Revision of new world Plagiognathus Fieber, with comments on the palearctic fauna and the description of a new genus (Heteroptera : Miridae : Phylinae)

The diagnostic features of Plagiognathus are clarified, with characteristic s of the male genitalia being used for the first time in diagnosing the Nea rctic species. The North American species are revised, with a total of 86 n ative and 3 introduced species being recognized. Twenty-four species are de scribed as new. Habitus, vesical, and antennal illustrations are provided f or all of these species. The Palearctic fauna is discussed; vesical illustr ations are provided for 10 of the 24 species placed in Plagiognathus in the most recent catalog. Twenty-five new synonymies are created. Twenty-five species are transferred into Plagiognathus from other genera or removed from Plagiognathus and pla ced in other genera; in addition to the new combinations with definitive ge neric placement, 16 species are treated as incertae sedis. Microphylellus R euter, Chaetophylidea Knight, and Parapsallus Wagner are treated as junior synonyms of Plagiognathus. Plagiognathus reuterellus, new name, is proposed to replace Plagiognathus flavipes Reuter, 1875, a junior secondary homonym . Six neotypes and one lectotype are designated in an effort to ensure stab ility in the application of names within Plagiognathus. A new genus, Tuxedo, with Microphylellus bicinctus Van Duzee, as the type s pecies, is described to accommodate five previously described taxa that do not belong to either Microphylellus or Plagiognathus, in which genera they were originally placed. The generic-group name Zophocnemis Kerzhner is elev ated to generic status to accommodate its single included species, bicolor Jakolev, because that species does not fit the revised diagnosis for Plagio gnathus. Myochroocoris Reuter is synonymized with Atractotomus Fieber, its single included species, griseolus Reuter from eastern North America, havin g all of the diagnostic characters of Atractotomus. Specimens were broadly sampled from North American museums, with particular attention paid to the fauna west of the Great Plains. The eastern North Am erican fauna is, nonetheless, treated in detail with the most extensive att empt yet to deal with the fauna of the South. Many new host records are included, clarifying associations for some specie s, but still leaving the breeding habits of others in question.