Paraplokiophiloides schwendingeri Schuh, Štys, and Cassis, 2015

Schuh, Randall, Štys, Pavel, Cassis, Gerasimos, Lehnert, Margaret, Swanson, Dustin & Bruce, Terri, 2015, New genera and species of Plokiophilidae from Australia, Fiji, and Southeast Asia, with a revised classification of the family (Insecta: Heteroptera: Cimicoidea), American Museum Novitates 2015 (3825), pp. 1-1 : 1-

Paraplokiophiloides schwendingeri Schuh, Štys, and Cassis , new species

DIAGNOSIS: See generic diagnosis.

DESCRIPTION: COLORATION (fig. 1A, B): Dark brown, antennal segment 1, pronotal collar, and costal margin of corium pale. GENITALIA: As indicated in generic description; not dissected.

Measurements, male: total length 2.50, length head 0.35, length pronotum 0.31, width head 0.30, interocular distance 0.18, width pronotum 0.72.

Measurements, female: total length 2.50, length head 0.25, length pronotum 0.30, width head 0.30 interocular distance 0.18, width pronotum 0.73.

ETYMOLOGY: Named in honor of Peter Schwendinger, Geneva, who collected the only known specimens.

Biology: Known from the web of Macrothele sp. ( Araneae : Megalomorphae: Hexathelidae ).

Distribution: Thailand: Chang Rai Province.

DISCUSSION: We have seen only two specimens of Paraplokiophiloides , collected from the web of Macrothele sp. On the other hand, we have examined many specimens of Heissophila macrothelae from the webs of the same host, suggesting to us that Paraplokiophiloides may prefers the webs of another spider or that they simply have smaller populations on a given web than Heissophila . We encourage those doing fieldwork on spiders in tropical Asia to keep their eyes open for these tiny commensals.

Holotype: THAILAND: Chang Rai Prov. : Mae Sai District: Doi Tung, 20.31666°N 99.81666°E, 1300 m, 13 Oct 1994, P. J. Schwendinger, 1♂ ( AMNH _ PBI 00413046 ) ( AMNH).

PARATYPES: THAILAND: Chang Rai Prov.: Mae Sai District: Doi Tung , 20.31666°N 99.81666°E, 1300 m, 13 Oct 1994, P. J. Schwendinger, 1♀ ( AMNH _ PBI 00413047 ) ( AMNH) .