| Abstrakt: |
Abstract: The paper describes and compares the structure of the aedeagus in Pentatomidae representative of three species-groups in the genus Aelia Fabricius, 1803 and, for reasons of closeness, includes representatives of the genus Neottiglossa Kirby, 1837. The Aelia acuminata-group (as represented by A. Acuminata Linnaeus, 1758) seems to bear a close relationship to Neottiglossas; the Aelia rostrata Rey, 1888-group is considered distinct; while the Aelia virgata-group is abundantly distinct from either the Aelia acuminata or A. rostrata groups. In the case of the Aelia virgata-group, the two species examined (A. virgata Klug, 1845, A. albovittata Fieber, 1868) are so different that they might seem to represent different genera. In the light of the data presented it is suggested that the classification of the Aeliini cannot be regarded as finally settle. It is evident that the character of the aedeagus is taxonomically useful in subdivision but at the same time remains unclear whether it tends to push widely apart species or groups that ought to remain together. We digress only to include a note on the spermatheca to the effect that the spermatheal dilatation in Aelia albovittata, uniquely so far as we are aware among Aeliini, is vestigial and presumably without function. |
