Cladistic analysis and synopsis of Chloropepla Stal (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) with the description of three new species

The present work brings together the dispersed information on the Neotropical genus Chloropepla. It was established in 1867 by Sail and reviewed in 1968 by Grazia; since the revision, ten new species have been added. In this work a cladistic analysis of the species of Chloropepla is presented. The monophyly of the genus was confirmed. Three monophyletic groups of species were identified: clade A (C. rideri sp.n., C. paveli, C. vigens, C. luteipennis), clade B (C. costaricensis sp.n., C. aurea and C. pirani) and clade C (C. dollingi, C. tucuriuensis, C. stysi, C. caxiuanensis sp.n. and C. rolstoni). An extended description of the genus and diagnoses for the species are provided. Three new species from Costa Rica, Venezuela and Brazil are described extending the northern distribution of the genus into Central America. A key to the species is also provided.