The classification of the hyperdiverse true bug family Miridae is far from settled, and is particularly contentious for the cosmopolitan subfamily Bryocorinae. The morphological diversity within the subfamily is pronounced, and a lack of explicit character formulation hampers stability in the classification. Molecular partitions are few and only a handful of taxa have been sequenced. In this study the phylogeny of the subfamily Bryocorinae has been analysed based on morphological data alone, with an emphasis on evaluating the tribe Dicyphina sensu Schuh, 1976, within which distinct groups of taxa exist. A broad sample of taxa was examined from each of the bryocorine tribes. A broad range of outgroup taxa from most of the other mirid subfamilies was also examined to test for bryocorine monophyly, ingroup relationships and to determine character polarity. In total a matrix comprising 44 ingroup, 15 outgroup taxa and 111 morphological characters was constructed. The phylogenetic analysis resulted in a monophyletic subfamily Bryocorinae sensu Schuh (1976, 1995), except for the genus Palaucoris, which is nested within Cylapinae. The tribe Dicyphini sensu Schuh (1976, 1995) has been rejected. The subtribe Odoniellina is synonymized with the subtribe Monaloniina and the subtribes Dicyphina, Monaloniina and Eccritotarsina are now elevated to tribal level, with the Dicyphini now restricted in composition and definition. The genus Felisacus is highly autapomorphic and a new tribe -the Felisacini -is erected for the included taxa. This phylogeny of the tribes of the Bryocorinae comprises the following sister-group relationships: Dicyphini ((Bryocorini + Eccritotarsini)(Felisicini + Monaloniini)).

The Australian endemic plant bug genus Rayieria Odhiambo (Heteroptera : Miridae : Bryocorinae : Monaloniina) is revised. Ten species are described as new to science: Rayieria acaciae, sp. nov., R. albaornata, sp. nov., R. decorata, sp. nov., R. frontalis, sp. nov., R. gearyi, sp. nov., R. grandiocula, sp. nov., R. kennedyi, sp. nov., R. minuta, sp. nov.. R. queenslandica, sp. nov., and R. rubranigra, sp. nov. Rayieria braconoides (Walker) and R. tumidiceps (Horváth) are synonymised with R. basifer (Walker), syn. nov. Diagnoses, descriptions, distribution records and host-plant information for all species are given. Digital habitus illustrations of males and females are provided for most species and sexes where available. Male and female genitalia are illustrated for each species. A key to all species is given. Phylogenetic analysis of the ingroup relationships of Rayieria is given, based on 11 ingroups, 16 outgroups and 56 morphological characters. The analysis supports monophyly of Rayieria and establishes a clade comprising all other elongate monaloniine genera, inclusive of Arthriticus Bergroth, Ragwelellus Odhiambo, Helopeltis Signoret and Monalonion Herrich-Schaeffer. Braconid-mimic species of Rayieria are reported. Host-plant associations for this genus and the subtribe Monaloniina are discussed.

No abstract

The higher classification of the mirid subfamily Bryocorinae has received comparatively little attention. It is not highly species-rich in comparison with other mirid subfamilies but does exhibit extraordinary morphological heterogeneity. In this work we provide a synthesis of the subfamily on a global basis, providing a new key and updated diagnoses of supraspecific taxa. Five tribes are recognised: Bryocorini, Dicyphini, Eccritotarsini, Felisacini and Monaloniini. The genus Campyloneura Fieber is transferred from the tribe Dicyphini to the Eccritotarsini. Analysis of distributional patterns and a survey of host plant associations are provided. Available data on distribution of the main bryocorine lineages are summarised in tabular form and evaluated using UPGMA methods, and geographically structured patterns were detected. The synthesis will enable users to identify bryocorines to tribal level with confidence and provides a classificatory framework for future revisionary and phylogenetic studies.

Previously climatic niche modelling had been studied for only a few trans-Palearctic species. It is unclear whether and to what extent those niches are different, and which climatic variables influence such a wide distribution. Here, environmental niche modelling is performed based on the Worldclim variables using Maxent for eight species of the genus Orthocephalus (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae). This group belongs to one of the largest insect families and it is distributed across Palearctic. Orthocephalus bivittatus, O. brevis, O. saltator and O. vittipennis are distributed across Europe and Asia; O. coriaceus, O. fulvipes, O. funestus, O. proserpinae have more limited distribution. Niche comparison using ENMTools was also undertaken to compare the niches of these species, and to test whether the niches of closely related species with trans-Palearctic distributions are more similar to each other, than to other congeners. It has been found that climatic niche models of all trans-Palearctic species under study are similar but are not identical to each other. This has been supported by niche geographic projections, climatic variables contributing to the models and variable ranges. Climatic niche models of all the trans-Palearctic Orthocephalus species are also very similar to two species having more restricted distribution (O. coriaceus, O. funestus). Results of this study suggest that trans-Palearctic distributions can have different geographic ranges and be shaped by different climatic factors.

Termite mounds built by representatives of the family Termitidae are among the most spectacular constructions in the animal kingdom, reaching 6-8 m in height and housing millions of individuals. Although functional aspects of these structures are well studied, their evolutionary origins remain poorly understood. Australian representatives of the termitid subfamily Nasutitermitinae display a wide variety of nesting habits, making them an ideal group for investigating the evolution of mound building. Because they feed on a variety of substrates, they also provide an opportunity to illuminate the evolution of termite diets. Here, we investigate the evolution of termitid mound building and diet, through a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analysis of Australian Nasutitermitinae. Molecular dating analysis indicates that the subfamily has colonized Australia on three occasions over the past approximately 20 Myr. Ancestral-state reconstruction showed that mound building arose on multiple occasions and from diverse ancestral nesting habits, including arboreal and wood or soil nesting. Grass feeding appears to have evolved from wood feeding via ancestors that fed on both wood and leaf litter. Our results underscore the adaptability of termites to ancient environmental change, and provide novel examples of parallel evolution of extended phenotypes.

The Palaearctic genus Orthocephalus Fieber, 1858 is revised. The generic names Anapomella Putshkov, 1961 and Oraniella Reuter, 1894 are synonymized with Orthocephalus Fieber, 1858; providing for three comb. nov. — O. arnoldii (Putshkov, 1961), O. tibialis (Reuter, 1894), and O. tristis (Reuter, 1894). The following new species-level synonymies are established: O. niger Reuter, 1879 = O. bivittatus Fieber, 1864, O. parvulus Reuter, 1891 = O. saltator (Hahn, 1835), and O. beresovskii Reuter, 1906 with all its varieties = O. funestus Jakovlev, 1881. Piezocanum medvedevi Putshkov, 1961 is transferred to Orthocephalus and the replacement name O. putshkovi nom. nov. is proposed to remove the homonymy with O. medvedevi Kiritshenko, 1951. Keys to males and females, and data on distribution and host plants are given for all 23 species of the genus, including Orthocephalus turkmenicus sp. n. (Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkmenistan). Color digital habitus images and genitalic illustrations are provided of female specimens for all species and males for most of the species. Scanning electron micrographs are used to illustrate characteristic features for Orthocephalus and related groups. A phylogenetic analysis, including 33 taxa and 35 characters, is presented. The main results of this study are support for a sister-group relationship between Orthocephalus and Pachytomella, the monophyly of Orthocephalus as here diagnosed, and the relatively apical position of the clade containing Anapomella arnoldii and Oraniella tibialis within Orthocephalus.

No abstract