University of Connecticut OpenCommons@UConn ANSC Articles Department of Animal Science 1988 The food plants of some 'primitive' Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera: Heteroptera). Carl W. Schaefer University of Connecticut,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://opencommons.uconn.edu/ansc_articles Part of the Entomology Commons Recommended Citation Schaefer, Carl W., "The food lp ants of some 'primitive' Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)." (1988). ANSC Articles. 9. https://opencommons.uconn.edu/ansc_articles/9 9!E THE FOOD PLANTS OF SOME "PRIWtrTTIVE" PENTATOMOIDEA(HEMIPTERA: HETEROPTERA) CARL W. SCHAEFER Department of Ecotogy and Evolutionar.t Biolog.r, Unit,ersity of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268 U.S.A. ,ABSTR.ACT The iood plants of the Cydnidae (Cydninae,Sehirinae, Scaptocorinae, Amnestinae, Garsauriinae, Thau- mastellinae,Parastrachiinae, Corimelaeninae), Plataspidae, Megarididae, Cyrtocoridae, and Lestoniidae, compiled {iom the literature, are discussed.So too are the habitats ofthese insects,most ofwhich live on or are associatedwith the ground. This associationsupports an earlier assertionihat life on the ground was the way of lile o{ the early hemipterans. Most of these groups are polyphagous. However, the Plataspidae feed largely upon legumes, the Scaptocorinaeupon the roots ol Gramineae,some Cydninae also upon legumes,and many Sehirinaeupon members of the advanced dicot subclassAsteridae. Fallen seedsand roots are the preferred plant parts. A group ol mostly small drab shieldbugsappears to be primitive