New Cretaceous Bugs from Northeastern China Imply the Systematic Position of Pachymeridiidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)

Abstract

Varicapitatus sinuolatus gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Yixian Formation of Northeastern China. Based on the new specimens, this study discusses the morphological characteristics and taxonomic position of Pachymeridiidae: Pachymeridiidae belongs to Pentatomomorpha and is more closely related to Lygaeoidea. In Heteroptera, the costal fracture of the forewing is a homoplastic characteristic, already evolved independently several times among most taxa before the Early Cretaceous. The pulvillus under the claw in Pentatomomorpha is also a homoplastic characteristic. In Pachymeridiidae, the forewing costal fracture and absence of pulvillus can be recognized as an independent evolution or convergence, implying that pachymeridiids may have different flight and crawling behaviors distinct from other Pentatomomorpha groups.