Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Formerly treated as a separate order called Hemiptera or Heteroptera; now considered a part of the re-defined order Hemiptera
Numbers
7 infraorders, with ca. 3850 spp. in ~680 genera of 45 families north of Mexico(1) and >42,000 spp. in almost 6,000 genera of ~90 families worldwide(2); there are >420 spp. of aquatic and semi-aquatic bugs in our area and close to 6,000 spp. worldwide(3)
Infraorder Cimicomorpha: terrestrial; ~20,600 spp. in >2,700 genera worldwide; 7 superfamilies (one monotypic superfamily is restricted to se. Mediterranean):
Infraorder Pentatomomorpha: terrestrial, mostly herbivorous; worldwide, >16,200 spp. in >2,600 genera of 42 families; 6 superfamilies (one superfamily of 2 tiny families is restricted to Australia and so. South America):
Aradoidea: families Aradidae + a small termitophilous family, mostly Neotropical
General identification manuals: (5)(6) • keys to [semi]aquatic bugs in (7)(8)(9)(10)(11) • easy online key to families in (12) • many good keys in (13)
Range
Worldwide
Habitat
infraorders Nepomorpha, Gerromorpha, and Leptopodomorpha (the latter with few exceptions) are entirely composed of aquatic, semiaquatic, or shore bugs; the remaining groups are entirely terrestrial and occupy a wide variety of habitats
Food
most species feed on plant juices, many are predators, some are mixed feeders, a few are parasites (blood-sucking)
Remarks
Some are considered agricultural or household pests; info on economically important spp. in (14)
How to tell a bug from a beetle: If antenna has 4‒5 segments, then it's a bug; beetles (with very few exceptions) have at least 8, usually 11 antennomeres. Beetles have pinching jaws (mandibles); bugs, piercing, sucking mouthparts usually folded back against the underside.
Biodiversity of the Heteroptera Henry T.J. 2009. In: Foottit R.G., Adler P.H., eds. Insect biodiversity: Science and society. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell: 223−263.
