Anna A. Namyatova

Taxon: Bryocorinae (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae) is a subfamily comprising approximately 1100 species, predominantly inhabiting tropical and subtropical regions. Context: The monophyly of the subfamily and its tribes remains doubtful, and previous studies have yielded contradictory results. Aim: In this study, a molecular phylogenetic analysis of Bryocorinae was performed to test the monophyly of the subfamily and its subgrouping and to estimate their divergence times. Methods: The analysis was based on mitochondrial (COI, 12S rRNA, and 16S rRNA) and nuclear (18S rRNA and 28S rRNA) markers. Maximum-likelihood analysis was performed using RAxML, and Bayesian inference analyses were conducted using MrBayes and BEAST2. The phylogeny was calibrated using BEAST2. Key results: The analysis did not confirm the monophyly of Bryocorinae. Bryocorini and Monaloniini are recovered as monophyletic and are therefore both raised to subfamily rank. Dicyphus forms a clade with Felisacini; consequently, Dicyphini are restricted to a single genus. These two tribes are placed in the subfamily Dicyphinae. The other genera previously included in Dicyphini are placed in the subfamily Macrolophinae. Eccritotarsini are restricted to a clade comprising the greatest number of genera, and this group is raised to subfamily rank. Dating analyses showed that three subfamilies, distributed predominantly in tropical and subtropical regions across the different zoogeographical regions including the New World, originated and diversified around the Mesozoic–Cenozoic boundary (Dicyphinae, Eccritotarsinae, and Monaloniinae). Macrolophinae, which successfully colonized the temperate regions of different continents, most probably, originated during the Cenozoic. The morphologically conserved groups, i.e. Bryocorinae and Felisacini, originated and diversified during the Cenozoic. Conclusions: The present study shows that some groups previously placed within Bryocorinae are monophyletic, but their relationships with other mirid taxa could not be resolved with high support. To clarify their phylogenetic position within Miridae, phylogenomic analysis encompassing the entire family will be necessary.

Apolygus (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae) is a large and taxonomically challenging trans-Palearctic genus comprising 74 species, and it has never been revised. The greatest diversity of this genus occurs in Asia, and 15 species have been recorded from Russia. Among them, Apolygus limbatus , Apolygus lucorum , and Apolygus spinolae are trans-Palearctic, and A. lucorum and A. spinolae are economically important as pests. Previous studies have shown that A. lucorum and A. spinolae are very similar in morphology and that the barcoding region might not be suitable for their identification. In this study a revision of the Apolygus representatives inhabiting Russia is provided based on morphological and molecular data. Mitochondrial (COI and 16S rRNA) and nuclear markers (ITS1 and 28S3 rRNA) were used for phylogenetic analyses and automatic species delimitation methods were applied. Apolygus lucorum , A. malaisei , A. nigronasutus , A. nigrovirens were treated as junior synonyms of A. spinolae because morphological and molecular data did not show differences between those species. Apolygus shikotan sp. nov . was described as new to science. Morphological data and the COI phylogeny show that A. limbatus might represent two separate species. However, additional specimens and nuclear markers for both groups are needed to test this hypothesis. The synonymy of A. syringae with A. hilaris was supported based on the morphological data. Apolygus gotorum and A. subhilaris are reported from Russia for the first time. The nuclear marker ITS1 is the most reliable marker for species delimitation and identification of Apolygus species.

The genus Agnocoris (Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae: Mirini) includes seven species and three of them, A. rubicundus, A. reclairei, and A. eduardi, are distributed in the Palearctic. This study represents the first integrative taxonomic assessment of Palearctic Agnocoris, combining morphological and molecular data (COI, 16S rRNA, ITS1, Ca-ATPase) to clarify species boundaries, phylogenetic relationships, and biogeographic history. This study showed that the three Palearctic species are very similar to each other externally, and male and female genitalia structures should be used for the correct species identification. A revised diagnosis and identification key for Palearctic Agnocoris representatives, as well as novel characters that can be used for the generic diagnosis, are provided. Phylogenetic analyses revealed discordance between mitochondrial and nuclear markers: mitochondrial data did not support the monophyly of A. rubicundus and A. reclairei, while nuclear markers confirmed their distinctiveness, suggesting historical mitochondrial introgression likely due to hybridization. The results showed that ITS1 was the most effective for the species identification and delimitation. Species delimitation methods based on this marker validated both species as separate. Divergence dating analysis suggests that Nearctic and Palearctic lineages of Agnocoris separated in Miocene. Our analysis demonstrated that A. rubicundus and A. reclairei most probably diverged ca. 1 Mya during the Pleistocene. Our findings emphasize the importance of integrative approach combining thorough morphological examinations and multiple genetic markers for accurate species delimitation in Miridae.

Insects are poikilothermic organisms and temperature increase usually accelerates their development rates, population and distribution area growth. Therefore, it is assumed that global warming can be beneficial for the pests and other widespread species at least in the relatively cool temperate zones. However, climate change’s effect on the widespread species in the Palearctic remains poorly studied. This work was performed on three plant bug species (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae), at present inhabiting Europe and Asia. Liocoris tripustulatus is known from the Western Palearctic, Lygocoris pabulinus occupies the territories from Western Europe to South Asia, Lygus punctatus is distributed from Northern Europe to the Far East. In this paper, it is tested whether temperature rise is positively connected with the area of preferred climatic conditions for those species, and explores the particular climatic variables which can be limiting for the distribution of those species. Maxent software was used for the environmental niche modeling and to find the variables with significant contribution to the climatic models for the studied species. Based on those models, areas with preferred climatic conditions over different periods were calculated in QGIS. Principal component analysis and logistic regression were performed to find the variables highly contributing to the differences between the species. The results contradict the assumption that temperature growth alone can be a predictor for the widespread species and pest distribution range change. All species differ in suitable climatic conditions and their area dynamics in time, and the temperature affects each species differently. Only Liocoris tripustulatus might significantly expand its distribution area by 2070 due to the climate change. The areas in Asia and above the polar circle will be more suitable by that time for all three species than now. However, conditions in Europe might be less suitable for Lygocoris pabulinus and Lygus punctatus in the future. Both, temperature and precipitation variables, can be important for shaping distribution of Liocoris tripustulatus and Lygocoris pabulinus. Mean annual temperature and temperature in winter, most probably, limit the distribution of at least Liocoris tripsutulatus and Lygus punctatus, but changes in this variable affect those two species differently.

The works addressing the intraspecific genetic and morphological diversity of the widespread Palearctic plant bug species on their entire distribution ranges are rare. In this study the morphological and molecular variability of Liocoris tripustulatus Fieber, 1858 was assessed. The molecular diversity was investigated based on two mitochondrial markers (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I or COI and 16S rRNA) and a nuclear marker (internal transcribed spacer 1 or ITS1). The genetic, haplotype and population diversity were assessed. The phylogenetic analyses and automatic species delimitation were performed to test for the possible cryptic species. The dating analysis was performed to estimate the clade divergence time. The results showed that the coloration of this species is variable, however, structures are stable, showing some variability in the right paramere shape and sclerotization of the female genitalia. The genetic diversity within the species is shallow. The phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial markers show that the specimens from Georgia and Iran form a well-supported clade. In the phylogenies based on ITS1 specimens from Dagestan Republic (Northern Caucasus) are also included into this clade. The Caucasian-Iranian clade might represent a separate population or species at the early stages of its separation, which originated during the Middle Pleistocene.

Species delimitation presents a significant challenge in biology, particularly in systematics. Here, an integrative approach is employed to assess the species boundaries of widely distributed Palearctic Stenodema species. Due to their diversity, wide distribution, and the absence of comprehensive morphological and molecular data for most species, revising Stenodema is both daunting and time-consuming. Our study focuses on detailed examinations of male and female genitalia, coupled with phylogenetic analyses based on two mitochondrial markers (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S rRNA) and species delimitation analyses. Eight species with wide distributions are reviewed, Stenodema trispinosa Reuter, 1904 is synonymized with S. pilosa (Jakovlev, 1889), and a lectotype for Stenodema turanica Reuter, 1904 is designated. Morphological and molecular data effectively distinguish all species, revealing distinct clades and relationships. Notably, S. calcarata and S. pilosa form a well-supported clade, while S. virens and S. turanica share a lineage with Nearctic species. Stenodema rubrinervis and S. sibirica are morphologically similar and form a distinct clade in all phylogenies. Species delimitation analyses confirm the separation of all studied species, and genetic distances suggest the potential existence of cryptic species within S. calcarata and S. pilosa. This study highlights the advantages of integrative taxonomy in delimiting species with intricate and relatively recent phylogeographic histories.

Representatives of the subfamily Cylapinae (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae) mostly inhabit the subtropics and tropics. The group currently comprises five tribes: Bothriomirini, Cylapini, Fulviini, Rhinomirini, and Vanniini. Additionally, the Psallopinae are sometimes included in this subfamily as a tribe. The interrelationships within Cylapinae are unknown, the monophyly is doubtful, and a phylogenetic study focusing on the entire subfamily has never been published. The molecular and fossil data analyses show that Miridae occurred at least in the Jurassic. The divergence dates for Cyalpinae tribes are unknown. We performed the phylogenetic analysis of Cylapinae based on molecular and morphological data, in addition to a combined dataset. We calibrated the molecular trees with fossil data. The results suggested non-monophyly of Cylapinae. The monophyly of Bothriomirini was confirmed. Cylapini were rendered as non-monophyletic. The Cylapus complex formed a clade with Vanniini, and the monophyly of Vanniini was doubtful. Fulviini were recovered as non-monophyletic, and the representatives fell into two separate well-supported clades. Dating analyses showed that the groups of the suprageneric level distributed across different continents diverged near the boarder between Mesosoic and Cenosoic, that was also true for the Asian suprageneric groups and the South American Cylapus complex. Australian groups of genera diverged in the Cenozoic.

Orthops is a widely distributed plant bug genus comprising 35 species. Its nominotypical subgenus includes seven species mostly known from the Palearctic, and four of them are widely distributed. Most of them live in sympatry having only little morphological differences. The species limits have never been tested using the molecular data. The aim of this work is to test whether currently defined species represent monophyletic lineages and to find their interrelationships using an integrative approach. Morphological studies on external characters and male and female genitalia were performed. The molecular studies were based on the mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I [COI] and 12S ribosomal RNA [rRNA]) and nuclear (internal transcribed spacer I [ITS1] and calcium ATPase [Ca‐ATPase]) markers and included comparison of the intra‐ and interspecific distances, species delimitation (ABGD, BPP, bGMYC, PTP, and bPTP), and phylogenetic analyses. All markers showed interspecific differences, and COI was the most variable. It was found that all species differed from each other morphologically, and the most reliable character complexes were parameres and female genitalia. In most analyses, Orthops kalmii and O. campestris were monophyletic. Orthops basalis formed a clade in most phylogenetic trees. Most of the species delimitation analyses confirmed the status of those three species. Orthops scutellatus was split into two clades, Palearctic and North American, which was also confirmed by the species delimitation analyses. Those two groups differed in parameres. Orthops campestris and O. scutellatus form a clade in all analyses, and O. basalis forms a clade with O. kalmii in most analyses.

The genus Psallofulvius (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae: Cylapinae) and two of its species from Australia, Psallofulvius danbulla and Psallofuvlius dryander, are described as new two science. The diagnoses, descriptions, distribution maps, digital habitus images, SEM images and drawings of male and female genitalia are provided. Although the genus is placed to Fulviini, it also shares some characters with Psallops Usinger which is either placed in the separate subfamily Psallopinae or the tribe Psallopini within the Cylapinae. The key morphological characters and genera presumably related to Psallofulvius are discussed.

The environmental conditions limiting the distribution of trans-Palearctic species from various groups remain poorly studied. This work addresses the topic from three perspectives: (1) analysis of climatic variables, biomes and climate zones corresponding to the actual records; (2) assessment of environmental niches and contribution of biomes to those niches; (3) comparison of the distributional limits of trans-Palearctic and more local species. The genus Orthocephalus (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae) is used as a model taxon. The results have demonstrated that all trans-Palearctic species of this genus are known from numerous biomes and climate zones, but each of them has unique preferences. Biomes significantly contribute to the environmental niches of some of those species. None of the trans-Palearctic species were recorded from the hot steppe and desert climate zones, which occupy large areas in the Palearctic, although certain rare and local species inhabit those regions. This means that the trans-Palearctic species cannot easily adapt to those conditions. distribution, climatic variables, climate zones, biomes, plant bugs, insects, environmental niche modelling