Rehabilitation of Mormoschema (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae): generic status restituted and tribal placement revised

Abstract

Tolumnia immaculata Distant, 1900 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae) is redescribed based on the study of primary types and additional specimens from India and Sri Lanka. This species is found to not be congeneric with the rest of Tolumnia Stål, 1868, including the type species. This verifies the original opinion of Breddin (1909), which was subsequently rejected by Distant (1918) but without argumentation. As a result, the monotypic genus Mormoschema Breddin, 1909, stat. restit., is removed from synonymy with Tolumnia, and the combination Mormoschema immaculatum (Distant, 1900) is restituted. The male and female genitalia of Mormoschema immaculatum are described in detail. The tribal placement of Mormoschema is discussed; the genus is excluded from Cappaeini and transferred to Eysarcorini. Buddleja asiatica and Scrophularia sp. (Scrophulariaceae) are recorded as feeding plants for M. immaculatum.