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Title: Review and new subfamily placement of the plant bug genus Isometocoris Carvalho and Sailer, 1954 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae), with the description of a new species from Brazil

Author
item WOLSKI, A. - Opole University
item Henry, Thomas

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/26/2015
Publication Date: 8/26/2015
Citation: Wolski, A., Henry, T.J. 2015. Review and new subfamily placement of the plant bug genus Isometocoris Carvalho and Sailer, 1954 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae), with the description of a new species from Brazil. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 117(3):407-418.

Interpretive Summary: Plant bugs treated in this paper are largely predatory, feeding on small soft-bodied arthropods, such as scale insects and dipteran and lepidopteran larvae. The higher classification of these bugs has been seriously confused. One of the included genera was originally placed in the jumping tree bug subfamily based on what were considered four ocelli (simple eyes) on the head. Later, it was shown that these ocelli actually were only the shiny bases of missing setae (hairs), which justified the placement of this genus in another subfamily. With the discovery of additional specimens and a species new to science, the position of these bugs is re-evaluated and the relationships of three closely related subfamilies are discussed. This work will be of interest to biocontrol workers, taxonomists, and other researchers needing a better understanding of plant bug interrelationships.

Technical Abstract: The genus Isometocoris Carvalho and Sailer is reviewed and I. penicillus, new species, from Brazil is described. Diagnoses of the genus and included species I. blantoni Carvalho and Sailer and I. penicillus, n. sp., are given; a color adult habitus photo of both Isometocoris species, male genitalic drawings of Isometocoris penicillus n. sp., and scanning electron micrographs of selected structures of I. blantoni are provided; and an identification key is given to help distinguish the two included species. Isometocoris is transferred from the subfamily Psallopinae to the Cylapinae, where it is placed in the tribe Fulviini. Psallopinae is reduced to tribal level (Psallopini, new status) within the Cylapinae, and relationships among Cylapinae, Isometopinae, and Psallopinae are discussed.