New paper!

Chen Z. et al.: "Molecular phylogenetics provides insights into biogeography and character evolution in the assassin bug tribe Saicini (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae)".

Reduviidae (assassin bugs) are a species-rich group of terrestrial predatory insects, exhibiting remarkable diversity in foreleg morphology. The tribe Saicini (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae) displays various morphological modifications of the foreleg. Although the definition and classification of Saicini have undergone considerable changes in recent years, the higher-level phylogeny and evolutionary history of the tribe remain poorly understood. Here, we generated a molecular dataset for Saicini to investigate its phylogeny, historical biogeography and foreleg character evolution. Our phylogenetic results corroborate the monophyly of Saicini and its two subtribes, Saicina and Tagalina, and reveal two new genera: Montopolytoxus gen. n. and Webbisaica gen. n. Molecular dating and biogeographic analyses suggest that the crown group of Saicini originated in the Late Cretaceous (ca. 72.05 Ma), followed by multiple transcontinental dispersal events that shaped the current tropicopolitan distribution of the tribe. Ancestral state reconstruction of six foreleg characters indicates that the ancestral Saicini possessed a moderately elongate procoxa, a curved protibia and a short protarsomere I. The presence of tuberculate setae on the foreleg is inferred to be the ancestral condition for Tagalina.

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New paper!

Salini S. & Mohanprasad G.: "The genus Hermolaus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae): redescriptions, new synonyms, and description of one new species from India including Andaman & Nicobar Islands".

The genus Hermolaus Distant, 1902 (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Eysarcorini) is revised from mainland India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with the description of a new species Hermolaus magnus sp. nov. Salini. Hermolaus horni Breddin, 1909 and the type species, Hermolaus typicus Distant, 1902 are redescribed. Hermolaus qadrii Ahmad & Rana, 1978, syn. nov. and Hermolaus robustus Distant, 1918, syn. nov. are considered junior subjective synonyms of H. typicus. Hermolaus brevis Azim & Shafee, 1985, syn. nov. and Hermolaus rolstoni Azim & Shafee, 1985, syn. nov. are considered as junior subjective synonyms of H. horni. The names ‘Hermolaus ocimumi’ and H. ishurdiensis by Hussain et al. (2021), are considered as nomen dubium and unavailable nomen nudum respectively. Though the genus comprises of several species, which are widespread throughout Asia and Africa, in India, only three species (including the new species described herein) of this (more diverse) genus are found. A distribution map and a key to the three Indian species of Hermolaus are also provided.

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New paper!

Gil-Santana H. R.: "A new species of Zelurus Hahn, 1826 with taxonomic notes on Zelurus truculentus (Stål, 1860) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae)".

Zelurus giupponii sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) is described from Brazil, based on a male. Short taxonomic notes on the characteristics of Zelurus truculentus (Stål,
1860), with emphasis on the male genitalia, are provided. The previously proposed synonymy of Spiniger decoloratus Walker, 1873 with Z. truculentus is reviewed and rejected.

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