Revision of New Zealand Bryocorinae and Phylinae (Insecta: Hemiptera: Miridae)

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONOnly two species of Bryocorinae are known from New Zealand, both in the tribe Dicyphini: the indigenous Felisacus elegantulus (Reuter, 1904) which also lives in Australia, and the introduced species Engytatus nicotianae (Koningsberger, 1903), also known from Indonesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia. Until now the subfamily Phylinae in New Zealand had scarcely been studied, there being only three described species, with the recent addition of a fourth species from the Kermadec Islands. These are: in the tribe Leucophoropterini the indigenous Sejanus albisignatus (Knight, 1938) which is also native to Australia; in the tribe Phylini the endemic Sthenarus myersi Woodward, 1950; the introduced, almost cosmopolitan, Lopus decolor (Fallén, 1807); and the undoubtedly introduced (to the Kermadecs) Campylomma novocaledonica Schuh, 1984. The senior author has known for many years of the existence of other undescribed species congeneric with myersi, and that other genera were represented in the New Zealand Phylini fauna. As Sthenarus Fieber, 1858 is a Northern Hemisphere genus, it seemed unlikely that S. myersi would really belong in that genus. Similar reasoning was discussed by Schuh (1984) who labelled specimens from his study as "Sthenarus" myersi, and catalogued S. myersi as "incertae sedis" (Schuh 1995).The present paper describes and illustrates the new genus Xiphoides to contain Sthenarus myersi and five new species from New Zealand. The new genus is compared with, and distinguished from, Sthenarus and its type species S. rotermundi (Scholtz, 1847).The number of Phylinae genera in the New Zealand subregion is increased from four to 12 (Xiphoides replacing Sthenarus), and the number of species from four to 19. Seven further new genera from New Zealand are described: Basileobius, Cyrtodiridius, Halormus, Mecenopa, Monospatha, Polyozus (each with a single new species), and Pimeleocoris (with three new species). One further introduced genus and species, Tytthus chinensis (Stål, 1859), is recorded from the Kermadec Islands.For New Zealand taxa, a key to the recorded subfamilies is provided; also keys to the genera and species of Bryocorinae, tribes of Phylinae, genera and species of Leucophoropterini, genera of Phylini, and species of the new genera Pimeleocoris and Xiphoides.New and previously described species are described or redescribed, illustrated with colour habitus photos, scanning electron micrographs (SEMs), and drawings of male and female genitalia, and other parts as necessary.As the female genitalia of the Phylinae have scarcely been studied anywhere in the world, our descriptions and figures of those from New Zealand species are a useful contribution in this area. Our study indicates that these structures are very specialised and highly developed. In some genera there is a heavily sclerotised curled duct between the anterior part of the ovipositor and the base of the seminal depository.The predatory nature of some of the New Zealand Phylinae, and the economic importance of the mirids in bo...

The tribe Bryocorini (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae): phylogeny, description of a new genus, and adaptive radiation on ferns

“…Comparatively little taxonomic attention has been focused on this subfamily within the last 50 years. Most of the recent work on Bryocorinae taxonomy consist of numerous isolated descriptions of species and genera (e.g., Hernández & Stonedahl, ; Stonedahl & Hernández, ; Ribes & Ribes, ; Matocq & Ribes, ; Ribes & Baena, ) or regional treatments (e.g., Yasunaga, ; Hu & Zheng, , ; Eyles & Schuh, ). The only attempt to establish phylogenetic relationships among bryocorines was that of Schuh (), who used a limited number of morphological characters and a groundplan estimation approach for the tribes and subtribes.…”

Wallabicoris, New Genus (Hemiptera: Miridae: Phylinae: Phylini) from Australia, with the Description of 37 New Species and an Analysis of Host Associations

“…[1][2][3][4][5]. Narrow secondary strap of endosoma (e.g., figs 1-7) similar to that found in Xiphoides Eyles and Schuh (2003) from New Zealand and an undescribed myrmecomorphic taxon from northwestern Argentina. Partial narrow secondary strap also found in an undescribed Australian taxon near Xiphoides used as an outgroup in the present phylogenetic analysis, but endosoma always forming a distinct coil in Xiphoides and the last taxon and the right paramere in those taxa always with a conspicuous, long, fingerlike process apically (Eyles and Schuh, 2003: figs.…”

Revision of New Zealand Orthotylinae (Insecta: Hemiptera: Miridae)

“…43 appears to be similar to the sclerotised curled duct described and illustrated inXiphoides Eyles & Schuh, 2003 and other genera of Phylini (Eyles & Schuh 2003).…”

“…A key to the subfamilies of Miridae in New Zealand is provided in Eyles & Schuh (2003). Two of the three tribes of Orthotylinae are represented in New Zealand.…”