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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Bugs (Heteroptera) » Pentatomomorpha » Leatherbugs (Coreoidea) » Broad-headed Bugs (Alydidae)

Family Alydidae - Broad-headed Bugs

Broad-headed bug - Stachyocnemus apicalis BG1291 D1377 - Alydus eurinus Broad-Headed Bug - Hyalymenus Plant Bug - Protenor belfragei BG2913 E4942 - Stenocoris Skinny bug - Stenocoris Alydus eurinus ? - Alydus eurinus Lupine Bug - Megalotomus quinquespinosus
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 Coreoidea (Leatherbugs)
Family Alydidae (Broad-headed Bugs)
Explanation of Names
30 spp. in 13 genera in our area(1), over 250 spp. in ~45 genera of 2-3 subfamilies worldwide(2)(3)
Note: Neomegalotomus, not listed in(1), contains a FL species formerly treated in Megalotomus (Henry & Wilson 2004)
Overview of our fauna (* –taxa not yet in the guide; classification follows(4)):
Family Alydidae
Subfamily Micrelytrinae
Tribe Leptocorisini Stenocoris
Tribe Micrelytrini Cydamus · Darmistus · Esperanza · Protenor
Subfamily Alydinae Alydus · Apidaurus · Burtinus · Hyalymenus · Megalotomus · *Neomegalotomus · Stachyocnemus · Tollius
Size
10-18 mm(1)
Identification
Similar to Rhopalidae & Coreidae but head is relatively broader and body usually long and narrow.
"Most species have well-developed hemelytra (forewings), allowing them to fly well, but in some the hemelytra are vestigial." Wikipedia
Range
Across NA(1) and much of the world; most diverse in the tropical/subtropical regions(2)
Habitat
vegetation along roadsides and in wooded areas
Food
All phytophagous(5); Alydinae feed primarily on Fabaceae (often on seeds); Micreletrynae, mainly on grasses(2)
Remarks
Many stink worse than stink bugs (Pentatomidae)
At least seven introduced species. Some are serious pests of crops, e. g. rice (Insectamundi).
Internet References
Insectamundi
Hetroptera of Economic Importance. Chapter 10, page 321 and following.
Insectimages.org, some good images.
Wikipedia
Works Cited
1.American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico
Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.
2.Zoological catalogue of Australia: Hemiptera: Heteroptera (Pentatomomorpha)
Cassis G., Gross G.F. 2002. CSIRO Publishing, 751 pp.
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.Livermore L.J.R., Lemaître V.A., Dolling W.R., Webb M.D. Coreoidea species file online. Version 5.0
5.How to Know the True Bugs
Slater, James A., and Baranowski, Richard M. 1978. Wm. C. Brown Company.
Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn, v belov, KenW
Last updated 14 June, 2017 - 4:23pm

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