Abstract
Charismatic
Hypselosomatinae
(currently 14 extant and fossil genera; 72 species), the “big-eyed minute litter bugs”,
are characterized among
Schizopteridae
(
Dipsocoromorpha
) by the large eyes, four-segmented labium, and distinctive wing venation. A recent
molecular phylogenetic analysis confirmed the monophyly of
Hypselosomatinae
that were recovered as the sister taxon to the
Ogeriinae
+
Schizopterinae
(Weirauch and Štys 2014).
Hypselosomatinae
occur in the Old and New Worlds, but described species diversity is biased towards
the Oriental and Australian regions: only three monotypic genera are currently known
from the New World (
Glyptocombus
Heidemann,
Ommatides
Uhler, and
Williamsocoris
Carpintero & Dellapé). Based on 28 male, female, and juvenile specimens from Cuba
and the Dominican Republic and a single male specimen from Brazil we here describe
two new monotypic genera of
Hypselosomatinae
,
Hypselosomops
pecki
gen. n. and sp. n., and
Hypsohapsis
takiyae
gen. n. and sp. n. We provide habitus images, digital illustrations (light, scanning
electron, and/or confocal microscope) of wing and male genitalic structures, line
drawings of genitalic structures, and distribution maps. Bizarre morphologies, a worldwide
distribution with small endemic species ranges, and a fossil record that dates back
to the mid-Cretaceous make the
Hypselosomatinae
a fascinating group to explore in an effort to understand the evolutionary history
of
Dipsocoromorpha
.