The Lygaeidae are a family in the
Hemiptera (true bugs), 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.[1] 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.[2][3] Insects in this family are distributed across the world.[4] 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.[5][6]
The bizarre and mysterious
beetle-like Psamminae were formerly often placed in the
Piesmatidae, but this is almost certainly incorrect. Their true affiliations, however, are not entirely resolved to satisfaction.[7]
Distinguishing Characteristics
Lygaeidae are oval or elongate in body shape and have four-segmented
antennae.[8] Lygaeidae can be distinguished from
Miridae (plant bugs) by the presence of
ocelli, or simple eyes. They are distinguished from
Coreidae (squash bugs) by the number of veins in the membrane of the front wings, as Lygaeidae have only four or five veins.[9]
^Eiben, Jesse A.; Rubinoff, Daniel (December 2010). "Life history and captive rearing of the Wekiu bug (Nysius wekiuicola, Lygaeidae), an alpine carnivore endemic to the Mauna Kea volcano of Hawaii". Journal of Insect Conservation. 14 (6): 701–709.
doi:
10.1007/s10841-010-9298-y.
S2CID44239028.
^Henry, T.J. (1997). "Phylogenetic analysis of family groups within the infraorder Pentatomomorpha (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), with emphasis on the Lygaeoidea". Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 90 (3): 275–301.
doi:
10.1093/aesa/90.3.275.
^Slater, James Alexander (1995). A catalogue of the Lygaeidae of the world (1960-1994). New York, N.Y.: New York Entomological Society.
ISBN978-0-913-424-16-2.