Halyomorpha halys fixed as the type species of the genus Halyomorpha (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

The genus Halyomorpha Mayr, 1864 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Cappaeini) was established based on a single species, Halys timorensis Westwood, 1837 (currently a junior subjective synonym of Halyomorpha picus (Fabricius, 1794)). The examination of the voucher specimens identifi ed as Halyomorpha timorensis by Mayr, a syntype of Halys timorensis, and syntypes of Pentatoma halys Stål, 1855 revealed that: i) Halyomorpha timorensis (Westwood), stat. restit., must be reinstated as a valid species, and not considered as a junior subjective synonym of H. picus; ii) Mayr’s specimens belong to two different species, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) and H. picus. The problem of double misidentification of the type species of Halyomorpha is resolved by action of the first revising author(s) according to the Article 70.3 of the ICZN (1999): we fi x here Pentatoma halys Stål, 1855 (= Halys timorensis sensu Mayr, nec Westwood) as the type species of Halyomorpha Mayr, 1864. A list of 36 valid species currently placed in Halyomorpha and their synonyms is compiled. We also issue a warning concerning the use of the citizen science approach for monitoring H. halys in Southeast Asia (which may also apply to other taxa): It is necessary to keep in mind that H. halys belongs to a group of habitually similar species (distributed from Pakistan and southern China to Indonesia and the Philippines) which cannot be identified with certainty without examination of their male genitalia; records merely based on observations or habitus photographs cannot be accepted as reliable.

Bizarre morphology in extinct Eocene bugs (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

Newly discovered fossil bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) from the Eocene of Messel (Germany) and Green River (North America) exhibit an exaggerated morphology including prominent spiny humeral and anterolateral angles of the pronotum and a spiny lateral abdominal margin. Especially the humeral angles are unique; they consist of expansive, rounded projections with strong spines, which is a rare trait among pentatomids. A hypothesis for the function of this extreme morphology is defence against small vertebrate predators, such as birds or reptiles. The same protuberances also produce a disruptive effect camouflaging the specimen in its environment and provide additional protection. Therefore, the extreme morphology provides primary as well as secondary anti-predator defence. The morphology of Eospinosus peterkulkai gen. et sp. nov. and E. greenriverensis sp. nov. resembles that of Triplatygini, which today occur exclusively in Madagascar, as well as that of Discocephalinae or Cyrtocorinae, which today occur in the Neotropics. Due to a lack of conclusive characters, it cannot be excluded that the fossil species may represent a case of remarkable convergence and are not related to either taxon. Phylogenetic analyses using parsimony as well as Bayesian algorithms confirmed that the new genus is a member of Pentatomidae, but could not solve its phylogenetic relationships within Pentatomidae.

First record of the genus Lodosocoris Ahmad & Afzal (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Halyini) from India with description of a new species

The genus Lodosocoris Ahmad & Afzal, 1986 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Halyini) is recorded for the first time from India. Prior to this publication, the genus was monotypic so far, containing only Lodosocoris azhari Ahmad & Afzal, 1986 from Pakistan. Herein, the genus Lodosocoris is redescribed along with the description of Lodosocoris santhae sp. nov., based on specimens from Arunachal Pradesh, a region in northeastern India. Lodosocoris santhae sp. nov is described and illustrated based on male and female genitalia. The diagnostic characters of the new species are compared with L. azhari.

Zhengica cornuta gen. nov., sp. nov., a new genus and species of Pentatomidae from East Asia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)

Zhengica cornuta gen. nov., sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Pentatomini) from Shanxi, China, is described, illustrated, and its phylogenetic affinities are discussed. The genus is recognized as a generalized member of the clade of Pentatoma Olivier, 1789 and related genera, its phylogenetically closest relative is probably Cervicoris Hsiao & Cheng, 1977.

Halyomorpha picus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae): first confirmed record from Pakistan and two new junior synonyms

We provide the first confirmed record of Halyomorpha picus (Fabricius, 1794) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Cappaeini) from Pakistan: Islamabad Capital Territory, and provide habitus photographs and electron scanning micrographs of the male genitalia of the voucher specimens. Two species previously described from Pakistan are found to fit within the morphological variability of H. picus and the following two junior subjective synonyms are proposed: Halyomorpha picus (Fabricius, 1794) = Halyomorpha punjabensis Ahmad & Kamaluddin, 1977, syn. nov., = Halyomorpha azhari Ahmad & Zaidi, 1989, syn. nov. The record of Halyomorpha scutellata Distant, 1879, from Pakistan by Sharif et al. (2020) is based on misidentification of a species of Neohalys Ahmad & Perveen, 1982 (Pentatominae: Halyini) and excluded from Pakistan fauna. Based on the analysis of female genitalia figures provided by Gadalla (2004), the record of H. picus from Egypt represents a misidentification of H. halys Stål, 1855, which extends the distribution of that invasive species to North Africa.

Nuevos datos sobre Chinavia musiva (Berg, 1878) en Chile: Actualización de distribución y problemas de identificación con Halyomorpha halys (Stål, 1855) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

Se entregan nuevos registros de Chinavia musiva que extiende su distribución en Chile a las regiones de Coquimbo en el norte y Metropolitana de Santiago hacia el sur. Se discuten los problemas de identificación existentes entre esta especie y Halyomorpha halys, y se entrega una clave pictórica para diferenciar ambos taxones.

Development of a Method for Rearing Nezara viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) on a Semi-solid Artificial Diet

A method for rearing the southern green stinkbug, (Nezara viridula L.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), using a modified lygus semi-solid artificial diet was developed. First to second-instar nymph were reared in a density of 631.5 ± 125.05 eggs per Petri-dish (4 cm deep × 15 cm diam). Second instar to adult were reared in a density of 535.0 ± 112.46 s instar nymphs per rearing cage (43 × 28 × 9 cm). Mating and oviposition occurred in popup rearing cages (30 × 30 cm), each holding 60–90 mixed sex adults of similar age. Adults emerged 35.88 ± 2.13 d after oviposition and survived for an average of 43.09 ± 9.53 d. On average, adults laid 223.95 ± 69.88 eggs in their lifetime, for a total production of 8,099 ± 1,277 fertile eggs/oviposition cage. Egg fertility was 77.93% ± 16.28. Egg masses held in petri-dishes had a total hatchability of 79.38% ± 20.03. Mortality of early nymphs in petri-dishes was 0.64% ± 0.12 for the first instar and 1.37% ± 0.45 for second instar. Late nymphal mortality in rearing cages was 1.41% ± 0.10, 3.47% ± 1.27, and 4.72% ± 1.29 for the third, fourth, and fifth instars, respectively. Survivorship from nymphs to adults was 88.48% ± 2.76. Using artificial diet for rearing N. viridula could reduce cost by avoiding time-consuming issues with daily feeding fresh natural hosts and insect manipulation. It could increase reliability and simplicity of bug production, which should facilitate mass rearing of its biological control agents.

Description of fifteen new species of the Hypoxys balteatus species group (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

Hypoxys Amyot & Serville, 1843 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Edessinae), for a long time considered a synonym or subgenus of Edessa Fabricius, 1803, was recently revised and reinstated to the generic rank. This genus comprises 17 described species divided in four species groups: H. quadridens, H. oxyacanthus, H. triangularis, and H. balteatus species group. Also, there is a large number of new species yet to be described. The H. balteatus species group is diagnosed by: pronotum with posterior stripe smoky brown to black with black punctures within, sometimes these punctures are surrounded by small dark spots; punctures of the pronotal disc smaller and paler than those of the posterior stripe; anterolateral margin of pronotum yellow; anterior half of scutellum with punctures large, sparse, and also on dark spots; connexivum uniformly green, without dark spots; thorax ventrally with two pairs of brown to black rounded spots; apex of pseudosutures with black to brown round spots. This species group included so far only H. balteatus (Walker, 1868). Here we describe and assign 15 new species to this group: H. amyoti sp. nov. (Suriname: Powakka; French Guiana), H. aspilogaster sp. nov. (Brazil: Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro), H. belenensis sp. nov. (Brazil: Pará), H. bergrothi sp. nov. (Venezuela: Amazonas; French Guiana: Saint-Elie), H. breddini sp. nov. (Bolivia: Santa Cruz and San Carlos), H. caquetensis sp. nov. (Colombia: Caquetá), H. favachae sp. nov. (Suriname: Sipaliwini; Brazil: Amapá and Pará), H. gaucho sp. nov. (Brazil: Rio Grande do Sul), H. hyalinofasciatus sp. nov. (Ecuador: Sucumbíos), H. immaculatus sp. nov. (Bolivia: Beni), H. nigroantennatus sp. nov. (French Guiana: Roura), H. santarensis sp. nov. (Brazil: Pará), H. servillei sp. nov. (Brazil: Mato Grosso and Goiás), H. stysi sp. nov. (Suriname: Coronie, Sipaliwini; French Guiana: Cayenne), and H. venustus sp. nov. (Bolivia: Cochabamba). Descriptions, measurements, photos of dorsal and ventral view of each species, and of external genitalia of both sexes, an identification key, and distributional maps are presented.