Intraspecific morphological polymorphism in Naucoridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) with notes on nomenclature and synonymy

Pages

289-298

Citation

POLHEMUS, John T. a POLHEMUS, Dan A.. Intraspecific morphological polymorphism in Naucoridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) with notes on nomenclature and synonymy. Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae. Prague: National Museum, 2008, 48(2), 289-298. ISSN 0374-1036 (print) 1804-6487 (online). Also available from: https://www.nm.cz/en/periodicals/aemnp/48-2/intraspecific-morphological-polymorphism-in-naucoridae-hemiptera-heteroptera-with-notes-on-nomenclature-and-synonymy

Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae | 2008/48/2

Trends in intraspecific variation among certain aspects of pronotal and tarsal morphology within the family Naucoridae are reviewed, and linked to previously flawed taxonomic decisions regarding species separation or generic assignments within this group, particularly in the subfamily Laccocorinae. In particular, we review evidence that the shape of the posterolateral pronotal angles is linked to differing degrees of fore- and hindwing development across the family as a whole, and that members of the subfamily Laccocorinae exhibit intersexual variation in both fore tarsal segmentation and the number of claws on the foreleg. Misinterpretation of such character state variation has been utilized as an invalid basis for separation of putatively distinct species by many authors over the past 50 years. Based on this analysis, we propose the following taxonomic changes (valid names listed first): Laccocoris staudingeri Montandon, 1897 = Laccocoris maai La Rivers, 1970, syn. nov. = Laccocoris lipogonia La Rivers, 1970, syn. nov.; Interocoris La Rivers, 1974, stat. nov. (currently subgenus of Heleocoris Stål, 1876) is raised to full generic status to contain Interocoris mexicanus (Usinger, 1935), comb. nov. (formerly held under Heleocoris (Interocoris) mexicanus Usinger, 1935); the following Neotropical species are transferred from Heleocoris to Ctenipocoris Montandon, 1897: Ctenipocoris brasiliensis (De Carlo, 1968), comb. nov., Ctenipocoris peruvianus (La Rivers, 1974), comb. nov., Ctenipocoris schadei (De Carlo, 1940), comb. nov., Ctenipocoris spinipes (Montandon, 1897), comb. nov.; and Heleocoris faradjensis La Rivers, 1960 is transferred to Ctenipocoris and synonymized such that Ctenipocoris africanus Poisson, 1948 = Heleocoris faradjensis La Rivers, 1960, syn. nov.