The Lygaeoidea are a sizeable superfamily of true bugs, containing seed bugs and allies, in the order Hemiptera. There are about 16 families and more than 4,600 described species in Lygaeoidea, found worldwide. Most feed on seeds or sap, but a few are predators.
The Lygaeidae are a family in the Hemiptera, with more than 110 genera in four subfamilies. The family is commonly referred to as seed bugs, and less commonly, milkweed bugs, or ground bugs. However, while many of the species feed on seeds, some feed on sap (mucivory) or seed pods, others are omnivores and a few, such as the wekiu bug, are carnivores that feed exclusively on insects. Insects in this family are distributed across the world. The family was vastly larger, but numerous former subfamilies have been removed and given independent family status, including the Artheneidae, Blissidae, Cryptorhamphidae, Cymidae, Geocoridae, Heterogastridae, Ninidae, Oxycarenidae and Rhyparochromidae, which together constituted well over half of the former family.
Nysius is a genus of false chinch bugs in the family Lygaeidae. At least 100 described species are placed in Nysius.
Blissus is a genus in the true bug family Blissidae, commonly called chinch bugs in North America. The review by Slater (1979) listed 27 species. The species B. leucopterus, B. occiduus and B. insularis are important pests of cereal crops and turf grasses in their different ranges in the United States.
Ischnodemus is a genus in the true bug family Blissidae. The review by Slater (1979) listed 95 species. The genus is found in all major zoogeographic regions, being most abundant on various species of Gramineae. The bodies of the adults are moderately to very elongated. The genus name was coined to refer to this slenderness, from the Greek ἰσχνόσ (ischnos) "feeble" and δέμασ (demas) "body".
Lygaeinae is a subfamily of ground bugs in the insect family Lygaeidae.
Arocatus is a genus of bugs in the family Lygaeidae.
Orsillinae is a subfamily of seed bugs in the family Lygaeidae. There are at least 110 described species in Orsillinae; the type genus is Orsillus.
Ochrimnus is a genus of seed bugs in the family Lygaeidae. There are more than 40 described species in Ochrimnus.
Myodochini is a tribe of dirt-colored seed bugs in the family Rhyparochromidae. There are more than 80 genera and 370 described species in Myodochini.
Kleidocerys is a genus of seed bugs in the family Lygaeidae. There are about 17 described species in Kleidocerys.
Geocoridae is a family of big-eyed bugs in the order Hemiptera. There are more than 290 described species in Geocoridae.
Artheneidae is a family of true bugs in the order Hemiptera. It was formerly included in Lygaeidae. There are about 7 genera and at least 20 described species in Artheneidae.
Pachygronthidae is a family of true bugs in the order Hemiptera. There are about 14 genera and more than 80 described species in Pachygronthidae.
Melanopleurus is a genus of seed bugs in the family Lygaeidae. There are more than 20 described species in the genus Melanopleurus.
Xyonysius is a genus of seed bugs in the family Lygaeidae. There are about eight described species in Xyonysius.
Colobathristidae is a family of true bugs in the order Hemiptera. There are more than 20 genera and 90 described species in Colobathristidae.
Malcidae is a family of true bugs in the order Hemiptera. There are at least 4 genera and more than 40 described species in Malcidae.
Ischnorhynchinae is a subfamily of seed bugs in the family Lygaeidae. There are about 16 genera and more than 70 described species in Ischnorhynchinae. The members of this subfamily are small, terrestrial insects that typically translucent or transparent plate-like structures covering the thorax (pronota) and tend to live in plant flowers.
