Families
The following families are classified under Pentatomoidea:
- Acanthosomatidae – Known as shield bugs. Contains 46 genera and 184 species found worldwide.
- Canopidae – Found strictly in the Neotropical ecozone.
- Cydnidae – Known as burrowing bugs, it contains 120 genera and about 765 species worldwide.
- Dinidoridae – Found in tropical Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America. It is composed of 16 genera and about 65 species.
- Lestoniidae – Small round bugs which bear a resemblance to tortoise beetles (Chrysomelidae). It is composed only of one genus and two species, it is endemic to Australia.
- Megarididae – Contains only one genus (Megaris) and 16 species. They are small globular bugs occurring in Central America.
- Parastrachiidae – Bright red and black bugs exhibiting maternal care of eggs, they are composed of one genus and two Asian and Estern Paearctic species.
- Pentatomidae – Known as stink bugs, it is the largest family in Pentatomoidea. It contains around 900 genera and over 4700 species.
- Phloeidae – Large mottled brown and flattened bugs found strictly in the Neotropical ecozone.. It is composed on only 2 genera and 3 species. They are known to exhibit strong maternal care.
- Plataspididae – Found in Asia, particularly eastern Asia, although a few species of Coptosoma occur in the Palearctic. They are round plant-feeding bugs. It has about 59 genera and 560 species.
- Scutelleridae – Known as jewel bugs or shield-backed bugs. Composed of 81 genera and about 450 species.
- Tessaratomidae – Known as giant shield bugs because they are usually relatively large. Has about 55 genera and 240 species worldwide (mainly in the Old World tropics).
- Thaumastellidae – Small bugs usually found under rocks in tropical Africa and the Middle East. It contains only one genus and three species. There is some debate to their inclusion within Pentatomoidea.
- Thyreocoridae – Known as ebony bugs, they are small oval bugs that are a shiny black.
- Urostylididae – Contains about 11 genera and 170 species. They are found in Southern and Eastern Asia. (including Korea).
Example species of the families under Pentatomoidea |
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Acanthosomatidae: The parent bug (Elasmucha grisea) guarding eggs.
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Cydnidae: Tritomegas sexmaculatus.
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Dinidoridae: Megymenum affine
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Pentatomidae: The southern green stink bug (Nezara viridula)
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Plataspididae: Megacopta cribraria.
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Scutelleridae: The lychee shield bug, Chrysocoris stolli, a jewel bug.
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Tessaratomidae: Tessaratoma papillosa nymph.
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