Revisiting Acanthocephala (Hemiptera, Coreidae): a phylogenetic framework for establishing species relationships and developing a new subgeneric classification

Acanthocephala, with 40 known species, is the most diverse genus of the tribe Acanthocephalini, which contains some of the largest species of Coreidae. In this contribution, Acanthocephala guatemalena, A. granulosa, A. luctuosa, A. panamensis, and A. thoracica were resurrected as valid species, and a morphological phylogenetic analysis, using continuous and discrete characters, was performed to test the monophyly of the genus.

The analysis was carried out under implied weighting, including 34 species of Acanthocephala as ingroup, and 20 species from other genera of Acanthocephalini and Placoscelini as outgroups. Acanthocephala was recovered as a monophyletic group, and sister of the clade (Spilopleura parensis + S. ochracea). To formalize and show the relationships of the species in Acanthocephala, the subgenera A. (Acanthocephala) and A. (Metapodiessa) were revalidated, and three new subgenera were proposed: A. (Spinipedia) subgen. nov., A. (Contrastata) subgen. nov., and A. (Pronoptera) subgen. nov.

Additionally, a detailed redescription of Acanthocephala, a subgeneric key, descriptions and redescriptions for all subgenera, photographs of dorsal and ventral habitus of the type species of each subgenus, and photographs of the diagnostic characters, including male and female genitalia are provided.