Taxonomic updates on the Mecocephala group (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae): redescription of Mecocephala Dallas and Paramecocephala Benvegnu

We present here the taxonomic revision of Mecocephala Dallas, 1851 and Paramecocephala Benvegnu, 1968 (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae), updating the genitalic terminology. A differential diagnosis of each genus and all of its members is provided, and a new species of Paramecocephala is described from a female: P. helenae sp. nov. from Brazil. Photographs of type specimens and genitalia, species occurrence maps with new records, and an updated key for species of both genera are also provided.