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The discovery of a remarkable new palm bug species on Norfolk Island brings into question its systematic position within the family Thaumastocoridae, and the validity and biogeography of the three extant subfamilies. Latebracoris norfolcensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is described from remote Norfolk Island in the Southwest Pacific. The species was found on the native Norfolk Island palm Rhopalostylis baueri. The formal description of the species includes fine details of external non-genitalic and genitalic characters, supported with images from light and scanning electron microscopy. Details of the egg are described, including the shape and micropylar configuration. All nymphal stages are diagnosed morphologically and morphometrically, with the segregation of the five instars using the Brooks–Dyar Rule. The natural history of the Norfolk Island Palm Bug is documented, including the oviposition site of eggs, and microhabitat of nymphs and adults on palm infructescences, with hypotheses about development in relation to reproductive succession of the palm host. The systematic position of the Norfolk Island Palm Bug is assessed through a phylogenetic analysis of a selection of taxa of the superfamily Miroidea, using the parsimony criterion. The phylogenetic analyses were partitioned into Recent and fossil taxa, revealing monophyly of the Thaumastocoridae, and the subfamilies Thaumastocorinae and Xylastodorinae, with synapomorphy and significant resampling support. The Thaicorinae are verified as synonymous with the Xylastodorinae. The monotypic fossil subfamily Thaumastotinginae is removed from the Thaumastocoridae and treated as incertae familiae. Suprageneric relationships were corroborated in the two taxon partition analyses. An overview of host associations is given verifying palm specialism for the Xylastodorinae. The natural history, palm specialism, biogeography, morphology and systematics of the Xylastodorinae and allies are discussed in light of the discovery of Latebracoris norfolcensis. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:40A20DE4-6489-4B67-BF2E-0B7256BA1CD1 This work reports on the discovery of a remarkable new palm bug of the true bug family Thaumastocoridae on Norfolk Island. This new genus and new species, Latebracoris norfolcensis , is described, along with an analysis of the phylogenetic position and biology, including association with the native Norfolk Island palm, Rhopalostylis baueri. This species has biogeographic significance due to being the first record of the subfamily Xylastodorinae in Australia, and possible connections to New Caledonia, South America and South-east Asia, and isolation on one of the most remote islands in the Pacific. (Photograph by Anthony Postle.) IS23040_TOC.jpg [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of Anthocoridae sens. lat. from Australia and nearby islands of the south-western Pacific in Australian museums have revealed a group of new genera and species which is proposed as a new tribe, the Aenigmocorini tribe n. They share a number of features which unify them as a taxon discrete from other defined subdivisions of the Anthocoridae, notably the structural composition and configuration of the external male genitalia and the position of the site for integumental copulation in the female. A key to tribes of Anthocoridae sens. lat. is provided. New genera and included species of Aenigmocorini are: Aenigmocoris gen. n. with three species, A. austropiceus (Gross, 1954) comb. n. (type species) from southern Australia and Tasmania, A. novaecaledoniae sp. n. from New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands and A. queenslandensis sp. n. from Queensland; Kentiacola gen. n. with K. leai sp. n. (type species) from Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands and Norfolkcoris gen. n. with N. kentiae sp. n. (type species) from Norfolk Island. All species are illustrated and a key to genera and species of the tribe is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]