The Halticini of the world (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae): Generic reclassification, phylogeny, and host plant associations

Abstract

The plant bug tribe Halticini (Heteroptera: Miridae) is revised. The genus Coridromius Signoret, 1862 is removed from the Halticini to form the new monogeneric tribe Coridromiini. A generic reclassification of the Halticini is given, comprising 25 genera: Acratheus Distant, 1910; Anapus Stål, 1858; Barbarosia Kiyak, 1995; Chorosomella Horváth, 1906; Compositocoris Schwartz, Schuh & Tatarnic, 2008; Dampierella Tatarnic, 2009; Dasyscytus Fieber, 1864; Dicyphopsis Poppius, 1914; Dimorphocoris Reuter, 1890; Ectmetopterus Reuter, 1906; Euryopicoris Reuter, 1875; Goodeniaphila Tatarnic, 2009; Halticus Hahn, 1833; Labops Burmeister, 1835; Microtechnites Berg, 1883; Myrmecophyes Fieber, 1870; Nanniella Reuter, 1904; Namaquacapsus Schuh, 1974; Orthocephalus Fieber, 1858; Pachytomella Costa, 1890; Piezocranum Horváth, 1877; Plagiotylus Scott, 1874; Schoenocoris Reuter, 1890; Scirtetellus Reuter, 1890, and Strongylocoris Blanchard, 1840. Microtechnites is reinstated from synonymy with Halticus, and Platyporus Reuter, 1890 is proposed as a new junior synonym of Anapus. The following new combinations are proposed for ten species formerly placed in Halticus: Ectmetopterus bicoloratus (Kulik, 1965), Ectmetopterus comitans (Josifov & Kerzhner, 1972), Ectmetopterus fuscous (Zou, 1985), Ectmetopterus maculipes (Zou, 1985), Ectmetopterusniger (Zou, 1985) and Microtechnites bractatus (Say, 1832), Microtechnites canus (Distant, 1893), Microtechnites chrysolepis (Kirkaldy, 1904), Microtechnites minutus (Reuter, 1885), and Microtechnites spegazzini (Berg, 1883). New combinations for two species formerly placed in Cafayatina Carvalho & Carpintero, 1986 are also proposed: Microtechnites altigena Carvalho & Carpintero, 1986 and Microtechnites inesalti (Carvalho & Carpintero, 1986). Revised diagnoses are provided for each genus. Redescriptions are provided for all but the most recently described genera. A key to the genera of Halticini is provided. Colour habitus photos of the type species for most genera are given. Scanning electron micrographs of salient characters and illustrations of male and female genitalia are provided for exemplars of each of the genera. Based on our phylogenetic analysis, we define a monophyletic Halticini, with the exclusion of Coridromius. Within the Halticini, Halticus is found to be sister to the remainder of the tribe. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London.