Abstract
Two endemic taxa of the Northern Iberian System have been rescued from synonymy using the study of external morphology by means of morphometric analysis and genital anatomy. The causes that possibly led to these two taxa erroneously being identified as synonyms are analysed in this research. In the case of Nebria (Nebria) urbionensis versus Nebria (Nebria) vuillefroyi, their confused relationship was caused by the handling of incorrectly labelled specimens and the subsequent interpolation of distribution areas, which led to overestimating the extent of N. (N.) vuillefroyi to the detriment of recognizing N. (N.) urbionensis as a valid species. According to the criterion that is defended in this work, both taxa are steno-endemic and, therefore, deserve protection due to their reduced habitats. The principle of authority applied by experts, based on an error, may, in this case, have been amplified and contributed to chronify the error.
The second case under review is Zabrus (Iberozabrus) cameranus versus Zabrus (Iberozabrus) laurae, which in a recent study of genus Zabrus, were subjected to a totally unjustified synonymy. The origin of such a taxonomic decision must be sought in the concatenation of a series of errors: the number and origin of the specimens studied do not adequately justify the statements and conclusions expressed in the text, the use of a single character (internal sac of the aedeagus) while ignoring other morphological characters, an inadequate taxonomic praxis, and the elaboration of conclusions based on the lack of supposedly-derived characters (that is, relying on symplesiomorphies). All of this does not point towards an adequate reconstruction of the genus systematics.
The uni- and multivariate biometric study, together with the morphological features that are contributed in this work (added to those already recognized initially for these species), allow to affirm that, although the taxa in discussion are nearby species and possibly sister taxa, they are perfectly valid: Nebria (Nebria) urbionensis stat. res.; Zabrus (Iberozabrus) cameranus stat. res. In addition to the morphological differences, both species diverge respectively from N. (N.) vuillefroyi and Z. (I.) laurae by 2% of the COI 1 gene sequence. The geographical ranges of Nebria (N.) urbionensis and Zabrus (I.) cameranus are confined to the Sistema Ibérico Septentrional, and are separated by the high Duero Valley from the ranges of N. (N.) vuillefroyi and Z. (I.) laurae, which are located in the Central System.
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