New Insights into the Genitalia and Distribution of Lampsophorus ecuadorensis Carvalho and Ferreira, 1968 (Hemiptera: Miridae), with Notes on Coloration

Abstract

We provide new data on the genital morphology, coloration, and distribution of Lampsophorus ecuadorensis Carvalho and Ferreira, 1968, a striking Neotropical plant bug originally described from Ecuador. The male genitalia and external coloration are redescribed based on newly collected specimens, with a detailed examination of the male genital structures and the first illustration of the female provided. A previously unreported association with Tibouchina laxa (Desr.) Cogn. (Melastomataceae) is documented, representing the first confirmed plant association for the genus. The newly collected specimens consistently exhibit a metallic-blue coloration, whereas the holotype was described as citrine-yellow to green. Differences in the shape of both parameres are also described. The known distribution of L. ecuadorensis is substantially expanded, with 31 new records from southern Ecuador and the first confirmed occurrence of the genus in Peru (Cusco, Paucartambo). This broader range, now spanning over 500 km between southern Ecuador and central Bolivia, suggests potential geographic and ecological isolation among populations. These findings underscore the need for integrative taxonomic studies combining morphological and molecular data to clarify species boundaries within Lampsophorus.