Integrative Taxonomy of Pachygrontha (Heteroptera: Pachygronthidae) in East and Southeast Asia Reveals New Insights Into Species and Group Delimitation

ABSTRACT

Species discovery and description are fundamental to biodiversity documentation and evolutionary studies. Integrative taxonomy synthesizes morphological, genomic, and ecological evidence to provide a robust framework for testing species hypotheses and delineating boundaries in closely related lineages, thereby not only advancing taxonomic practice but also enabling critical evaluation of species group concepts. Here, we present a comprehensive assessment of the genus Pachygrontha Germar, 1838 in East and Southeast Asia using an integrative approach that combines detailed morphology with complete mitochondrial genomes and genome‐wide SNPs. Our study confirms the existence of eight species, including six previously recognized species and two new species described herein as P. chuanxiensis Wang & Bu, sp. nov. and P. ruiliensis Gao, Wang & Bu, sp. nov. Phylogenetic analyses reveal instances of mito‐nuclear discordance and provide insights into the utility and limitations of historically defined species groups within Pachygrontha . Through examining differentiation at both the interspecific and closely related species‐levels, our integrative analysis provides a foundational assessment of divergence levels within the genus and establishes a basis for future broader surveys and more comprehensive taxonomic revisions.