Molecular and morphological evidence of the Oriental clade of the tribe Cloresmini (Hemiptera, Coreidae) reveals a new genus: Gemenesis gen. nov.
TL;DR
This study clarifies the evolutionary relationships and taxonomic boundaries within the Oriental clade of Cloresmini, providing a robust framework for future systematic revisions and evolutionary studies of the entire tribe.
Abstract
Abstract Since the establishment of the tribe Cloresmini by Stål in 1873, five genera have been recognized: three distributed in the Oriental region and two in the Oceanian region. In this study, we reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships of 15 species – representing all genera within the Oriental clade – using mitochondrial genomes alongside nuclear 18S and 28S ribosomal DNA loci. Molecular analyses revealed that the genus Cloresmus is paraphyletic group (Notobitus + (Cloresmus + (Cloresmus + Notobitiella))), a result morphologically supported by the complete fusion of the median fissure and the M vein of the corium. Consequently, we formally establish a new genus Gemenesisgen. nov. and propose two new combinations: Gemenesis pulchelluscomb. nov. and G. yunnanensiscomb. nov. Furthermore, by integrating molecular and morphological evidence, we describe a new species, Cloresmus tibiaspinussp. nov., illustrating its diagnostic characters and detailing interspecific genetic distances. This study clarifies the evolutionary relationships and taxonomic boundaries within the Oriental clade of Cloresmini, providing a robust framework for future systematic revisions and evolutionary studies of the entire tribe.