Sternorrhyncha

Sternorrhyncha Temporal range: Permian–Recent PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
An aphid
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Suborder:	Sternorrhyncha
Superfamilies
Aleyrodoidea Aphidoidea Coccoidea Phylloxeroidea Psylloidea

The Sternorrhyncha ^{[1] [2] [3]} suborder of the Hemiptera contains the aphids, whiteflies, and scale insects, groups which were traditionally included in the now-obsolete order "Homoptera". The name "Sternorrhyncha" refers to the rearward position of the mouthparts relative to the head.

Distributed worldwide, all members of this group are plant-feeders, many considered pests feeding on major crops and ornamental plants.

Many exhibit modified morphology and/or life cycles, including phenomena such as flightless morphs, parthenogenesis, sexual dimorphism, and eusociality.

Phylogeny

The phylogeny of the extant Sternorrhyncha, from a 2024 study using ultraconserved genetic elements, is shown in the cladogram: ^[4]

Sternorrhyncha	Aleyrodoidea (whiteflies) Psylloidea (jumping plant lice, etc.) Coccoidea (scale insects) Aphidomorpha Phylloxeroidea (phylloxera bugs) Aphididae (aphids)

The evolutionary position of several fossil taxa are unclear. A suggested phylogeny is: ^{[5] [6]}

	† Pincombeomorpha Boreoscytidae Pincombeidae Simulaphididae Coccidomorpha † Naibiomorpha Dracaphididae Naibiidae Sinojuraphididae Aphidomorpha † Protopsyllidioidea † Dinglomorpha Aleyrodomorpha † Liadopsyllidae Psylloidea

Groups

Well-known groups in the Sternorrhyncha include:

• aphids – (Aphididae)
• woolly and gall-making aphids (Eriosomatinae)
• pine and spruce aphids (Adelgidae)
• phylloxerans (Phylloxeridae, including the vine phylloxera)
• whiteflies – (Aleyrodidae)
• jumping plant lice (Psyllidae and allied families)
• Superfamily Coccoidea (scale insects)
  • cottony cushion scales, giant coccids, and ground pearls (Margarodidae)
  • armoured scales (Diaspididae)
  • cochineal insects (Dactylopiidae)
  • lac scales (Kerriidae, Lacciferidae, Tachardinidae)
  • soft scales (Coccidae)
  • pit scales (Asterolecaniidae)
  • mealybugs (Pseudococcidae)
  • felted scales (Eriococcidae)

References

1. "ITIS standard report - Sternorrhyncha". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 27 July 2014.
2. Grimaldi & Engel (2005) Evolution of the Insects 289-303.
3. Paraneoptera Species File (Version 5.0/5.0)
4. Liu, Dajun; Cui, Jinyu; Liu, Yubo; Niu, Minmin; Wang, Fang; Zhao, Qing; Cai, Bo; Zhang, Hufang; Wei, Jiufeng (2024). "Ultraconserved elements from transcriptome and genome data provide insight into the phylogenomics of Sternorrhyncha (Insecta: Hemiptera)". Cladistics. 40 (5): 496–509. doi:10.1111/cla.12585 . Retrieved 15 October 2025.
5. Drohojowska, Jowita; Szwedo, Jacek; Żyła, Dagmara; Huang, Di-Ying; Müller, Patrick (2020). "Fossils reshape the Sternorrhyncha evolutionary tree (Insecta, Hemiptera)". Scientific Reports. 10 (1): 11390. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-68220-x. PMC   7347605 . PMID   32647332.
6. Szwedo, Jacek (2016). "The unity, diversity and conformity of bugs (Hemiptera) through time" . Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 107 (2–3): 109–128. Bibcode:2016EESTR.107..109S. doi:10.1017/S175569101700038X. S2CID   134243346.

External links

• Suborder Sternorrhyncha—Plant-parasitic Hemipterans at BugGuide