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Family Anthocoridae - Minute Pirate Bugs

Bug nymph from opposite-leaved composite

Microphysidae (versus Anthorocoridae) - Loricula? - Buchananiella continua

Amphiareus obscuriceps? minute pirate bug - Amphiareus obscuriceps

Male, Xylocoris galactinus? - Xylocoris galactinus - male

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 Cimicomorpha

Superfamily Cimicoidea

Family Anthocoridae (Minute Pirate Bugs)

Other Common Names

Flower Bugs(1)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

formerly treated to include Lasiochilidae and Lyctocoridae (e.g., in(2))

Explanation of Names

Anthocoridae Fieber 1837

Numbers

~90 spp. in 22‒23 genera in our area(2), >500 spp. in >70 genera total

Overview of our fauna · classification adapted from (3)

Family Anthocoridae (subfamilies not currently used)

Tribe Anthocorini Acompocoris · Anthocoris · Coccivora · Elatophilus · Macrotrachelia · Melanocoris · Temnostethus · Tetraphleps

Tribe Dufouriellini Amphiareus · Brachysteles · Buchananiella · Cardiastethus · Dasyleistes · Dufouriellus · Physopleurella

Tribe Oriini Macrotracheliella · Montandoniola · Orius · Paratriphleps

Tribe Scolopini Calliodis · Nidicola · Scoloposcelis · *Solenonotus [*not yet in the guide]

Tribe Xylocorini Xylocoris

Identification

Key to genera in (4) • keys to spp. of Canada & AK in (5)

Range

worldwide; most diverse in the tropics and the Holarctic Region(1)

Habitat

many are common on flowers and trees, some live under bark or in mammal/bird nests(2)

Food

small arthropods

Remarks

Some are used as biocontrol agents. Some may inflict irritating bites if landed on one's bare skin.

Works Cited

1.	Australian Faunal Directory

2.	American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.

3.	True Bugs of the World (Hemiptera:Heteroptera): Classification and Natural History Randall T. Schuh & James Alexander Slater. 1995. 1995. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York.

4.	Keys to genera of Anthocoridae of America north of Mexico, with descriptions of a new genus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) J.L. Herring. 1976. The Florida Entomologist, 59 (2): 143-150.

5.	The Insects and Arachnids of Canada Part 4: The Anthocoridae of Canada and Alaska Leonard A. Kelton. 1978. Supply and Services Canada.

Contributed by Jim McClarin on 4 October, 2005 - 5:55pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Bbarnd, Ron M., v belov
Last updated 6 June, 2024 - 12:17pm

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