Comments on Two Controversial Oriental Assassin Bug Species of the Genus (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae), with the Description of sp. nov. from China.

The two closely related Oriental species of the genus , (Stål, 1867) and (Fabricius, 1787), exhibit remarkable morphological similarity, particularly in their overall red and black body coloration, including the head, thorax, and abdomen. Based on the examination of type specimens and non-type material collected from various localities of southern China, we found these two congeners were misidentified in many previous publications. Due to the restricted distribution and limited population size of in China, most taxonomic, biological, and biocontrol studies conducted under the name or should be instead attributed to To address this confusion regarding these two species, the present study clarifies the taxonomic status of the two controversial species- and . Additionally, a new species, Liu, Zhao & Cai , collected from southwestern China, is described and illustrated. A key to the 13 species in currently recorded in China is provided.