Download Homoptera Sternorrhyncha Auchenorrhyncha Heteroptera

General Entomology EEB 286
University of Connecticut
Fall 2006
Hemiptera 1
Page 1
HEMIPTERA
NAME ORIGIN: Gk. hemi – half; pteron –
a wing.
INTRODUCTION: True bugs. The largest
non-endopterygote lineage with over
80,000 species described worldwide and at
least 3,834 species documented from North
America. As with all hyperdiverse insect
groups, much work remains to be done
even at the level of basic taxonomy, natural
history, and faunal inventory.
RECOGNITION:
• piercing-sucking mouthparts
• usually 4 wings; forewings divided into proximal “leathery” and distal membranous regions
• cerci reduced or absent
HABITATS: Most Hemiptera pierce plant vascular tissue with their mouthparts and imbibe liquid contents. Only
the Heteroptera contains species that are predatory and suck animal liquids, and a few Heteroptera are fungivorous
or ectoparasitic on vertebrates. Some sternorrynchans are essentially sessile (e.g. scale insects).
COLLECTING: Sweeping captures many Hemiptera. Numerous families are aquatic. A few species are marine.
Immatures and soft-bodied adults (aphids and some scales) are usually too soft to pin and must stay in EtOH. Some
Hemiptera have fragile legs and antennae that will break if handled roughly, even in EtOH.
TAXONOMY: Traditional classifications list 2 orders: the Hemiptera and the Homoptera. Current texts use a
classification more representative of relationships within this lineage. The phylogeny below shows the traditional
Homoptera as being paraphyletic and comprised of two lineages that are given suborder rank in modern texts: the
Sternorrhyncha and the Auchenorrhyncha. The Heteroptera in recent texts is the same clade as the Hemiptera
of older texts. The Heteroptera share half-thickened fore wings which, when folded across the back, produce an
"X" pattern.
Homoptera
Sternorrhyncha Auchenorrhyncha
Heteroptera
General Entomology EEB 286
University of Connecticut
Fall 2006
Hemiptera 1
Page 2
Suborder Heteroptera (true bugs)
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forewings leathery in basal half, membranous apically, folded flat over abdomen; hindwings membranous
mouthparts sucking
herbivorous or predaceous
Family: Nepidae (waterscorpions)
• body slender and elongate or elongate-oval
• front legs raptorial
• remaining legs long, cursorial
• end of abdomen with long breathing tube
• exclusively predaceous
• can inflict a painful bite
Family: Belostomatidae (giant water bugs)
• body oval, flattened
• front legs raptorial
• hind legs somewhat flattened, adapted for swimming
• can inflict a very painful bite
• may reach a length of 65 mm
• predaceous on insects and small vertebrates
Females of Belostoma and a few other genera lay their eggs on back of the
male, which then carries them around until they hatch. Most other genera lay
their eggs on aquatic vegetation and don't exhibit any parental care.
Belostomatids frequently leave the water and fly about, and because they are
often attracted to lights, they are sometimes called electric light bugs.
Family: Corixidae (water boatmen)
• body elongate-oval, 6-12 mm long
• dorsal surface flattened, with narrow dark crosslines
• front legs much shorter than mid legs
• head wider than thorax
• hind legs elongate, oar-like
• swim dorsal side up
• feed on algae, a few predaceous
General Entomology EEB 286
University of Connecticut
Fall 2006
Hemiptera 1
Page 3
Family: Notonectidae (backswimmers)
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body elongate-oval, about 15 mm long
dorsal surface strongly convex, often light colored, without crosslines
head narrower than thorax
front legs only slightly shorter than middle legs
hind legs very long, oar-like
swim upside-down
predaceous, feed on small aquatic arthropods and vertebrates
can inflict a painful bite
Family: Gerridae (water striders)
• body slender, usually longer than 5 mm
• middle legs closer to hind legs than to front legs
• legs very long
• apterous or winged
• run on water surface using surface tension
• predaceous – feed on insects that fall onto water surface;
also scavengers
Family: Veliidae (riffle bugs)
• body slender, usually less than 5 mm in length
• middle legs more or less equidistant from front and hind legs
• legs relatively short
• claw located before tip
• body widest near base of middle or hind legs
• run on water surface using surface tension