Polauchenia, McAtee & Malloch, 1925

Gil-Santana, Hélcio R. & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2017, A new species of Dohrnemesa and a new species of Polauchenia from Brazil (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae), Zootaxa 4338 (2), pp. 201-240 : 229

Genus PoLauchenia McAtee & Malloch, 1925

Polauchenia McAtee & Malloch, 1925: 10 , 12 (keys), 47 (original description); Wygodzinsky 1949: 33 (catalog); Wygodzinsky 1966: 221 (key), 294–296 (redescription); Putshkov & Putshkov 1985: 29 (catalog); Maldonado 1990: 91 (catalog); Froeschner 1999: 197 (catalog); Forero 2004: 149 (diagnosis), 184 (key).

Type species: Polauchenia protentor McAtee & Malloch, 1925 , by original designation.

The somewhat concise original description of Polauchenia ( McAtee & Malloch 1925) was followed by a detailed redescription of this genus by Wygodzinsky (1966). Among the New World Emesini , Polauchenia can be separated from the other genera through the following combination of characteristics: medium-sized species (11–20 mm in length); pronotum pedunculate; scutellum and metanotum with a spine; posteroventral series of fore femora beginning at base of article, composed of large and small spiniferous processes bearing relatively slender apical spines; large processes of subequal size, the most basal either straight or slightly inclined toward apex of article; anteroventral series beginning somewhat apically to posteroventral series, not interrupted at base, composed of medium-sized and small, generally slender spines inserted on short bases; fore tarsi three-segmented; forewings with two cells, base of basal cell pointed, emitting a single longitudinal vein towards axillary region ( McAtee & Malloch 1925, Wygodzinsky 1966, Forero 2004).

Among other characteristics of the genus, as also described by Wygodzinsky (1966), the following are noteworthy: all species are conspicuously marked with light and dark colors; frequently with a pair of tubercles or short spines behind interocular furrow of head dorsally; petiole of pronotum ranging from slightly shorter to much longer than fore lobe of pronotum; humeri distinctly tuberculate or spined, frequently a spine also at center of hind border of pronotum. Both series of processes of the fore are often accompanied by strong elongated setae. Hind wings with R+M and Cu extending from level of cross vein to near wing border, forming bifurcation near base. Anal lobe with region between 2A and hind border conspicuously sclerotized.

There are currently five species included in Polauchenia , two of which, P. schubarti Wygodzinsky, 1950 and P. unicornis Maldonado, 1968 , are known from Brazil ( Wygodzinsky 1950, 1966; Maldonado 1968, 1990). It is noteworthy that, with the exception of P. schubarti which was described based on five specimens ( Wygodzinsky 1950), the other species were described based on two specimens ( P. marcapata ) or on a single specimen each ( P. biannulata McAtee & Malloch, 1925 , P. protentor McAtee & Malloch, 1925 , P. unicornis ), and very few additional specimens of Polauchenia spp. have been recorded subsequently to their description ( Wygodzinsky 1945, 1950, 1966; Maldonado 1968; Forero 2006). On the other hand, no species of this genus have been recorded from caves so far.