Plant bugs with swollen antennae: a morphology-based phylogenetic analysis of Heterocapillus Wagner, 1960 and related genera (Hemiptera: Miridae: Phylinae)

Abstract

Plant bugs of the genus Heterocapillus (Miridae: Phylinae) are predominantly Mediterranean minute black phylines with distinctly swollen antennomeres I and II. The monophyly and relationships of this group has been questioned in several studies. This paper provides a morphology-based phylogeny inferred with Parsimony and Bayesian analyses of the genus and a diverse array of outgroups. Based on these results, Heterocapillus is here redefined as monotypic. A new monotypic genus Abietocapsus gen. nov. is erected to accommodate Phoenicocoris dissimilis (Reuter, 1878) and updated diagnoses are provided for the genera Lobicris Putshkov, 1977 gen. dist. , Mesopsallus Wagner, 1970 gen. dist. , and Salicarus Kerzhner, 1962. The following new combinations are established: Campylomma atlanticum (Wagner, 1963) comb. nov. , Campylomma pusillum (Reuter, 1878) comb. nov. , Mesopsallus amygdali (Wagner, 1960) comb. nov. , Mesopsallus fagi (Drapolyuk, 1990) comb. nov. , Mesopsallus mali (Meyer-Dür, 1843) comb. nov. , Mesopsallus pici (Reuter, 1899) comb. nov. , Mesopsallus rhodani (Fieber, 1861) comb. nov. , Mesopsallus validus (Reuter, 1901) comb. nov. , Psallus (Phylidea) validicornis (Reuter, 1876) comb. nov. , Salicarus cavinotum (Wagner, 1973) comb. nov. , Salicarus genistae (Lindberg, 1948) comb. nov. , Salicarus nitidus (Horváth, 1905) comb. nov. , and Salicarus perpusillus (Wagner, 1960) comb. nov. Atractotomus schmiedeknechti Reuter, 1899 is synonymized with Atractotomus parvulus Reuter, 1878. Heterocapillus niger Wagner, 1966 is synonymized with Psallus (Phylidea) validicornis (Reuter, 1876). The highly homoplastic nature of the antennal shape in phylines is demonstrated, suggesting against using these features as diagnostic at the generic level.