Pilophorus Hahn, 1826

Yasunaga, Tomohide & Duwal, Ram Keshari, 2025, Three new species of the plant bug tribe Pilophorini from Japan (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae), Zootaxa 5632 (3), pp. 531-546 : 543

Pilophorus Hahn, 1826

Diagnosis: East Asian members of Pilophorus are recognized readily by the following characters: Body antlike in overall appearance ( Fig. 2H–L ), due to more or less constricted median hemelytra (rarely ovoid or elongate-oval in some members superficially similar to Pherolepis Kulik, 1968 ); basic coloration brown to fuscous; scutellum, hemelytron and/or thoracic pleura partly with clustered or aligned, silvery, scale-like setae; parempodia between claws fleshy, apically convergent ( Fig. 8H ). Further diagnostic characters are provided in Schuh (1984), Yasunaga & Duwal (2016) and Yasunaga et al. (2021). Fukuda et al. (2020) also suggested the 2 nd –5 th instars immature forms of Pilophorus species uniquely have the ‘metanotal ridge’ which assumed as a synapomorphy for the genus. As documented by Yasunaga & Schuh (2013), several Oriental congeners are strikingly antlike, having the remarkably modified pronotum.

Discussion. See Yasunaga et al. (2021).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Dorsal (A, C, F, H, J–L) and ventral (others) habitus images of Japanese pilophorine species. A−B. Hypseloecus fukutomii sp. nov. (A, holotype ♂, B−C, paratype ♂, D−E, paratype ♀). C–E. H. tamaderai sp. nov., paratypes (C, E from Yakushima Is., D from Amami-Oshima Is.). F–G. H. nakagawai Yasunaga & Duwal, 2019, paratype ♂ (from Akita Pref., Japan). H–I. Pilophorus reoi sp. nov., holotype ♂. J. Same, paratype ♀. K. P. maeharai Yasunaga & Duwal, 2016 (paratype ♀ from Tochigi Pref., Japan). L. P. hyotan Yasunaga, Duwal & Nakatani, 2021 (paratype ♀ from Nagasaki Pref., Japan).

FIGURE 8. Scanning electron micrographs for holotype male (A–C, D–J) and paratype female (E–F, K–O) of Pilophorus reoi sp. nov. A. Anterior body, dorsal view. B. Posterior forewing, dorsal view. C. Vestiture pattern of corium. D. Head, left lateral view. E. Anterior body, left lateral view. F. Thoracic pleura, left lateral view. G. Metatarsus. H. Pretarsal structure of metaleg. I. Genital segment (pygophore), left lateral view. J. Same, caudal view. K–N. Posterior wall. O. Apical part of ovipositor (gonapophysis I).