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The Australian species of the genus Ectomocoris Mayr, 1865 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Peiratinae), are revised. A total of 13 species are recognised, including nine new species: E. binotatus Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov., E. borealis Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov., E. fuscatus Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov., E. fuscifemoralis Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov., E. interiorius Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov., E. latus Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov., E. luteolus Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov., E. major Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov. and E. spinosus Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov. Redescriptions of E. australicus (Reuter, 1881), E. decoratus (Stål, 1863), E. ornatus (Stål, 1863) and E. truculentus (Stål, 1863) are presented. Callisphodrus patricius Stål, 1867 is treated as a new junior synonym of E. ornatus (Stål, 1863). Lectotypes are designated for Eumerus (Eumerus) australicus Reuter, 1881, Pirates decoratus Stål, 1863, P. ornatus Stål, 1863, P. truculentus Stål, 1863 and C. patricius Stål, 1867. A key to species is provided together with images of dorsal habitus of males and females of different wing forms and major structures of the male genitalia to assist distinguishing these species. Based on morphology, brief comments are provided on putative species groups within the studied species. A male extragenital structure, present in almost half of the species studied, is described in detail and its potential value in diagnosis and analysis of phylogenetic relationships within the genus as well as between related peiratine genera is discussed.

The Indian assassin bug, Ectomocoris simulans Distant, 1919 (Hemiptera: Hetero- ptera: Reduviidae: Peiratinae) is redescribed, with habitus images and figures of male genitalia provided. Ectomocoris melanopterus Distant, 1919, syn. nov., and E. xavierei Vennison & Ambrose, 1990, syn. nov., are placed as its junior subjective synonyms. Types of the above three nominal species were examined, illustrated, and lectotypes of E. simulans and E. melanopterus are designated.

An annotated catalogue is presented for the type specimens of the peiratine Reduviidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) preserved in the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN), Paris, France. The Peiratinae collection in MNHN contains type specimens representing 58 nominal species and five varieties (including 48 species and one subspecies currently recognized as valid) of 16 genera. The great majority of the type specimens concerns taxa described by André Villiers and René Jeannel; there are also several type specimens representing species described by Johann Christian Fabricius, Gustave Fallou and, more recently, Jean-Michel Bérenger. The information provided for each taxon and its type specimens includes: original data, type status, label information, type locality, current status and related remarks. Colour images of representative types and their labels are also provided. Specimens of four additional peiratine species, erroneously labelled as “Type”, are also listed.

Rhodnius Stål, 1859 is the second largest genus of Triatominae after Triatoma Laporte, 1832, and includes several important Chagas vectors. Genitalia in Reduviidae are frequently used for species identification, but the current use of terminology for it is inconsistent in Triatominae. Here, Rhodnius mickisp. nov., is described from Bolivia and considered as belonging to the pictipes group based on its morphological characters and distribution. Detailed documentation of the genitalia of Rhodnius mickisp. nov. is provided with emphasis on its everted phallus, especially the endosomal sclerites, which are potentially useful as species-level diagnostic features in Rhodnius. To further verify the validity of this species, the head shapes and wing venation patterns of five species in Rhodnius are compared with morphometric analysis. After reviewing taxonomic and comparative morphology papers of assassin bugs, a vocabulary with a terminology of morphological characters, especially of external male genitalic characters, is assembled with the preferred terms and the synonyms listed. Establishing a consistent terminological framework will greatly facilitate future research on the homology of these structures across Triatominae and will ultimately contribute to our understanding of the evolution of these groups.

The African assassin bug genus Neopirates Miller, 1952, is revised. The type species, N. nyassae Miller, 1952, is redescribed and illustrated; two new species from Namibia, N. bicolor Liu & Cai sp. n. and N. xanthothorax Liu & Cai sp. n. are described and a key is provided to separate the three species of this genus. Sphodrembas fumipennis Swanson, 2019, the type species of Sphodrembas Swanson, 2019, is placed as a junior synonym of N. nyassae, resulting in Sphodrembas becoming a junior synonym of Neopirates. Morphological differences between Neopirates and similar genera and the distribution of Neopirates are briefly discussed.

Hornylia obtusipetalasp. nov.from eastern Thailand is described and illustrated. This new species is the second representative of the genusHornyliaWygodzinsky, 1966. A key to species ofHornyliais presented. The relationship with allied genera and distribution ofHornyliais briefly discussed.Hornyliais recorded from Thailand for the first time.

Oblongiala zimbabwensis Liu & Cai gen. & sp. nov. is described from Zimbabwe and placed in the subfamily Peiratinae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Habitus, male genitalia and some diagnostic characters of the new species are illustrated. The affinities of the new genus are discussed with a key provided to help distinguish peiratine genera distributed in the Afrotropical Region.

A new apterous genus and species, Oblongocoris hainanensis gen. and sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae: Carventinae), are described from Hainan, China. The diagnostic morphological features of the new genus and species are discussed and illustrated, and a key to genera of Carventinae from Hainan Island is presented.

Lam, Truong Xuan, Hoa, Bui Thi Quynh, Linh, Ha Ngoc, Cai, Wanzhi (2020): A new species of the assassin bug genus Rihirbus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera Reduviidae) from Vietnam. Zootaxa 4780 (3): 587-593, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4780.3.10

The assassin bug subfamily Holoptilinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae) is recorded from Pakistan for the first time. Holoptilus fasciatus Reuter, 1881, newly recorded from Pakistan, is redescribed, its dorsal habitus and diagnostic morphological characters are illustrated.

Hornylia obtusipetalasp. nov. from eastern Thailand is described and illustrated. This new species is the second representative of the genus Hornylia Wygodzinsky, 1966. A key to species of Hornylia is presented. The relationship with allied genera and distribution of Hornylia is briefly discussed. Hornylia is recorded from Thailand for the first time.

A new apterous genus, Rotundocoris gen. nov., and two included new species, R. stenonotum sp. nov. and R. obliquonotum sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae: Carventinae), are described from Hainan, China. The diagnostic morphological features of the genus and its two species are discussed and illustrated.

Based on new topotypical material, the apterous carventine genus Crassocoris Bai, Heiss & Cai, 2007 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae) with the type species C. hsiaoi Bai, Heiss & Cai, 2007, is redescribed. A new, closely related apterous genus and species, Paracrassocoris hekouensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is described from Hainan, China. The diagnostic morphological features of both taxa are described and illustrated.

Bai, Xiaoshuan, Heiss, Ernst, Cai, Wanzhi (2018): Aradidae from Vietnam V. Bifurcatoaptera, a new genus of apterous Carventinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae) from Vietnam. Zootaxa 4450 (2): 286-290, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4450.2.7

Re-examination of type specimens of LibiocorisKormilev 1957, L.poecilus from New Guinea and other taxa assigned to this genus, the Chinese Libiocorisheissi Bai, Yang & Cai, 2006 and Libiocorissinensis Bai, Yang & Cai, 2006 proved to be synonyms, thus L.heissi = L.sinensis syn. n. They are, however, different from Libiocoris Kormilev, 1957 to which they were originally assigned and a new genus Paralibiocorisgen. n. is proposed for them. Therefore Paralibiocorisheissi comb. n. = Libiocorisheissi Bai et al., 2006 = Libiocorissinensis Bai et al., 2006, syn. n. From Hainan Island, China, the following new species, P.roundangulussp. n., P.hainanensissp. n., and P.limuensissp. n., are described and figured and a key to species is provided.

The following new apterous flat bugs of the subfamily Carventinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae) from China are described and illustrated: Cathaycoris bibulbosus gen. nov. & sp. nov. from Yunnan Province; Taiwanaptera guangxiana sp. nov. from Guangxi Province and Taiwanaptera montana sp. nov. from Yunnan Province. A key to all known species of Taiwanaptera is provided.

Epidaus wangi Chen, Zhu, Wang & Cai, sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) from Tibet, China, is described and illustrated based on male and female specimens. The new species is morphologically similar to E. tuberosus Yang, 1940. The new species represents the first record of Epidaus species from Tibet.

A new aradid, Aradacanthia heissi Bai, Zhang & Cai, sp. nov., from China, Thailand, and northern India is described. A key to related species is given and the diagnostic morphological features of new species are illustrated. This new species represents the first record of a Calisiinae in China.

A new genus, Arcuatitibia Luo, Lu & Cai, and one new species, A. kerzhneri Luo, Lu & Cai, are described in the subfamily Reduviinae, based on the materials from Xinjiang, China. The dorsal habitus, male genitalia, and other diagnostic morphological features are illustrated.

Two new genera and two new species of fossil amnestine burrower bugs, Cilicydnus robustispinus gen. & sp. nov. and Orienicydnus hongi gen. & sp. nov., are described and illustrated. They were collected from the Late Mesozoic nonmarine sedimentary strata of Northeast China. This finding represents the first record of fossil cydnids from China. The fossil cydnid localities and the distribution of extant taxa are summarized in a map.

A new harpactorine assassin bug, Sphedanolestes albipilosus, is described on the basis of fresh specimens collected from Ishigaki-jima and Iriomote-jima Islands of the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, and from the Island of Taiwan. This species differs from its closest relative, S. subtilis (Jakovlev, 1893) known from mainland China, in having a smaller body, the fourth antennal segment distinctly longer than the third, and a dark longitudinal stripe on each side of the abdomen. Habitat and adult season of this species are notably limited in the Ryukyu Islands.

Three new genera and three species of fossil rhopalid, Originicorizus pyriformis gen. & sp. nov., Quatlocellus liae gen. & sp. nov., and Grandicaputus bipunctatus gen. & sp. nov., are described and illustrated. They were discovered from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Eastern Inner Mongolia, China. The present discovery demonstrates that the early diversification of rhopalids was well underway by the Middle Jurassic.

The species of the genus Tiarodes Burmeister from China are reviewed. Three species are recognized, described or redescribed, illustrated and keyed. T. venenatus Cai et Sun and T. pictus Cai et Tomokuni are described as new species. The T. versicolor (Laporte) previously reported from China by Hua is in fact T. salvazai Miller.

A new species of the insect order Zoraptera, Zorotypus weiweii , is described and figured from Sabah, East Malaysia. The new species represents the second angel insect from Borneo. Z. caudelli Karny was also collected near the type locality of Z. weiweii . Methods of specimen collection and a brief note of angel insects in Malaysia were provided based on new materials and biological observations.

The Chinese pear psyllids, Cacopsylla spp., associated with Pyrus ussuriensis are reviewed. Three new species, C. accincta sp. n., C. burckhardti sp. n., and C. cinereosignata sp. n., are described. Cacopsylla liaoli (Yang & Li), C. qiuzili Li, C. maculatili Li and C. chinensis (Yang & Li) are redescribed. A key to the adults of the seven species and a key to nymphs of three species are given.

The availability of mitochondrial genome data for Aphididae, one of the economically important insect pest families, in public databases is limited. The advent of next generation sequencing technology provides the potential to generate mitochondrial genome data for many species timely and cost-effectively. In this report, we used transcriptome sequencing technology to determine all the 37 mitochondrial genes of the cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora. This method avoids the necessity of finding suitable primers for long PCRs or primer-walking amplicons, and is proved to be effective in obtaining the whole set of mitochondrial gene data for insects with difficulty in sequencing mitochondrial genome by PCR-based strategies. Phylogenetic analyses of aphid mitochondrial genome data show clustering based on tribe level, and strongly support the monophyly of the family Aphididae. Within the monophyletic Aphidini, three samples from Aphis grouped together. In another major clade of Aphididae, Pterocomma pilosum was recovered as a potential sister-group of Cavariella salicicola, as part of Macrosiphini.

Many of true bugs are important insect pests to cultivated crops and some are important vectors of human diseases, but few cladistic analyses have addressed relationships among the seven infraorders of Heteroptera. The Enicocephalomorpha and Nepomorpha are consider the basal groups of Heteroptera, but the basal-most lineage remains unresolved. Here we report the mitochondrial genome of the unique-headed bug Stenopirates sp., the first mitochondrial genome sequenced from Enicocephalomorpha. The Stenopirates sp. mitochondrial genome is a typical circular DNA molecule of 15, 384 bp in length, and contains 37 genes and a large non-coding fragment. The gene order differs substantially from other known insect mitochondrial genomes, with rearrangements of both tRNA genes and protein-coding genes. The overall AT content (82.5%) of Stenopirates sp. is the highest among all the known heteropteran mitochondrial genomes. The strand bias is consistent with other true bugs with negative GC-skew and positive AT-skew for the J-strand. The heteropteran mitochondrial atp8 exhibits the highest evolutionary rate, whereas cox1 appears to have the lowest rate. Furthermore, a negative correlation was observed between the variation of nucleotide substitutions and the GC content of each protein-coding gene. A microsatellite was identified in the putative control region. Finally, phylogenetic reconstruction suggests that Enicocephalomorpha is the sister group to all the remaining Heteroptera.

The flat bugs reported so far from Vietnam are cataloged. Altogther, 46 species of 5 subfamilies (Aneurinae, Aradinae, Calisiinae, Carventinae, Mezirinae) and 25 genera have been recorded for the Vietnamese fauna to date. Synonyms and distribution of each species are given. The type information for species originally described from Vietnam is provided.

Species of the small reduviid subfamily Physoderinae from China are reviewed and two species are recognized in the genus Physoderes Westwood. Physoderes esakii is formally described for Esaki’s (1931) Epirodera latithorax nom. nud. based on his unique specimen kept in the Entomological Laboratory of Kyushu University. Physoderes impexa Distant, 1903 is recorded for the first time from China with a detailed redescription. A key for these two species is also given.

The stenopodaine assassin bug, Caunus noctulus Hsiao, has a distinct sexual dimorphism. In this paper the morphological characters of this species are redescribed based on the holotype and other materials. Illustrations of habitus, head, pronotum, and other structures are provided to facilitate recognition of this little known reduviid.

The reduviid subfamily Centrocnemidinae is reported from Vietnam for the first time, with a new species, Centrocnemis schaeferi Truong, Li & Cai. The new species is distinguished from other members of the genus Centrocnemis by the black spots and confluent suffusions on the posterior pronotal lobe, the rostrum and the membrane of forewings, and whitish tubercles on the apical and basal potions of the corium.

Korinchocoris venulus Zhang, Zhao, Ishikawa & Cai, sp. nov. in the subfamily Reduviinae is described and illustrated from Laos. A modified diagnosis is given for the genus, recorded for the first time from Laos, along with a key to the six known species.

Agriosphodrus dohrni is redescribed. The male genitalia is described and illustrated for the first time. Some biological characters of this reduviid, such as the predatory behavior, mating, oviposition, hatching, molting, emergence, colonization, and cannibalism, are noted.