Abstract
Based on the examination of the holotype, Pleias ritsemae Kirkaldy, 1901 (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae: Leistarchini), is redescribed and figured. No generic differences can be found between Pleias Kirkaldy, 1901 and Bagauda Bergroth, 1903, consequently the latter is a junior synonym of Pleias. Reversion to the senior name Pleias would require that the several nominal species currently included in Bagauda be transferred to the nominal genus Pleias. Therefore, in order to preserve stability, no nomenclatural changes are proposed in this paper, but an application has been submitted to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature to give Bagauda precedence over Pleias. Although congeneric, Pleias ritsemae is not conspecific with any other species currently in Bagauda and its differentiating characters are discussed. The following new synonymy is proposed: Ploiaria perfuga Miller, 1941, syn. n. = Pleias ritsemae Kirkaldy, 1901.References
Ambrose, D.P. (1999) Assassin bugs. Science Publishers, New Hampshire, USA. viii+337 pp.
Ambrose, D.P. (2006) A checklist of Indian assassin bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera: Reduviidae) with taxonomic status, distribution and diagnostic morphological characteristics. Zoo’s Print Journal, 21, 2388–2406.
Bergroth, E. (1903) Novum genus Ploeariinarum. Revue d’Entomologie, 22, 12–13.
Bergroth, E. (1906) Zur Kenntnis der Ploeariinen. Verhandlungen der k. k. zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien, 56, 305–321.
Dispons, P. (1965) La lignée des Bagauda asiatiques (Heteroptera, Reduviidae, Emesinae). Bulletin et Annales de la Société Royale d’Entomologie de Belgique, 101, 97–103.
Dispons, P. (1970) Essai sur la classification des Emesinae, a l’état imaginal et a l’état larvaire [Hem. Het. Reduviidae]. Annales de la Société entomologique de France (N.S.), 6, 215–232.
Dittmar, K., Porter, M.L., Price, L., Svenson, G. & Whiting, M.F. (2005) A brief survey of invertebrates in caves of Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal, 57, 221–233.
Forero, D. (2007) Description of a new species of Liaghinella (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae) from the Colombian Andes, with notes on its feeding habits and conservation status. Zootaxa, 1502, 55–68.
Gagné, W.C. & Howarth, F.G. (1974) The cavernicolous fauna of Hawaiian lava tubes, part VII. Emesinae or thread-legged bugs (Heteroptera: Redvuiidae[sic]). Island Ecosystems IRP, Technical Report, 43, 1–18.
Gillett, J.D. (1957) On the habits and life history of captive emesine bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London (A), 32, 193–195.
Kerzhner, I.M. (1993) Nomenclatural and bibliographic corrections to J. Maldonado Capriles (1990) „Systematic catalogue of the Reduviidae of the World (Insecta: Heteroptera)”. Zoosystematica Rossica, 1 [1992], 46–60.
Kirkaldy, G.W. (1901) Six new Reduviidae from Sumatra. Notes from the Leyden Museum, 23, 53–57.
Livingstone, D. & Ravichandran, G. (1991) Keys to the sub-families and their genera of the non-tibiaroliate group of assassin bugs (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) of Southern India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 88, 26–29.
Louis, D. (1974) Biology of Reduviidae of cocoa farms in Ghana. American Midland Naturalist, 91, 68–89.
Maldonado Capriles, J. (1990) Systematic catalogue of the Reduviidae of the world (Insecta: Heteroptera). Caribbean Journal of Sciences, Special Edition, X + 694 pp.
Miller, N.C.E. (1941) New genera and species of Malaysian Reduviidae. Supplementary records. Journal of the Federated Malay States Museums, 18, 774–804.
Parker, A.H. (1965) The predatory behaviour and life history of Pisilus tipuliformis Fabricius (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 8, 1–12.
Parker, A.H. (1969) The predatory and reproductive behaviour of Rhinocoris bicolor and R. tropicus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 12, 107–117.
Putshkov, P.V. (1987) Reduviidae. In: Dolin, V.G. (Ed), Fauna Ukrainy, vol. 21(5). Naukova Dumka, Kiev, 248 pp.
Putshkov, V.G. & Putshkov, P.V. (1985) A catalogue of the assassin bug (Heteroptera, Reduviidae) genera of the world. Typescript, deposited in VINITI, Moscow and Kiev, 138 pp.
Putshkov, V.G. & Putshkov, P.V. (1988) A catalogue of the assassin bugs (Heteroptera, Reduviidae) of the world. V. Emesinae. Typescript, deposited in VINITI, Moscow and Kiev, 118 pp.
Ravichandran, G. & Livingstone, D. (1989) Two new species of Emesinae from western ghats (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae). Journal of Entomological Research (New Delhi) 13, 125–127.
Rédei, D. (2005) Bagauda zetteli sp. n., a new cavernicolous thread-legged bug (Insecta: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae) from Borneo. Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien (Serie B), 106, 135–140.
Ribes, J. (1987) Un nouvel Emesinae troglophile indo-malais (Heteroptera, Reduviidae). Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 94: 251–256.
Villiers, A. (1961) Localisations et descriptions d’Emésides africains (Heteroptera Reduviidae). Revue de zoologie et de botanique africaines, 63, 33–65.
Villiers, A. (1962) Sur quelques Hémiptères Réduviidés de la République du Congo. Bulletin de l’Institut Français d’Afrique Noire (Sér. A), 24, 886–890.
Villiers, A. (1966) Contribution à la faune du Congo (Brazzaville). Mission A. Villiers et A. Descarpentries. XXXV. Hémiptères Reduviidae. Bulletin de l’Institut Français d’Afrique Noire (Sér. A), 28, 1235–1282.
Villiers, A. (1970) Emesinae des grottes de Ceylan (Hem. Heter. Reduviidae). Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 77, 321–325.
Villiers, A. (1972) Contribution a l’étude de La Grotte de Sof Omar (Éthiopie Méridionale). 4. Hémiptères cavernicoles. Annales de Spéléologie 27, 395–397.
Villiers, A. (1973) Hémiptères Réduviides cavernicoles du Sud-Ouest africain. Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 80: 573–576.
Villiers, A. (1982) African Hemiptera-Heteroptera, Reduviidae, localities and descriptions. II. Emesinae. Revue Française d’Entomologie (N.S.), 4, 27–39.
Wygodzinsky, P.W. (1958a) Hemiptera (Heteroptera): Emesinae. In: Hanström, B., Brinck, P. & Rudebeck, G. (Eds): South African Animal Life, vol. 5. Almqvist & Wiksell, Stockholm, pp. 113–149.
Wygodzinsky, P.W. (1958b) New and little known Emesinae (Reduviidae, Hemiptera) in the British Museum (Natural History), London. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Entomology, 7, 331–346.
Wygodzinsky, P.W. (1966) A monograph of the Emesinae (Reduviidae, Hemiptera). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 133, 1–614.