The Pentatomoidea are a superfamily of insects in the suborder Heteroptera of the order Hemiptera. As hemipterans, they possess a common arrangement of sucking mouthparts. The roughly 7000 species under Pentatomoidea are divided into 21 families. Among these are the stink bugs and shield bugs, jewel bugs, giant shield bugs, and burrower bugs.
Belostomatidae is a family of freshwater hemipteran insects known as giant water bugs or colloquially as toe-biters, Indian toe-biters, electric-light bugs, alligator ticks, or alligator fleas. They are the largest insects in the order Hemiptera. There are about 170 species found in freshwater habitats worldwide, with more than 110 in the Neotropics, more than 20 in Africa, almost as many in the Nearctic, and far fewer elsewhere. These predators are typically encountered in freshwater ponds, marshes and slow-flowing streams. Most species are at least 2 cm (0.8 in) long, although smaller species, down to 0.9 cm (0.35 in), also exist. The largest are members of the genus Lethocerus, which can exceed 12 cm (4.5 in) and nearly reach the length of some of the largest beetles in the world. Giant water bugs are a popular food in parts of Asia.
The superfamily Membracoidea of sap-sucking true-bugs includes two of the largest families within what used to be called the "Homoptera": the leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) and the treehoppers (Membracidae). The other families in this group are quite small, and have, at various points, generally been included as members within other families, though they are all presently considered to be valid, monophyletic groups. The relict family Myerslopiidae is restricted to New Zealand and South America while the Melizoderidae consist of two genera restricted to South America. The great diversity of Neotropical taxa suggests that the group originated in that region.
Lethocerus is a genus of the hemipteran family Belostomatidae, known colloquially as giant water bugs, toe biters and electric light bugs, distributed in tropical, subtropical and temperate areas of the world. The greatest diversity of species occurs in the Americas, with only a single species in Europe, two in Africa, two in Australia and three in Asia. It includes the largest true bugs with species capable of reaching a length of over 12 centimetres (4.7 in). The South American L. grandis and L. maximus are the only species to commonly exceed 9 cm (3.5 in), with more typical lengths for the remaining species being between 4.5 and 9 cm. Lethocerus sp. are distinguished from other genera in the Lethocerinae by two symmetrical furrows in the inner pad of setae on the fore femur, the external borders of parasternites II and III narrowed and nearly straight, and with the setae of the tarsomeres following the line of the tibial setae.
Sam W. Heads is a British palaeontologist, a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London, a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, as well as a former Officer and Editor-in-Chief at the Orthopterists' Society.
Abedus is a genus of giant water bugs found in freshwater habitats in southern United States, Mexico and Central America. Sometimes called ferocious water bugs, these brown insects typically are between 2.3 and 4 cm (0.9–1.6 in) long, although A. immaculatus only is about 1.3–1.4 cm (0.51–0.55 in), making it the smallest North American belostomatid and possibly worthy of separation in its own genus. Otherwise the different Abedus species are very similar and can often only be separated with a microscope. They will bite in self-defense, which is painful but not dangerous.
Neotibicen tibicen, known generally as the swamp cicada or morning cicada, is a species of cicada in the family Cicadidae. It is widespread across much of the eastern and central United States and portions of southeastern Canada. There are two subspecies, N. tibicen tibicen and N. tibicen australis, with the latter replacing subspecies tibicen in portions of Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.
Lethocerus patruelis is a giant water bug in the family Belostomatidae. It is native to southeastern Europe, through Southwest Asia, to Pakistan, India and Burma. It is the largest European true bug and aquatic insect. Adult females are typically 7–8 cm (2.8–3.1 in) long, while the adult males are 6–7 cm (2.4–2.8 in).
Belostoma is a genus of insects in the hemipteran family Belostomatidae, known colloquially as giant water bugs. Members of this genus are native to freshwater habitats in the Americas, with the greatest species richness in tropical South America. Most species in the family Belostomatidae have historically been included in Belostoma, but several of these have been moved to other genera. 9 species are claimed to be found in Northern America, but the genus Belostoma is actually divided into 16 subgroups containing about 70 species.
Tingini is a tribe of lace bugs in the family Tingidae. There are at least 250 genera and 2,400 described species in Tingini.
Pacarina is a genus of cicadas in the family Cicadidae. There are at least four described species in Pacarina.
Abdastartus is a genus of lace bugs in the family Tingidae. There are about five described species in Abdastartus.
Bunia is a genus of lace bugs in the family Tingidae. There are about six described species in Bunia.
Mummius is a genus of lace bugs in the family Tingidae. There are at least three described species in Mummius.
Tingis is a genus of lace bugs in the family Tingidae. There are at least 130 described species in Tingis.
Dasycorixa is a genus of water boatmen in the family Corixidae. There are at least three described species in Dasycorixa.
Hermatobates is a genus of wingless marine bugs placed as the sole genus in the family Hermatobatidae that are sometimes known as coral-treaders. They are quite rare and known only from coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region. During low tide, they move over the water surface not unlike the more familiar water-striders around coral atolls and reefs and stay submerged in reef crevices during high tide.
Rihirbus is a genus of assassin bug from the tropical parts of the Oriental region. They belong to the Harpactorinae and the genus is unique in having the fore tibiae with incurved tips and the apex having a long tooth. They show sexual dimorphism and are polymorphic making their identification to species complicated. Females are larger and wider. R. trochantericus takes about 49 days to develop from egg to adult in southern India.
Cladonota is a genus of neotropical treehoppers widespread from Mexico to South America. They are known for their elaborate pronotum shapes, hypothesized to play a role in camouflage or mate recognition, although their function is not yet known with certainty. Previously described as a subgenus of Sphongophorus, it was recognized as a genus of its own right in 1997 after the latter was synonymized with Hypsauchenia.
