Intraspecific morphological polymorphism in Naucoridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) with notes on nomenclature and synonymy
Polhemus John T., Polhemus Dan A.
Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 48(2): 289-298, 2008
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Abstract: 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 par- ticular,
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 Usin- ger, 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.
Key words: Heteroptera, Naucoridae, Laccocorinae, morphology, variability, sexual dimorphism, taxonomy, new synonymy, new combination