Revision of the mirine plant bug genus Philostephanus Distant and allies (Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae: Mirini)

Abstract

The East Asian mirine plant bug genus Philostephanus Distant, 1909 is revised.Twenty-three species are recognized, including 9 new species from Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Nepal, and Indonesia (Sumatra).Synapomorphies of the female genitalia uniquely define the genus as a monophyletic group.Arbolygus Kerzhner, 1979 is proposed as a junior synonym of Philostephanus, thus forming twelve new combinations: P. ailaoensis (Lu and Zheng), P. difficilis (Lu and Zheng), P. fulvus (Jakovlev), P. glaber (Kerzhner), P. himalayicus (Lu and Zheng), P. longustus (Lu and Zheng), P. pronotalis (Zheng and Liu), P. renae (Lu and Zheng), P. rubripes (Jakovlev), P. tibialis (Lu and Zheng), P. ulmi (Kerzhner), and P. wuzhiensis (Lu and Zheng).Lygus variegatus Poppius, 1914 is transferred to Philostephanus.Each of the fourteen known species of Philostephanus is diagnosed and redescribed.A new genus Orientocapsus, regarded as a close relative of Philostephanus, is proposed to accommodate two Chinese species and three new species from Japan, Taiwan, and China.Liocapsus Poppius, 1915, also related to Philostephanus, is diagnosed and contains four species; one from Nepal and two from Taiwan are described as new.Keys are provided to distinguish all known species of Philostephanus, Orientocapsus, and Liocapsus.The genus Mahania Poppius, 1915, incorrectly synonymized with Philostephanus, is restored, and a single representative, M. elongata Poppius, 1915 is redescribed.Lectotypes are designated for Lygus variegatus, Liocapsus brevirostris, Mahania elongate, and Philostephanus vitaliter.The phylogeny of Philostephanus species and relative outgroup taxa is discussed.