkaishan National Nature Reserve, according to a study recently published in the international journal Insects.
The type locality is Datianding Peak (1,704 m) in the Dawuling area of the reserve—the highest peak in western Guangdong. The Yunkaishan National Nature Reserve spans the cities of Maoming and Yangjiang, and stands as the only national nature reserve in western Guangdong primarily dedicated to forest ecosystems.
Datianding Peak is characterized by year-round cloud cover and high humidity, preserving intact primary evergreen broadleaf forests and montane mossy forests. Its distinct vertical vegetation zones provide diverse habitats for insects and other organisms.
Prionus zhumingyui measures 26–33.5 mm and ranges in color from reddish-brown to blackish-brown. This species is diurnal, active on leaves of Eurya plants on sunny afternoons, and does not come to light—a notable difference from most nocturnal longhorn beetles. Currently known only from Datianding in Xinyi, Maoming, it is considered a regional endemic species.
According to the reserve administration, forestry authorities at the provincial and municipal levels have carried out continuous species monitoring and ensured field safety for research teams. The holotype and paratype specimens are deposited at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Mianyang Normal University.
Researchers note that the discovery fills a distribution gap of the Prionus gahani species group in western Guangdong and reflects the intact, stable condition of the high-altitude forest ecosystem in the Yunkaishan National Nature Reserve. The reserve has become one of the important centers for insect evolution and diversification in southern China.
Author: Li Yangshi
Photo: Li Zhuoyu, Li Youyu, Chen Fuqiang, Research team of Yunkaishan National Nature Reserve
