Chapter 18 Broad-Headed Bugs (Alydidae) Antônio R. Panizzi and Carl w. Schaefer Abstract The broad-headed bugs (Alydidae) are divided into two subfamilies, Alydinaeand Micrelytrinae, each divided into two tribes, Daclerini and Alydini, and Micrelytriniand Leptocorisini, respectively, The farnily has 53 genera and about 250 specieins; the Neotropics, there are 21 genera. Alydids are small (8-20 mm), slen- Itr,with a triangular head; nymphs of alydines mimic ants, the adults of some Micrelytrinialso rnirnic ants. The most studied species in the Neotropics is the aly- dineNeomegalotomus parvus (Westwood), usually associated with legumes, and maybe a pest on soybean. Other common genera include Hyalymenus Amyot & Serville,Stenocoris Burmeister, Cydamus Stâl, and Trachelium Herrich-Schâffer. Studieson taxonomy and bioecology on alydids of the Neotropics are needed. 18.1 Introduction AlydidaeAmyot and Serville, 1843, were treated as a subfarnily of the farnily Coreidaeand even as a tribe (Schaffner 1964); now it has been treated as a farnily, ~ether with Coreidae, Rhopalidae, Hyocephalidae, and Stenocephalidae, in the !UperfarniCoreoidealy (Schaefer 1964). Thisfarnily contains 53 genera and approximately 250 species, mostly tropical Irsubtropical,in all regions of the world. There are only two genera that span both dleOldand the New World, Alydus and Megalotomus. These genera are Holarctic, IInAlydus extends from Alaska through Canada into Mexico (Brailovsky and Flores 1979;Froeschner 1988; Maw et al. 2000). The genera of Alydinae have been revised by Schaffner (1964; 22 species worldwide);the world genera of the subfamily Micrelytrinae, tribe Leptocorisini, were CarlW.Schaefer: Author deceased at the time of publication A.RP.anizzi ([gJ) Laboratóriode Entomologia, Embrapa Trigo, Caixa Postal 3081, Passo Fundo, RS9900l-970,Brazil e-mail:
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