Superfamily Pentatomoidea

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Numbers · Identification · Habitat · Season · Food · Works Cited

Wolf in sheep's clothing? - Bagrada hilaris

Chinavia hilaris nymph - Chinavia hilaris

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

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Scutelleroidea

Numbers

in NA, >350 spp. in 103 genera in 6 families (Acanthosomatidae and Scutelleridae were until recently sometimes treated as subfamilies of Pentatomidae; Plataspididae is a recent addition)(1)(2); worldwide, 16 families with >7,200 spp. in ~1,300 genera(3)(4)

Identification

pentamerous (5-segmented) antennae and large scutellum (sometimes covering the dorsum almost completely) are diagnostic.

genitalia often provide the only dependable character for identifying species(5)

regional keys in (6)(7)(8)...

Habitat

A wide variety of terrestrial habitats

Season

Most are uni- or bivoltine, overwinter as adults, and lay eggs in the spring(6)

Food

Mostly herbivorous and often polyphagous, but one group (subfam. Asopinae) is entirely predaceous(6)

Works Cited

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

2.	Occurrence of the Old World bug Megacopta cribraria (Fabricius) (Heteroptera: Plataspidae) in Georgia... Eger J.E., Ames L.M., Suiter D.R., Jenkins T.M., Rider D.A., Halbert S.E. 2010. Insecta Mundi 0121: 1-11.

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.	Rider D. (2006-) Pentatomoidea home page

5.	An updated synopsis of the Pentatomoidea (Heteroptera) of Michigan Swanson D.R. 2012. Great Lakes Entomologist 45: 263-311.

6.	The Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera) of Northeastern North America J.E. McPherson. 1982. Southern Illinois University Press.

7.	The Heteroptera (Hemiptera) of North Dakota I: Pentatomomorpha: Pentatomoidea Rider D.A. 2012. Great Lakes Entomologist 45: 312-380.

8.	The Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera) of Oklahoma. Arnold, D.C. and W.A. Drew. 1988. Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Bulletin, T-166. 42 pp.

Contributed by v belov on 24 December, 2009 - 5:24pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn
Last updated 28 July, 2023 - 8:16pm

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