A new genus and two new species of phylinae (Heteroptera: Miridae) from the Andean-Patagonian region of Argentina.

As a contribution to the Festschrift devoted to Dr. Aleksander Herczek, Adesmiaphylus n. gen., a new Phylini (Miridae: Phylinae) from the Andean-Patagonian region of Argentina, is described to accommodate two new species: A. manzanoensis, n. sp. from Neuqun Province and A. herczeki, n. sp. from Mendoza Province. Both species were collected on plants in the genus Adesmia DC. (Fabaceae).

Revision of the New World Plant Bug Genus Cyrtocapsus (Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae: Eccritotarsini), with New and Revised Synonymies, Lectotype Designations, and Descriptions of 12 New Species.

The New World eccritotarsine genus Cyrtocapsus Reuter (Miridae: Bryocorinae) is revised. Cyrtocapsus andinus Carvalho, 1954, n. syn. is synonymized as a junior synonym of Capsus caligineus Stl, 1859; Pirithous pallipes Distant, 1884, is resurrected from synonymy as the next available name for C. caligineus of authors; Miccus elutipes Bergroth, 1910, is resurrected from synonymy as the next available name for C. femoralis of authors and is considered the senior synonym of C. nanus Carvalho, 1954, n. syn.; C. xinguanus Carvalho, 1985, n. syn. is synonymized as a junior synonym of C. intermedius Reuter, 1909; the identities of C. caligineus and C. femoralis Reuter are clarified; lectotypes are designated for five species (Capsus caligineus, Cyrtocapsus femoralis, Cyrtocapsus intermedius, Cyrtocapsus rostratus Reuter, 1908, and Miccus elutipes); and 12 new species are described: C. apicalis, n. sp.; C. atrametatibialis, n. sp.; C. costatus, n. sp.; C. discalis, n. sp.; C. fiuzai, n. sp.; C. glabratus, n. sp.; C. lazelli, n. sp.; C. mesoamericanus, n. sp.; C. metafemoratus, n. sp.; C. schaffneri, n. sp., C. spatulatus, n. sp., and C. suturalis, n. sp. A color dorsal illustration of the adult male and SEM micrographs of C. lazelli, color habitus images of all species, and male genitalia for 19 species are provided, and a revised identification key to the 25 known species of the genus is given to facilitate identification.

Revision of the Neotropical Stilt Bug Genus emMetajalysus/em Stusák (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Berytidae), with Descriptions of Three New Species.

The stilt bug genus Metajalysus Stusák is revised and three new species are recognized. A neotype of the type species, M. horvathi Stusák, is designated and the new species M. clavatus, n. sp. from Argentina, M. graziae, n. sp. from Argentina and Bolivia, and M. pilosus, n. sp. from Ecuador are described. Digital images of the adult male and female and male genitalia are provided and a key to the species of the genus is given.

Revision and Phylogeny of the Eccritotarsine Plant Bug Genus Caulotops Bergroth, with Descriptions of Four New Genera and 14 New Species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) Associated with Agave (Agavoideae: Asparagaceae) and Related Plant Genera.

The bryocorine genus Caulotops Bergroth (Miridae: Eccritotarsini), originally described to accommodate its only species C. puncticollis Bergroth, is shown not to be congeneric with all other species now included in the genus from North, Central, and northern South America. Consequently, four new genera are established for the following 20 species, including five new combinations and 14 species described as new: Agaveocoris n. gen. for Caulotops agavis Reuter (as the type species), n. comb.; C. barberi Knight, n. comb.; and C. distanti Reuter, n. comb. and the new species A. bimaculatus, n. sp.; A. barrerai, n. sp.; A. dimidiatus, n. sp.; A. marginalis, n. sp.; A. roseus, n. sp.; A. rostratus, n. sp.; A. schaffneri, n. sp.; and A. scutellatus, n. sp; Laterospinocoris, n. gen. for Caulotops cyaneipennis Reuter, new comb. (as the type species) and the new species L. mexicanus, n. sp.; Nigrotomocoris n. gen. for Caulotops nigrus Carvalho (as the type species), n. comb.; C. tibiopallidus Carvalho, n. comb.; and the new species N. keltoni, n. sp. and N. longirostris, n. sp.; and Schaffnerocoris, n. gen., for S. fuscotibialis, n. sp. (as the type species), S. pallipes, n. sp., and S. similis, n. sp. Lectotypes are designated for Caulotops agavis Reuter, Caulotops cyaneipennis Reuter, and Caulotops puncticollis Bergroth, and a neotype is designated for Eccritotarsus platensis Berg. Each genus and species is diagnosed and described; habitus images, illustration of male genitalia and selected female genitalia, and keys to genera and species are provided; and host use and the unique genitalic systems of these taxa are discussed. A phylogenetic analysis, based on 22 taxa and 39 characters, resulted in three trees supporting the monophyly of the four new genera proposed in this study.

First Occurrence and Population Dynamics of Blissus pulchellus (Hemiptera: Blissidae) in Brazil: a new pest of pastures in Roraima

ABSTRACT Cattle production is one of the main economic activities in the state of Roraima, and insect pest attacks in pastures have a negative effect on this sector in the region. Little is known about the species that cause damage to forage fields in the state. This study presents the first report of the occurrence of the chinch bug Blissus pulchellus Montandon (Hemiptera: Blissidae) in Roraima, Brazil and a description of the population dynamics of this pest in pasture areas in this state. Pasture areas were sampled in nine municipalities of Roraima to detect the insect. The population dynamics study was conducted for two years in Alto Alegre municipality, two of which have Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu and one of Megathrysus maximus cv. Mombaça (Poaceae) crops. Blissus pulchellus was found in all sampled areas, except in Rorainópolis and São João da Baliza. High densities of this bug were found in in Alto Alegre. This is the first report of B. pulchellus in Brazil. The factors that affect the population dynamics and the damage caused by this insect pest to pastures as well as the risk of dispersal of this pest in Brazil are discussed.

Two in one: cryptic species discovered in biological control agent populations using molecular data and crossbreeding experiments.

There are many examples of cryptic species that have been identified through DNA-barcoding or other genetic techniques. There are, however, very few confirmations of cryptic species being reproductively isolated. This study presents one of the few cases of cryptic species that has been confirmed to be reproductively isolated and therefore true species according to the biological species concept. The cryptic species are of special interest because they were discovered within biological control agent populations. Two geographically isolated populations of Eccritotarsus catarinensis (Carvalho) [Hemiptera: Miridae], a biological control agent for the invasive aquatic macrophyte, water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms [Pontederiaceae], in South Africa, were sampled from the native range of the species in South America. Morphological characteristics indicated that both populations were the same species according to the current taxonomy, but subsequent DNA analysis and breeding experiments revealed that the two populations are reproductively isolated. Crossbreeding experiments resulted in very few hybrid offspring when individuals were forced to interbreed with individuals of the other population, and no hybrid offspring were recorded when a choice of mate from either population was offered. The data indicate that the two populations are cryptic species that are reproductively incompatible. Subtle but reliable diagnostic characteristics were then identified to distinguish between the two species which would have been considered intraspecific variation without the data from the genetics and interbreeding experiments. These findings suggest that all consignments of biological control agents from allopatric populations should be screened for cryptic species using genetic techniques and that the importation of multiple consignments of the same species for biological control should be conducted with caution.

Revision of the Ceratocapsine Renodaeus group: Marinonicoris, Pilophoropsis, Renodaeus, and Zanchisme, with descriptions of four new genera (Heteroptera, Miridae, Orthotylinae).

The Renodaeus group, a monophyletic assemblage of genera within the New World orthotyline tribe Ceratocapsini, comprising eight genera, including four new ones, is defined; and 48 species are treated, including 26 described as new and 12 transferred from Ceratocapsus Reuter as new combinations. Ceratocapsidea gen. n. is described to accommodate the new species Ceratocapsideabahamaensis sp. n., from the Bahamas; Ceratocapsideabaranowskii sp. n., from Jamaica; Ceratocapsideadominicanensis sp. n., from the Dominican Republic; Ceratocapsidearileyi sp. n., from Texas; Ceratocapsideataeniola sp. n., from Jamaica; Ceratocapsideatexensis sp. n., from Texas; Ceratocapsideatransversa sp. n., from Mexico (Neuvo León); and Ceratocapsideavariabilis sp. n., from Jamaica; and Ceratocapsusballi Knight, comb. n., Ceratocapsuscomplicatus Knight, comb. n., Ceratocapsideaconsimilis Reuter, comb. n., Ceratocapsusfusiformis Van Duzee, comb. n. (as the type species of the genus), Ceratocapsusnigropiceus Reuter, comb. n., and Ceratocapsusrufistigmus Blatchley, comb. n. [and a neotype designated], Ceratocapsusclavicornis Knight, syn. n. and Ceratocapsusdivaricatus Knight, syn. n. are treated as junior synonyms of Ceratocapsusfusiformis Van Duzee. The genus Marininocoris Carvalho and the only included species Marinonicorismyrmecoides Carvalho are redescribed. The genus Pilophoropsis Poppius is redescribed and revised, Renodaeustexanus Knight, comb. n. is transferred into it and the three new species Pilophoropsisbejeanae sp. n., from Sonora, Mexico; Pilophoropsiscunealis sp. n., from Oaxaca, Mexico; Pilophoropsisquercicola sp. n., from Arizona, USA, are described. Pilophoropsidea gen. n. is described to accommodate the 12 new species Pilophoropsideabrailovskyi sp. n., from Federal District, Mexico; Pilophoropsideacuneata sp. n., from Chiapas, Mexico; Pilophoropsideadimidiata sp. n., from Durango, Mexico; Pilophoropsideafuscata sp. n., from Durango, Mexico and Arizona and New Mexico, USA; Pilophoropsideakeltoni sp. n., from Durango, Mexico; Pilophoropsideamaxima sp. n., from Durango, Mexico; Pilophoropsideapueblaensis sp. n., from Puebla, Mexico; Pilophoropsideaschaffneri sp. n., from Neuvo León and San Luis Potosi, Mexico; Pilophoropsideaserrata sp. n., from Michoacan, Mexico; Pilophoropsideatouchetae sp. n., from Mexico (Puebla); Pilophoropsideatruncata sp. n., from Mexico (Guerrero); Pilophoropsideatuberculata sp. n., from Mexico (Guerrero); and Ceratocapsusbarberi Knight, comb. n., Ceratocapsuscamelus Knight, comb. n. (as the type species of the genus), and Ceratocapsusfascipennis Knight, comb. n. Pilophoropsita gen. n. is described to accommodate Pilophoropsideaschaffneri sp. n. from Costa Rica and Mexico (Jalisco, Nayarit, Oaxaca). The genus Renodaeus Distant is redescribed and the new species Renodaeusmimeticus sp. n. from Ecuador is described. The genus Zanchisme Kirkaldy is reviewed and the four known species are redescribed. Zanchismeopsidea gen. n. is described to accommodate Zanchismeopsideadiegoi sp. n. from Argentina (Santiago del Estero). Provided are habitus illustrations for certain adults (Pilophoropsideacamelus, Pilophoropsisbrachyptera Poppius, Renodaeusmimeticus, and Zanchismemexicanus Carvalho & Schaffner), male and female (when available) color digital images and figures of male genitalia of all species, electron photomicrographs of diagnostic characters for selected species, and keys to the genera and their included species. The taxa treated in this paper are arranged alphabetically by genus and species.

Revision of the plant bug genus tytthus (hemiptera, heteroptera, miridae, phylinae).

The phyline plant bug genus Tytthus Fieber, previously containing 19 species, is revised. Isoproba Osborn and Drake, 1915, incorrectly placed in the subfamily Bryocorinae, tribe Dicyphini, is synonymized as a junior synonym of Tytthus Fieber, syn. n.; the only included species, Isoproba picea Osborn and Drake is transferred to Tytthus, comb. n., as the senior synonym of Tytthus hondurensis Carvalho, syn. n.; and Tytthus koreanus Josifov and Kerzhner, 1972 is synonymized with Tytthus chinensis (Stål 1860), syn. n.; and a lectotype for Tytthus parviceps is designated. The six new species Tytthus femoralis from Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, and Peru,Tytthus fuscicornis from New Mexico (USA), Tytthus mexicanus from Mexico, Tytthus pallidus from Brazil and Panama, Tytthus uniformis from Arizona and New Mexico (USA), and Tytthus wheeleri from the eastern United States are described, bringing the total number of species for the genus to 24. A color adult habitus illustration of Tytthus wheeleri, color photographs for each species (except Tytthus juturnaiba Carvalho and Wallerstein), illustrations of male genitalia, scanning electron photomicrographs of selected structures of certain species, and an identification key are provided to facilitate species recognition. A phylogenetic analysis is offered to help infer relationships.