LIBRARY

HEMIPTERA 275
Family PENTATOMIDlE 1 (Leach 1815) (Pen'-ta-tom'i-dre, from the Greek
7rEvTf, five, + 'ro/).o'>, a cut, slice; referring to the five-segmented antennre).
German, Schildwanzen. Shield Bugs, Stink Bugs, Pentatomid Bugs.
Medium-sized to large, broadly oval or shield-shaped, terrestrial, herbivorous
and predacious bugs which are among the commonest and most conspicuous
of insects and are familiarly known as stink bugs. Head small, triangular,
with prominent median longitudinal lobe or tylus and well-developed lateral
lobes or juga; prognathous or hypognathous; widest across the eyes, which
distance about equals the length. Antennre well developed, five-segmented;
rarely four-segmented in exotic species. Eyes prominent; on the sides of the
head near base. Ocelli two when present, rarely absent. Rostrum short or
usually long, slender, straight, four-segmented, folded between coxre. Prothorax
large, almost triangular with base widest, often with distinct and
curved or spine-like lateral angles and two thickenings or calli on the apical
dorsal area. Transverse metapleural odoriferous gland orifices present. Wings
usually well developed and frequently extending slightly beyond the tip of the
abdomen. Hemelytra with clavus, corium, and membrane, but without
cuneus. Membrane with many longitudinal veins arising from a vein nearly
parallel with the apical margin of the corium. Legs normal in length, with
very few hairs and spines. Tarsi unarmed or with small spines, two- or threesegmented.
Claws and pulvilli well developed. Scutellum large but never
covering the entire abdomen. Four pairs of odoriferous glands present on
dorsum of abdomen in certain nymphs. These glands are atrophied in adults
and replaced by the lateral thoracic glands. Female genitalia consist of a
number of plates. Male genitalia with a genital plate and external genital
hooks.
The members are common wherever there are plants. They are often destructive
to certain cultivated crops while a number (subfamily ASOPINlE)
are predacious upon a wide variety of insects, particularly caterpillars and
other larvre. In size they vary from 5-40 mm. in length. The brown Tessaratoma
javanica Thunberg is over 25 mm. long, has stridulating organs in both
sexes, and makes a shrill noise when captured (Trans. Ent. Soc. London, p. 253,
1907). The giant Oncomeris flavicornis Burmeister of Australia, a black,
maroon, orange, and purplish-blue species, is 40 mm. long. The shapes of these
bugs vary considerably, and some grotesque tropical forms are known. The
coloration is most remarkable. Temperate forms are often shades of gray,
brown, black, or bright green, while some are combinations of bright hues.
Tropical forms may be gorgeous and arrayed in the most beautiful and startling
colors imaginable_
The family, one of the largest in the order, consists of some 5,000 species.
It reaches its highest development in the Neotropicai, Indo-Malaysian, and
1 CORISlJE La,tr. 1804, PENTATOMIDES Leach 1815, PENTATOMIDlE Samouelle
1819, Stephens 1829, Handlirsch 1907, and modem hemipterists; CIMICIDES Fall611814,
Rambur 1842; CIMICIDJE Kirkaldy 1902, 1907. .