Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2018-04-16
Page range: 177–189
Abstract views: 59
PDF downloaded: 4

First record of the genus Ptilocerus in the Australian Region, with the description of two new species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae)

Agriculture Victoria, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, AgriBio, 5 Ring Road, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia. La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia.
Hemiptera Australia Papua New Guinea new species Ptilocerus Holoptilinae species key generic placement

Abstract

The assassin bugs of the genus Ptilocerus Gray, 1831 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Holoptilinae) occurring in the Australian Region are reviewed for the first time, resulting in the description of two new species, viz., P. spangenbergi sp. nov. (Queensland and Northern Territory, Australia) and P. papuensis sp. nov. (Papua New Guinea). The latter species differs from P. fuscus Gray, 1831 (the type-species of genus Ptilocerus) in a couple of major external morphological characters, hence its tentative placement in the genus Ptilocerus is discussed. A key for the separation of the two new species is provided.

 

References

  1. Gray, J.E. (1831) Description of a new genus of hemipterous insect, discovered by Major General Hardwicke in India. Zoological Miscellany, 1831, 34.

    Maldonado Capriles, J. (1990) Systematic catalogue of the Reduviidae of the world. Carribean Journal of Science, Special Edition. University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, 694 pp.

    Malipatil, M.B. (1985) Revision of Australian Holoptilinae (Reduviidae: Heteroptera). Australian Journal of Zoology, 33, 283–299.

    https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO9850283

    Rédei, D. & Tsai, J.F. (2011) The assassin bug subfamilies Centrocnemidinae and Holoptilinae in Taiwan (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae). Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae, 51 (2), 411–442.

    Weirauch, C. & Cassis, G. (2006) Attracting ants: the trichome and novel glandular areas on the sternum of Ptilocnemus lemur (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Holoptilinae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 114 (1–2), 28–37.

    https://doi.org/10.1664/0028-7199(2006)114[28:AATTAN]2.0.CO;2