Abstract. Cuticular parts of the spermatheca and associated vaginal structures (chiefly the ring sclerites of the parietovaginal glands) have been examined and compared in 190 cydnid species representing 65 genera and all five subfamilies currently recognized in the family (Amnestinae, Cephalocteinae, Cydninae, Garsauriinae, Sehirinae). Four species belonging to genera formerly included within the Cydnidae (Dismegistus, Parastrachia, Thaumastella, Thyreocoris) were also examined. Morphology of the three main parts of the spermatheca [seminal receptacle (distal bulb), intermediate part (pump apparatus), spermathecal duct] is described. Four main types of spermathecae can be recognized from the distal receptacle and the intermediate part: the amaurocorine type (in Sehirinae: Amaurocorini), amnestine type (in Amnestinae), garsauriine type (in Garsauriinae), and "cydnoid" type (in Cephalocteinae + Cydninae: Cydnini, Geotomini + Sehirinae: Sehirini). No synapomorphy of these types was found which suggests that the currently conceived Cydnidae are not monophyletic. Moreover, out of these four types only the "cydnoid" is typically pentatomoidean due to the presence of an intermediate part usually well delimited by two flanges and having always an unsclerotized flexible zone as well as two internal cuticular structures (septum and fretum) partly obstructing the lumen. The simple tubular amaurocorine type is unusual and aberrant within all Pentatomoidea. The amnestine and garsauriine types display some similarities with taxa outside the Pentatomoidea, especially with some lygaeoid or coreoid spermathecae, mainly in the structure of the intermediate part not delimited proximally (absence of flanges) and devoid of the flexible zone. Within the "cydnoid" type, six spermathecal facies can be characterized principally according to the shape of both the apical reservoir along with the intermediate part, and the differentiations of the spermathecal duct. It has been impossible to find any synapomorphy for all species and for the six facies belonging to the "cydnoid" type of spermatheca. We suggest that the Cydnidae as defined presently are probably a polyphyletic group; moreover its main "cydnoid" branch, called by us Cydnidae sensu stricto (Cephalocteinae + Cydninae + Sehirinae: Sehirini) seems to be relatively recent among the Pentatomoidea. Nishadana and Nishocoris are transferred from Garsauriinae back to Cydninae: Cydnini and the tribe Amaurocorini (Sehirinae) is upgraded to a separate subfamily Amaurocorinae stat. nov. Moreover, we regard the Geotomini and the Sehirini both as non-monophyletic and we indicate that by appending them sensu lato (Geotomini "s. l.", Sehirini "s. l.")

An annotated list of the triatomine species present in

Rhodnius amazonicus Almeida, Santos & Sposina, 1973 was described as a species close to R. pictipes Stål, 1872 on the basis of a single female specimen. In their revision of the Triatominae, Lent and Wygodzinsky (1979) synonymized this species with R. pictipes on the basis of a photograph of the holotype of R. amazonicus. They argue that the specific characters are not convincing, or at least doubtful, and they consider this moreover partly damaged female as an abnormal specimen of R. pictipes.The recent discovery of two atypical specimens among close to 100 R. pictipes from French Guiana, allows us to reconsider this question. These two specimens, one male and one female, correspond exactly to the description made by Almeida et al. (1973); moreover, the male genitalia show clear differences from those of R. pictipes.

No abstract

No abstract