Biosystematics of the Hesperocimex Complex (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) and Avian Hosts (Piciformes: Picidae; Passeriformes: Hirundinidae)1

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Abstract
The 3 known species of Hesperocimex List, 1925, are keyed, redescribed, and illustrated, their chromosomal complements are compared, and results of hybridization are reported. H. coloradensis List, 1925, an ectoparasite of woodpeckers and purple martins nesting in cavities in trees, ranges from eastern Colorado to California, Oregon, and British Columbia. The sibling species H. sonorensis Ryckman, 1958, and H. cochimiensis Ryckman and Ueshima, 1963, are associated with purple martins nesting in holes made by woodpeckers in large cacti—H. sonorensis in the Saguaro cacti of Arizona and Sonora, H. cochimiensis in the Cardon cacti of Baja California. H. coloradensis is recognizable by its larger size and paler hue; H. sonorensis differs from both the others in having the male intromittent organ strongly curved at its tip, rather than straight. In certain pairings between H. sonorensis and H. cochimiensis, Pi fecundity was greatly reduced, but the Fi and F2 individuals that reached adulthood were fertile. All other pairings attempted between the various species were either unproductive or yielded, at most, sterile Fi offspring. H. sonorensis has a diploid chromosome count of 42 (20 pairs of autosomes plus XX in females, XY in males), and H. cochimiensis, with only 19 pairs of autosomes, has a diploid count of 40. H. coloradensis departs markedly from both the other species in having a diploid count of 42 in males, 44 in females; both sexes have 19 pairs of autosomes, but the sex chromosomes in males are X1X2X3Y, in females 2X12X22X3

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