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Taxonomic notes on the genus Onychomesa Wygodzinsky (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae)
Abstract
The thread-legged bug genus Onychomesa Wygodzinsky 1966 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae: Emesini, formerly Metapterini) and its three described species are reviewed. The Sri Lankan species Ischnonyctes alatus Distant 1903 is resurrected from the synonymy with Schidium marcidum (Uhler, 1896) and transferred to Onychomesa, and O. susainathani Wygodzinsky, 1966 is considered a junior synonym of this species, resulting in the following taxonomic changes: O. alata (Distant 1903), stat. rev. et comb. nov. = O. susainathani Wygodzinsky 1966, syn. nov. The lectotype of I. alatus is designated. A new species, O. schuhi Chen et Cai, sp. nov., is described from Hainan Island, southern China. An updated key to the species of Onychomesa is provided.
... The thread-legged bug subfamily Emesinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae) is a morphologically and ecologically distinct group of terrestrial predatory insects, members of which typically possess elongate and slender bodies and appendages, as well as anteriorly extended raptorial forelegs, making them readily recognizable [1,2]. The Emesinae occurs in all zoogeographic regions, with high diversity in the tropics and subtropics and a large number of island endemic taxa [3,4]. They occupy a wide variety of microhabitats, including living plants, dead and drooping banna or fern fronds, tree trunks, and leaf litter [1,3,5]; many are adapted to live in caves or other dark environments [6][7][8]; and some are closely associated with web-building spiders, acting as predators, kleptoparasites, or both, and sometimes displaying interesting predatory behaviors such as tracking and luring [1,[9][10][11]. ...
The nomenclatural and taxonomic issues regarding the thread-legged bug genera Pleias Kirkaldy, 1901 and Bagauda Bergroth, 1903 are reviewed, and Pleias is concluded to be the valid name of the genus. A comprehensive review of Pleias is conducted, resulting in 18 new combinations and two new synonymies [P. aelleni (Villiers, 1970) comb. n., P. atypica (Ghate, Boyane & Joshi, 2019) comb. n., P. avida (Bergroth, 1903) comb. n., P. brunnea (McAtee & Malloch, 1926) comb. n., P. cavernicola (Paiva, 1919) comb. n., P. creppei (Lhoste, 1939) comb. n. = Bagauda gilletti Miller, 1956 syn. n., P. ernstmayri (Kulkarni & Ghate, 2016) comb. n., P. furcosa (Ribes, 1987) comb. n., P. gigantea (Lhoste, 1939) comb. n., P. lucifuga (McAtee & Malloch, 1926) comb. n., P. monodi (Villiers, 1972) comb. n., P. similis (Wygodzinsky, 1966) comb. n., P. smithersi (Wygodzinsky, 1966) comb. n., P. splendens (Distant, 1906) comb. n., P. strinatii (Villiers, 1970) comb. n., P. tenebricola (Horváth, 1910) comb. n., P. wagneri (Villiers, 1949) comb. n. = B. eriksoni Miller, 1954 syn. n., and P. zetteli (Rédei, 2005) comb. n.]. The bibliographies, diagnosis, and known distribution records are presented for all described species, and three new species [P. fashengi sp. n. (from Yunnan, China), P. serrata sp. n. (from Sabah, Malaysia), and P. trimaculata sp. n. (from Sulawesi, Indonesia)] are described. The identification keys to the African and Asian species of Pleias are provided. The systematic relationships, distribution, and ecology of the genus are discussed.
Emesine bug Ademula contaminata (Distant, 1903) is recorded from India for the first time and rediscovered from Sri Lanka.
Details of its morphology, including the male genitalia, are presented along with images of the habitat. Images of living bugs in natural
habitat are presented along with some comments on natural history of these bugs.
The two resin assassin bugs belonging to the tribe Ectinoderini (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) occurring in China are documented: Amulius malayus Stål, 1867 is redescribed and Ectinoderus sinicus Chen & Cai, sp. nov. is described as new. The discovery of the new species extends the distribution of the genus and the tribe northwards from tropical Southeast Asia to southern mainland China. A key to the two ectinoderine genera and species from China is provided to facilitate their identification. DNA barcodes and bionomic data are provided for the species concerned, and their conservation is briefly discussed.
The previously known species of the thread-legged bug genus Ischnobaena Stål, 1871 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae: Metapterini), namely I. dohrnii Stål, 1871, I. macerrima Stål, 1871 and I. staliana Wygodzinsky, 1966, are reviewed and diagnosed. Lectotypes are designated for I. dohrnii and I. macerrima. A new species, I. castroae sp. nov., from Mindanao Island in the Philippines is described and photographed. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners primarily by the unicolored fore tarsus and several male genital characters. A revised key to species of Ischnobaena is provided.
Hornylia obtusipetalasp. nov. from eastern Thailand is described and illustrated. This new species is the second representative of the genus Hornylia Wygodzinsky, 1966. A key to species of Hornylia is presented. The relationship with allied genera and distribution of Hornylia is briefly discussed. Hornylia is recorded from Thailand for the first time.
The “Borneo endemic” genus Chinemesa Wygodzinsky, 1966 is recorded from the mainland of Asia for the first time. A new species, Chinemesa chinensis n. sp., is described and illustrated. An updated key to species of Chinemesa is provided. Relationship between Chinemesa and Ocelliemesina Wang, Wang, Cao & Cai, 2015 is discussed, and diagnostic characters of Chinemesa are revised. Distribution of Chinemesa is briefly discussed.
Onychomesa susainathani Wygodzinsky, 1966, an emesine bug known so far only from its type specimen, is illustrated with additional descriptive notes herein from Maharashtra State in India. It is a rediscovery after about 60 years.
Assassin bugs (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Reduviidae) have diverse and complex morphological and behavioral adaptations for prey capture. Several of these morphological adaptations occur on the proleg. The prolegs of Emesinae are typically raptorial and they are used for grooming, grasping and hunting prey. Several morphological characters that define Emesinae as a group are found on the proleg, such as the anterior opening of the acetabula, the elongation of the procoxa, and the lateral (campaniform) sensilla on the protibia. Metapterini comprises 28 genera and approximately 280 described species, and are characterized by a conspicuous basal process of the anteroventral series of the profemur, and highly modified pretarsal structures. In this study, structures of the proleg are documented for 13 genera of Metapterini, using stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Detailed descriptions and digital macrophotographs are provided for most of the genera for the first time, and from this morphological documentation 38 phylogenetic characters are coded, presented as a data matrix, and analyzed cladistically, and their potential usefulness for resolving relationships among Metapterini is discussed.
Supplement to the Catalogue of the Heteroptera of the Palaearctic Region volume 1-5.
Data available at https://catpalhet.linnaeus.naturalis.nl
The assassin bug tribe Metapterini belongs to the subfamily Emesinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae). Morphologically, it is characterized by the conspicuous basal process of the posteroventral series in the foreleg and the presence of wing polymorphism, with a high proportion of the genera with micropterous or apterous species. Here, the male and female ectodermal genitalic structures are documented for ten genera and twenty-three species of Metapterini, including eight species of the speciose genus Ghilianella Spinola, 1850. Descriptions and digital macrophotographs are provided for abdominal segment 8, pygophore, parameres, and phallus of the male, and for tergite 8, tergite 9, gonocoxae, gonapophyses, gonoplac, and bursa copulatrix of the female. The asymmetric male genitalia within Emesinae are discussed. From this morphological documentation sixty six phylogenetic characters are coded, presented as a data matrix and analyzed cladistically, and their potential usefulness for resolving relationships among Metapterini is discussed.
This paper presents a comprehensive list of 118 species of moths belonging to 96 genera and 11 families recorded from Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve (India). Out of them, 50 species are recorded for the first time from Great Nicobar, while 12 species are new records to the Andaman and Nicobar moth fauna. Three species Aegilia sundacribens Holloway, Callopistria emiliusalis Walker and Ercheia kebia Benthune-Baker are new records to India.
Catalogue of the Heteroptera of the Palaearctic Region. Volume I. Enicocephalomorpha, Dipsocoromorpha, Nepomorpha, Gerromorpha & Leptopodidae (B. Aukema & Chr. Rieger, eds). Netherlands Entomological Society, Amsterdam.
Contents:
I.M. Kerhner - Enicocephalomorpha
I.M. Kerzhner - Dipsocoromorpa
J.T. Polhemus, A. Jansson & E. Kanyukova - Nepomorpha
N.M. Andersen - Gerromorpha
P. Lindskog - Leptopodomorpha.
Data available at https://catpalhet.linnaeus.naturalis.nl
A checklist of 464 Indian species of assassin bugs under 144 genera and 14 subfamilies with their taxonomical status, their distribution in India and world over and their morphological characteristics are given. Members of the Harpactorinae are the most abundant group with 146 species and 41 genera followed by the Reduviinae and the Ectrichodiinae. The subfamilies such as the Physoderinae and the Ectinoderinae are represented each by two and lone species. Other characteristics of the family Reduviidae discussed in this overview include the rostrum structure, tibial pads, habitat characteristics, microhabitats and habits. Morphological characteristics are correlated with ecological, behavioural and biological manifestations of the reduviids.
Thread-legged assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae) belonging to the tribes Collartidini, Leistarchini, Emesini, and Metapterini of Taiwan are surveyed. Eight genera and thirteen species are recognized, four species are described as new. Collartidini (represented by the genus Collartida Villers, 1949) is recorded for the first time not only from Taiwan but from Southeast Asia as well. Ploiaria ryukyuana Ishikawa & Tomokuni, 2002, Gardena albiannulata Ishikawa, 2005, and Stenolemus crassirostris Stål, 1871 are recorded for the first time from Taiwan. The species Collartida peregrina sp. n., Bagauda zigzag sp. n., Ploiaria huangorum sp. n., and Stenolemus alikakay sp. n. are described as new. Identification keys to the species of the above tribes occurring in Taiwan are presented, and their zoogeography is briefly discussed. (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The family Reduviidae, or assassin bugs, is highly diverse in its number of taxa, morphology, habitat, and feeding behavior. It is the second largest family in terms of the number of species, in the suborder Heteroptera, or true bugs, with about 6,800 species classified into at least 23 subfamilies. The diversity in morphology is explained here using examples of four subfamilies, viz., the Harpactorinae having a general form, the Emesinae characterized by a strikingly slender body and appendages, the Holoptilinae with the body and appendages densely covered with very long setae, and the Phymatinae having forelegs strongly specialized for capturing prey. Reduviids are found on the living leaves of trees, on tree trunks, under the bark of rotten trees, on dead branches with leaves, in grasslands, including marshes, among leaf-litter of forest floors, and so on. Among the subfamilies in the Reduviidae, the Centrocnemidinae exclusively live on the tree trunks and their body surface strongly resembles a trunk in color and structure; the Emesinae contains unique inhabitants of lava tubes and spider webs. All reduviids are predatory and food items range from small arthropods, such as insects, to mammal blood, including that of humans. Different subfamilies or tribes have developed distinctive feeding methods and behavior. For example, the Harpactorinae pin their prey using the anteriorly extended rostrum, and the Emesinae catch their prey by the quick movement of their raptorial forelegs. The history of taxonomic and faunal studies on the Japanese Reduviidae is briefly documented. Eighty-two species in 45 genera (nine subfamilies) are currently recognized in Japan. Finally, approximately 120 species are estimated to occur in the country.
Web‐building spiders are formidable predators, yet assassin bugs in the Emesine Complex (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae, Saicinae, and Visayanocorinae) prey on spiders. The Emesine Complex comprises >1000 species and these web‐associated predatory strategies may have driven their diversification. However, lack of natural history data and a robust phylogenetic framework currently preclude tests of this hypothesis. We combine Sanger (207 taxa, 3865 bp) and high‐throughput sequencing data (15 taxa, 381 loci) to generate the first taxon‐ and data‐rich phylogeny for this group. We discover rampant paraphyly among subfamilies and tribes, necessitating revisions to the classification. We use ancestral character state reconstructions for 40 morphological characters to identify diagnostic features for a revised classification. Our new classification treats Saicinae Stål and Visayanocorinae Miller as junior synonyms of Emesinae Amyot and Serville, synonymizes the emesine tribes Ploiariolini Van Duzee and Metapterini Stål with Emesini Amyot and Serville, and recognises six tribes within Emesinae (Collartidini Wygodzinsky, Emesini, Leistarchini Stål, Oncerotrachelini trib.n. , Saicini Stål stat.n. , and Visayanocorini Miller stat.n. ). We show that a pretarsal structure putatively involved in web‐associated behaviours evolved in the last common ancestor of Emesini, the most species‐rich clade within Emesinae, suggesting that web‐associations could be widespread in Emesinae.
The thread-legged assassin bug Eugubinus araneus Distant, 1903 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae: Emesini) was described from India on the basis of two nymphs. This paper provides the first description of the adult with illustrations of both the adult and the nymph. A checklist of and a key to species of Eugubinus Distant, 1903, and images of the type material of six additional species of the genus, i.e., E. intrudans Distant, 1915, E. reticolus Distant, 1915, E. canalanus (Distant,1914), E. annulatus (Villiers, 1948), E. forsteri Wygodzinsky, 1953 and E. papuensis Wygodzinsky, 1966, are provided.
Wing polymorphism and asymmetric male genitalia are intriguing morphological phenomena occurring in insects. Among Emesinae, or thread‐legged bugs, the tribe Metapterini Stål exhibits these two interesting morphological attributes. Nonetheless, evolutionary interpretations of these phenomena cannot be put forward because phylogenetic hypotheses for Emesinae are lacking. Thread‐legged bugs are easily recognized among assassin bugs due to their elongated and seemingly delicate body. The tribe Metapterini has 28 genera and approximately 280 described species. The only available phylogenetic hypothesis among Emesinae tribes was proposed by Wygodzinsky (1966), and it hypothesized Deliastini Villiers as the sister group of Metapterini, although this hypothesis has never been tested with cladistic approaches. Recent analyses using character sets of genitalia and prolegs suggest that Metapterini might not be monophyletic. In order to test these ideas, we compiled a morphological dataset of 138 characters that includes external morphological characters, detailed features of prolegs and genitalia of both sexes for Metapterini, which were analysed cladistically including 55 terminals, comprising 24 genera (85.7% of the generic diversity), 43 species of Metapterini and 12 outgroups. Metapterini was recovered as paraphyletic by the inclusion of Bergemesa Wygodzinsky, Palacus Dohrn and Stalemesa Wygodzinsky, all currently assigned to Deliastini. Gardena Dohrn (Emesini) was recovered as the sister group of Metapterini + Deliastini as suggested by Wygodzinsky (1966). Based on these results, we synonymize Deliastini syn. n. with Metapterini sensu n. and propose two new genera: Bacata Castro‐Huertas & Forero gen. n., for three Andean species previously placed in Liaghinella Wygodzinsky, and Valkyriella Castro‐Huertas & Forero gen. n. for Ghilianella borgmeieri Wygodzinsky. Ancestral state reconstruction of wing polymorphism indicates that males and females were fully winged in the ancestor of Metapterini sensu n. with two independent evolutionary transitions to the apterous and brachypterous conditions. The analysis of the symmetry of the male genitalia shows an ancestor with symmetric male genitalia and two independent emergences of asymmetrical male genitalia in Metapterini.
Emesopsis konchurangensis sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae: Ploiariolini) is described from central Vietnam as the fourth species of the genus in this country. A key to the Vietnamese species of Emesopsis is presented.
A new thread-legged assassin bug species, Myiophanes (Myiophanes) wygodzinskyi sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae: Emesini), collected from Ravana Cave in Uva Province of Sri Lanka, is described. It is the largest species of the genus described so far.
The reduviid genus Onychomesa Wygodzinsky, 1966 is reported from Japan for the first time, with the description of the new species O. gokani. The species inhabits grassy vegetation of Iriomote-jima Island, the Ryukyus, Japan.
Mr. E. Jacobson has submitted to my examination the species of the families Aradidae, Henicocephalidae, Hydrometridae, Gerridae, and the subfamily Ploeariinae of the Reduviidae, collected in Java partly by himself, partly by Mr. Th. H. Mac Gillavry. A list of them is given below, with descriptions of a few unknown species. The name of the collector is indicated after the localities. Fam. ARADIDAE. 1. Artabanus bilobiceps Leth. Banjoewangi (Mc G.). Not previously recorded from Java. 2. Mezira membranacea Fabr. Banjoewangi and Tjinjiroean (Mc G.). 3. Neuroctenus serrulatus Stål. Banjoewangi (Mc G.). 4. Neuroctenus medius Bergr. Banjoewangi (Mc G.). Fam. REDUVIIDAE. Subfam. PLOEARIINAE. 1. Luteva culicina n. sp. Fusco-testacea, lobo postico capitis et pronoto vitta angusta media albotestacea notatis, antennis fuscis, femoribus anticis apice magis infuscatis, annulo apicali angusto femorum mediorum et latiusculo posticorum atque annulo angusto subbasali tibiarum mediarum et latiusculo basali posticarum albis. Caput prothoraci subaeque longum, parte postoculari quam anteoculari paullo breviore, oculis in utroque sexu per altitudinem totam
The first representatives of the peculiar carnivorous bug subfamily Emesinae (Reduviidae) are recorded from the Nepal Himalayas: Pseudonychomesa martensi n. gen., n. sp. and Schidium schawalleri n. sp. from the tribe Metapterini.
Abstract With more than 6600 species worldwide, Reduviidae (Insecta: Heteroptera), or assassin bugs, form the second largest and one of the most diverse groups of true bugs. The poor condition of the higher-level classification of Reduviidae is reflected by the facts that different authors recognize between 21 and 32 subfamily-level names and that Reduviidae were never subjected to a rigorous cladistic analysis using an exemplar approach. In the present study, a cladistic analysis of higher-level taxa of Reduviidae based on 162 morphological characters and 75 ingroup and outgroup species is presented. Twenty-one subfamily-level taxa of Reduviidae were examined, accounting for 28 tribes. In addition to characters previously used for diagnosis in Reduviidae, information on recently published character complexes is used in the present analysis, supplemented with new character information gathered specifically for this project. Reduviidae are supported as a monophyletic group with Pachynomidae as their sister taxon. The major results of this study are the support of a sistergroup relationship of Hammacerinae with the remaining Reduviidae, the monophyly of the Phymatine Complex, the relatively basal position of Harpactorinae within Reduviidae as well as a novel hypothesis on the relationships within this group, and the sistergroup relationship of Ectrichodiinae + Tribelocephalinae and their placement in a clade that also contains Emesinae, Saicinae, and Visayanocorinae. The analysis further supports a clade formed by paraphyletic Salyavatinae + Sphaeridopinae, renders Vesciinae non-monophyletic, and demonstrates the polyphyly of Reduviinae. Pseudocetherinae are shown to group with some Reduviinae. Triatominae are supported as a monophyletic group and are nested among additional Reduviinae and Stenopodainae.
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