Jerzy A. Lis

Geographic Distribution and Niche Divergence of Two Stinkbugs, Parastrachia japonensis and Parastrachia nagaensis

Abstract Parastrachiidae is a small stinkbug family containing only one genus and two species, Parastrachia japonensis (Scott) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea) and Parastrachia nagaensis Distant. The geographic distribution of the genus has been poorly studied. Niche conservatism refers to that idea that closely related species are more ecologically similar than would be expected, whereas niche divergence predicts they occupy distinct niche spaces. The existence of only two species within one genus suggests niche conservatism or differentiation might exist among them. Herein, the distribution of the genus was mapped, potential distributions were predicted using ecological niche modeling, and climate spaces occupied by the two species were identified and compared. Our outlined map supports the general spreading route proposed by Schaefer et al. The potential distributions suggest that the genus’ range could extend beyond its presently known distribution, and further investigation into this area could aid in their conservation, particularly P. nagaensis. The niche space inferred by ecological niche modeling suggests the two species do not occupy identical habitat, but the differences between their models could simply be due to the differential availability of habitat in the different regions that they occupy.

A REVISION OF AUSTRALIAN SPECIES OF THE GENUS MACROSCYTUS FIEBER (HEMIPTERA : HETEROPTERA : CYDNIDAE)

A revision of Australian species of the genus Macroscytus Fieber is presented, including descriptions of eight new species: M. annulipoides (Queensland), M. arnhemicus (Queensland, Northern Territory), M. australoides (South Australia), M. bisetosus (Queensland), M. glaberrimus (Queensland), M. minimus (Queensland), M. monteithi (Queensland), and M. pseudaustralis (Western Australia). M. dilatatus (Signoret, 1881) is synonymized with M. piceus (West-wood, 1837). A key for the determination of all Australian species of the genus is provided.

Chilocoris serratus n. sp., the first burrower bug species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cydnidae) recorded in Guinea-Bissau with an annotated checklist of the Afrotropical species of the genus Chilocoris Mayr, 1865

The first burrower bug species recorded in Guinea-Bissau, Chilocoris serratus n. sp., is described and compared with morphologically related species. Additionally, an annotated checklist of Afrotropical species of the genus Chilocoris is provided.

Two new species of the Lace-bug genus Agachila from the Democratic Republic of Congo (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Tingidae)

Abstract Two new species of the genus Agachila Drake and Gomez-Menor, 1954, Agachila raunoi sp. nov. and A. linnavuorii sp. nov., are described from the Virungas National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Images of female holotype specimens of both described species are provided.

Macroscytus raunoi, a new burrower bug species from Papua New Guinea (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cydnidae: Cydninae)

Abstract Macroscytus raunoi, a new species of the genus Macroscytus Fieber, 1860, is described from the Morobe Province on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. The new species is similar in its morphological characters to Australian M. arnhemicus J. A. Lis, 1999. Differences in morphology and male genitalia which enable separation of both species are provided.

Towards resolving a problem of the identity of the Aethus species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cydnidae) occurring in Cambodia.

The genus Aethus in Cambodia is known only from a single species collected in the 1950s that was originally identified as A. indicus. However, what was regarded as A. indicus in the Oriental and Australian regions appeared to consist of three sibling species, recognizable only on the basis of male genital structures, i.e., A. philippinensis, A. pseudindicus, and true A. indicus. To date, the lack of males representing this genus from Cambodia made it impossible to verify which species actually occur in this country. The present study, based on eight males collected at the same locality in Cambodia where the specimens were originally identified as A. indicus more than 50 years ago (i.e., Siem Reap), confirmed the occurrence of A. pseudindicus, not A. indicus, as previously reported. Male genitalia, i.e. the paramere, the opening of genital capsule, and the apex of aedeagus, are described and their photographs are provided for both species.

First record of Megacydnus secundus J. A. Lis, 2002, a representative of Afrotropical endemic burrower bug genus from Uganda, and an annotated checklist of Ugandan Cydnidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera).

The Cydnidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea) is a true bug family with almost 700 species distributed worldwide (Lis 1996, 1999, 2006). These bugs usually dig in the ground (e.g., sand, soil, litter) and, therefore, are commonly known as the burrower bugs or burrowing bugs. Digging in the ground is possible because of several morphological adaptations, including well-developed tibial combs (Lis and Schaefer 2005), coxal combs (Lis 2010), and strong hair-like and peg-like setae on the head margins in larval and adult stages (Lis and Pluot-Sigwalt 2002) (see: Fig. 1A).

Identification of the nymphal stages of two European seed bugs, L. equestris and L. simulans (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeidae), using DNA barcodes

The genus Lygaeus Fabricius, 1794 includes more than fifty species, mainly distributed in the Old World regions, with 17 species known from the Palearctic (Pericart 2001; Wachmann et al. 2007), and only two from Central Europe, i.e., L . equestris (Linnaeus, 1758) and L . simulans Deckert, 1985 (Pericart 2001).

Chilocoris laevicollis Horváth, 1919, and Ch. umbricola Linnavuori, 1993-two trogloxenic burrower bugs recorded for the first time in Gabon (Central Africa).

First country records of two burrower bugs, Chilocoris laevicollis, and Ch. umbricola (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cydnidae) from Gabon (Central Africa) are presented. The study was based on the specimens collected by Dr. V. Aellen, a well-known Swiss speleologist, taken from two caves near Lastoursville in the Gabonese Republic. Diagnostic characters for both recorded species are provided, and data on their biology and distribution are summarized.

Chilocoris capensis n. sp., the first species of the genus Chilocoris Mayr, 1865 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cydnidae) recorded in the Republic of South Africa with an annotated checklist of South African burrower bugs

Chilocoris capensis n. sp. collected from fallen ripe figs of broom cluster fig Ficus sur Forsskål, 1775, the first burrower bug species of the genus Chilocoris Mayr, 1865 recorded in the Republic of South Africa, is described and compared with Chilocoris laevicollis Horváth, 1919, the morphologically most closely allied Afrotropical species. Additionally, an annotated checklist of burrower bug species recorded in the Republic of South Africa is provided. The known biology of Afrotropical Chilocoris species is briefly summarized.