New genera and species of Plokiophilidae from Australia, Fiji, and Southeast Asia, with a revised classification of the family (Insecta: Heteroptera: Cimicoidea)
Abstract
Monteithophila queenslandana, new genus and new species, is described from Queensland, Australia, and represents the first record of the family Plolciophilidae from the continent. Morphology of the male genitalia is similar to that found in Heissophila Schuh from Thailand and therefore the traumatic insemination as found in other members of the family is hypothesized to be absent in Monteithophila.
The female of an apparently congeneric taxon from Fiji is described as Monteithophila fijiensis. Paraplokiophiloides schwendingeri, new genus and new species, is described from Thailand.
Female genitalic morphology in the Plokiophilidae is documented with laser confocal microscopy. A revised classification of the Plokiophilidae is proposed in order to establish congruence between observed morphological characters and the recognized higher-taxonomic groupings.
The new subfamily Heissophilinae is erected to include Heissophila, Moneithophila, and the Baltic amber fossil Pavlostysia Popov. The concept of Plokiophilinae is revised to include all taxa with traumatic insemination.
The tribe Lipokophilini is erected to contain the Recent genus Lipokophila Stys. A newly delimited Plokiophilini includes the subtribes Embiophilina and Plolciophilina; Paraplokiophiloides is placed in the Embiophilina based on the presence of fore- and mesofemoral spines.
Defining characters of the Plokiophilidae are discussed and a key to the genera is included.