Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowse
Info
ImagesLinksBooksData

Family Scutelleridae - Shield-backed Bugs

Homaemus proteus Stål - Homaemus proteus Scutelleridae - Pachycoris klugii beetle - Acantholomidea porosa Some kind of stink bug? - Diolcus chrysorrhoeus shield-backed bug??? - Orsilochides guttata Augocoris illustris (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae) - Augocoris illustris scutellerid - Homaemus parvulus shield-backed bug - Eurygaster amerinda
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)
Infraorder Pentatomomorpha
Superfamily Pentatomoidea
Family Scutelleridae (Shield-backed Bugs)
Other Common Names
Jewel Bugs
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
formerly considered a subfamily of Pentatomidae
Explanation of Names
Scutelleridae Leach 1815
both the scientific and common names refer to the scutellum expanded over most of the back
Numbers
37 spp. in 16 genera in our area, with all 4 New World subfamilies represented(1), ~500 spp. in >80 genera worldwide(2)
Overview of our fauna:
Family Scutelleridae
Size
5-20 mm(3)
Identification
scutellum greatly enlarged and completely covers the wings and abdomen like a shield
color and color pattern vary greatly and rarely can be used in species recognition(1)
key to Florida spp. in(4)
Range
worldwide, most diverse in tropical/subtropical climes(5); most of NA, including the Arctic
Habitat
fields, shrubby areas, wood edges in wet or dry habitats
Season
spring through fall (overwinter as adults)
See Also
some other bugs with scutellum variously enlarged (all are in the Pentatomoidea):
Internet References
Works Cited
1.An updated synopsis of the Pentatomoidea (Heteroptera) of Michigan
Swanson D.R. 2012. Great Lakes Entomologist 45: 263-311.
2.Shield Bugs (Scutelleridae)
Joseph Eger, Aline Barcellos, Luciana Weiler. 2015. Springer.
3.Biodiversity of the Heteroptera
Henry T.J. 2009. In: Foottit R.G., Adler P.H., eds. Insect biodiversity: Science and society. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell: 223−263.
4.Diolcus variegatus (Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea: Scutelleridae), a Caribbean species established in South Florida
J.E.Eger Jr. and R.M.Baranowski. 2002. Florida Entomologist 85(1): 267-269.
5.Australian Faunal Directory