Homalosphodrus Stål, 1867 (Insecta: Heteroptera: Reduviidae): a junior objective synonym of Parsialus Stål, 1863.

Abstract

The purpose of this note is to review the usage of the generic names Parsialus Stål, 1863 and Homalosphodrus Stål, 1867 (type species: Parsialus depressus Stål, 1863) for a genus of harpactorine assassin bugs from the Oriental Region, the latter apparently being an unnecessary replacement name proposed for the former. Although Parsialus Stål, 1863 has been used rarely since its replacement and Homalosphodrus is undoubtedly in prevailing usage, it is demonstrated that neither name has been used extensively in the last century; thus, the case for suppression of Parsialus Stål, 1863 lacks strong support, similar to the case of Lanchnophorus Reuter, 1887 in Rhyparochromidae discussed by Kment et al. (2017) and nearly mirroring the case of Cutocoris Stål, 1859 and Cydnocoris Stål, 1867 in Reduviidae discussed by Swanson (2019). As a consequence, Homalosphodrus Stål, 1867 is replaced by its senior objective synonym, Parsialus Stål, 1863.