Abstract
Chenicoris dilatatus gen. n. & sp. n. from southern China is described and placed in the largest assassin bug subfamily Harpactorinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae). The new species is similar to members of Isyndus Stål, 1859 in general habitus, but can be distinguished from the latter by the unarmed anterior pronotal lobe, the laterally dilated lobe-like abdominal segment V and several features of its genitalia.
Highlights
Comprising more than 2,800 extant species in nearly 320 genera, the Harpactorinae is the largest subfamily of Reduviidae, or assassin bugs (Weirauch et al, 2014)
The Chinese harpactorine fauna has been intensively investigated since the 1940s and approximately 170 species belonging to 52 genera in four tribes have been recorded so far (e.g., Wu, 1935; China, 1940; Hoffmann, 1944; Hsiao, 1979a, b; Hsiao & Ren 1981; Maldonado Capriles, 1990; Cai, 1995; Putshkov & Putshkov, 1996; Hua, 2000; Cai & Tomokuni, 2003; Zhao et al, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2015)
For comparative studies we examined the Reduviidae collection deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, U.K. (BMNH) and browsed the online checklist of Heteroptera collection in the Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden (Gustafsson, 2006)
Summary
Comprising more than 2,800 extant species in nearly 320 genera, the Harpactorinae is the largest subfamily of Reduviidae, or assassin bugs (Weirauch et al, 2014). Many systematic relationships within Harpactorinae remain unresolved, owing in part to the great number of species in this subfamily. The Chinese harpactorine fauna has been intensively investigated since the 1940s and approximately 170 species belonging to 52 genera in four tribes have been recorded so far (e.g., Wu, 1935; China, 1940; Hoffmann, 1944; Hsiao, 1979a, b; Hsiao & Ren 1981; Maldonado Capriles, 1990; Cai, 1995; Putshkov & Putshkov, 1996; Hua, 2000; Cai & Tomokuni, 2003; Zhao et al, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2015). Due to the complexity of the physical geography of China and the great diversity of harpactorine species, actual biodiversity of Chinese Harpactorinae is still poorly understood and future field expeditions (especially to biodiversity hotspots in southern China) might lead to new discoveries. As it cannot be placed into any other known genus, we establish a new genus to accommodate this species and discuss potential relationship with species of Isyndus Stål, 1859
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