New paper!

Frankenberg S. & Weirauch C: "Correlated evolution of exaggerated genitalic structures in the minute litter bug Nannocoris Reuter (Hemiptera: Schizopteridae)".

Studies on animal genitalia have long shaped our understanding of patterns and processes of morphological evolution. Coevolution between male and female genitalic structures is predicted to be ubiquitous, regardless of the evolutionary mechanism involved. However, studies that simultaneously evaluate male and female genitalic variation in a comparative phylogenetic framework have remained relatively scarce. We here investigate correlated male and female genital evolution in Nannocoris Reuter (Hemiptera: Schizopteridae), a minute litter bug genus that may be unique among arthropods in the degree and variation of its exaggerated genitalic traits: we here report that the length of the male intromittent organ differs dramatically between species, ranging from 1/8th to 20 times their respective body length, and that this variation is mirrored in the female spermathecal duct. Using a phylogenetic hypothesis for species of Nannocoris, measurements of male and female genitalic features, and phylogenetically independent contrasts, we find that the length of the male intromittent organ and female spermathecal duct are correlated. The mode of evolution that has led to these striking phenotypes is unknown, but we stress that this system has potential for future research in the evolution of male and female genitalic features in general.

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New paper!

de Paiva Cunha, E.V. et al.: "New Genus, a New Species, and New Combinations in Edessinae (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)".

A new genus of Edessinae is described, Notochlora gen. nov. Cunha, Robert and Fernandes. The new genus comprises three species, including two species transferred from Edessa and one new species: Notochlora dolichocera (Lichtenstein 1795) comb. nov., N. guyanensis (Fernandes and van Doesburg 2000) comb. nov., and Notochlora chlorosa Cunha, Robert and Fernandes sp. nov. These species are distributed in Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Diagnoses, redescriptions, illustrations, and a distribution map for the species of Notochlora gen. nov. are provided. Additionally, Edessa nigromaculata Fernandes and van Doesburg 2000 is transferred to Grammedessa Correa and Fernandes, 2016, based on morphological evidence.

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New paper!

Loures-Ferreira M. et al.: "Modeling the current and future potential distribution of Leptoglossus zonatus (Hemiptera: Coreidae) under climate change scenarios".

Leptoglossus zonatus is an economically important leaf-footed bug across the Americas, damaging several high-value crops. We assessed its current and future potential distribution using an ensemble species distribution modelling framework calibrated with climatic and topographic predictors and evaluated via spatial block cross-validation to reduce spatial autocorrelation. Future projections were generated for SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 using CMIP6 general circulation models (MIROC6 and MRI-ESM2-0) for mid-century (2041–2060) and late-century (2061–2080). Ensemble models showed high predictive performance and identified annual mean temperature and precipitation seasonality as dominant determinants of suitability. Projections indicated a spatial redistribution of climatic suitability, characterized by the expansion of marginally suitable areas and the contraction of moderate to highly suitable habitats, rather than a simple range expansion, especially under SSP5-8.5. Despite declining high-quality habitat, major agricultural regions currently affected by L. zonatus are expected to remain climatically suitable, albeit under increasingly suboptimal conditions. These results support climate-informed surveillance and adaptive pest management under ongoing climate change.

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