The systematic position and actual distribution of Recaredus rex, for a long time one of the most enigmatic lace bug genus and species, is very obscure because only the type specimen and three other individuals from India are known to date. In the present paper, we report the first records of R. rex from the Palaearctic region (Iran) and tropical Africa (Ghana). Based on the occurrence localities and climatic variables, we predict potentially useful ecological niches for this species using Maxent software. The areas with the best environmental conditions for R. rex indicated in our studies suggest its possible Palaeotropical distribution. Moreover, we regard these results as a good starting point for further searches for specimens of this species. This might help verify the hypothesis of the broad Palaeotropical distribution of R. rex and its oligo- or polyphagy. In addition, the lace bug genus Recaredus, based on the diagnostic characteristics provided for the tribe Acalyptaini, and the structure of aedeagus, is transferred from the tribe Ypsotingini to the Acalyptaini. A key to all genera currently included in the latter tribe is also provided.

RNA interference (RNAi) represents a species-specific and environmentally sustainable strategy for the control of hemipteran pests, including aphids, whiteflies, psyllids, and stinkbugs. This review integrates current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of RNAi in insects and its translational applications in crop protection, with particular focus on host-induced gene silencing (HIGS, transgenic expression of dsRNA in planta) and spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS). The biological effects of gene knockdown – such as reduced survival, impaired development, and disrupted feeding – are discussed alongside physiological, genetic, and epigenetic factors limiting RNAi efficacy in Hemiptera. Key challenges include dsRNA degradation in the digestive tract, inefficient cellular uptake, and limited systemic spread. Recent innovations – including nanocarrier-based delivery, biodegradable formulations, and transplastomic expression – are critically evaluated. Similarly, advances in target gene identification using transcriptomic and proteomic approaches, as well as risk assessment tools for minimizing non-target effects, support the rational design of RNAi-based biopesticides. As RNAi technologies advance, their incorporation into integrated pest management strategies may facilitate species-specific, residue-free control of hemipteran pests while supporting the conservation of agroecosystem biodiversity.

Previous molecular and morphological analyses have suggested that the family Parastrachiidae and the subfamily Sehirinae of the family Cydnidae may be more closely related than previously thought. However, no conclusive study has yet been conducted to support their recognition as a monophyletic group within the superfamily Pentatomoidea. Our analyses identified a strongly supported clade comprising species of the subfamily Sehirinae and the family Parastrachiidae. Based on the results of the present study, together with previous research on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences, secondary and tertiary structures of 18S rRNA, and morphological characters, the subfamily Sehirinae is elevated to family status (Sehiridae stat. nov.), with two subfamilies (Sehirinae and Parastrachiinae). Furthermore, the subfamily Sehirinae is divided into two well-defined monophyletic tribes, Sehirini and Ochetostethini, and the subfamily Parastrachiinae is divided into Parastrachiini and Dismegistini trib. nov.

RNA interference (RNAi) is widely used in insect functional genomics and has potential for species-selective pest management, but its performance in Heteroptera varies among species, delivery routes, targets, and endpoints. This review evaluates processes that may constrain double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) delivery, processing, and phenotypic expression using a claim-level evidence hierarchy. Productive RNAi has been demonstrated in heteropteran lineages, particularly after injection, whereas oral and topical outcomes are more variable. Responses after oral, plant-mediated, and carrier-assisted delivery have also been reported in Miridae, although evidence remains concentrated in Pentatomidae. Extracellular degradation is the best-documented candidate constraint, but causal evidence linking a specific nuclease to oral RNAi remains restricted to Nezara viridula, and the in vivo relevance of haemolymph degradation is unresolved. Distant-tissue and systemic effects provide functional evidence of signal access, whereas restrictions imposed by the perimicrovillar membrane, limited cellular uptake, endosomal entrapment, and inefficiency at Dicer or RISC steps remain unresolved as limiting mechanisms. We propose an evidence-constrained multilevel framework that treats the delivery route as an experimental perturbation and transcript depletion, protein reduction, and phenotype as distinct outcomes. Mechanism-matched measurements and staged causal tests are required to identify context-specific constraints and guide optimisation.