Phylogenetic analyses of the 13 species of the subgenusLyciptabased on morphological characters were performed under equal and implied weighting, following the method of Mirande (2009). Species fromDichelops,Ladeaschistus,Proxys,Spinalanx,Euschistus(Euschistus) andEuschistus(Mitripus) were included as outgroups, and the tree rooted onCarpocoris. Sixty-five morphological characters were coded in the data matrix. The cladistic analyses did not recover the monophyly of the subgenusLycipta. A clade was supported based on characters of the pygophore and female ectodermal ducts strengthening a new definition ofEuschistus(Lycipta). One species,Euschistus monrosi, was excluded from the subgenus and transferred to the nominal subgenus.Euschistus(Lycipta) species are distributed in two Neotropical subregions: Brazilian (Pará, Rondônia and Yungas provinces) and Chacoan (Pampean, Atlantic, Parana andAraucariaForests and Puna provinces). Biogeographical analyses of spatial vicariance were performed employing different sets of parameters and allowed to identify five disjunctions nodes.

Scutelleridae Leach includes three subfamilies, 25 genera, and almost 100 species in the Neotropics. Both subfamilies Scutellerinae and Elvisurinae are represented by a single genus, and Pachycorinae contains the majority of the species. Neotropical shield bugs are usually dull colored, but polymorphisms and sexual dimorphisms have caused a considerable confusion in their taxonomy. Several genera need revision, and many new taxa are awaiting formal descriptions. Biological and ecological data are scarce, with a few species reported as minor pests.

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Lycipta Stål (1862a) was proposed as a genus to include three species previously placed in Euschistus Dallas – Euschistus illotus Stål, 1860; E. triangulator (Herrich-Schäffer, 1842); and E. scabricornis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1844). Later, Stål (1862b) treated Lycipta as a subgenus of Euschistus and described E. (L.) spurculus. Stål (1872) transferred E. spurculus to Euschistus (Euschistus); treated E. scabricornis as inserti generis (actually Agroecus scabricornis); and added three new species to Euschistus (Lycipta). As a result (Stål 1872), there are five species: E. (L.) cornutus (Dallas, 1851); E. (L.) cribrarius Stål, 1872; E. (L.) illotus; E. (L.) picticornis Stål, 1872; and E. (L.) triangulator. Rolston (1982) added five new species to Lycipta: E. (L.) luridus (Dallas, 1851); E. (L.) circumfusus Berg, 1883; E. (L.) imitator Berg, 1878; E. (L.) machadus Rolston, 1982; and E. (L.) sharpi Bergroth, 1891. Thomas (1983) corrected the homonymy of Euschistus luridus Dallas, 1851, replacing the name of E. (L.) aceratos Berg, 1894. Grazia & Hildebrand (1982) transferred Berecynthus monrosi Pirán, 1963 to Euschistus; Rolston (1984), based on the illustrations of the head and spermatheca of E. monrosi provided by Grazia & Hildebrand (1982), included this species in the subgenus Lycipta. Finally, Grazia & Hildebrand (1983) described E. (Lycipta) longicornis, for a total of 12 species in the subgenus.