A re-assessment of Palaeotanyrhina (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) elucidates the phylogeny of Leptopodoidea

Abstract

Abstract A morphologically unusual fossil true bug genus, Palaeotanyrhina Poinar, Brown & Kóbor, 2022, placed into Cimicomorpha: Reduvioidea by its authors, is revisited based on an inclusion in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The original description is supplemented with additional details and corrections. It is demonstrated that the placement of Palaeotanyrhina into Cimicomorpha was based on misinterpretations of the morphology of the holotype, and the genus is a member of the infraorder Leptopodomorpha. A phylogenetic analysis is provided for fossil and extant taxa of Leptopodomorpha. Parvilepta Yu, Zhuo & Chen, 2023, Cretaleptus Sun & Chen, 2019, Macrolepta Yu, Zhuo & Chen, 2023 (currently members of Leptopodidae: Leptosaldinae) and Palaeoleptus Poinar, 2009 (the type genus of Palaeoleptidae) are demonstrated to be phylogenetically closely related to Palaeotanyrhina. All the above mentioned genera are recognized to represent stem-group members of Leptopodomorpha: Leptopodidae: Leptopodinae: Leptopodini, and accordingly, they are transferred to the latter tribe. The following new subjective synonyms are proposed: Leptopodidae: Leptopodinae: Leptopodini Brullé, 1836 = Palaeoleptidae Poinar, 2009, syn. nov. = Palaeotanyrhinidae Poinar, Brown & Kóbor, 2022, syn. nov. Based on the analytic results, the subfamilies Leptosaldinae and Leptopodinae of Leptopodidae and the tribes Leotichiini and Leptopodini of Leptopodinae are considered valid, redefined, and a list of their included genera and species are provided. Arguments are provided in support of the placement of Leptosaldinea Popov & Heiss, 2016, formerly placed into Leptosaldinae, into the infraorder Dipsocoromorpha.