Alydidae

Definition

A family of true bugs (Hemiptera) characterized by a distinctly broad, triangular head that is conspicuously wider than the pronotum. Members are phytophagous or predatory, with many species associated with leguminous plants. The family comprises two subfamilies, Alydinae and Micrelytrinae, containing approximately 60 genera and 300 species distributed primarily in tropical and subtropical regions.

Etymology

From the type genus Alydus (Greek alytos 'unwetted, not washed,' referring to the bug's aversion to water) + -idae (family suffix)

Example

Alydus eurinus, a common North American species, feeds on developing seeds of legumes such as tick-trefoil (Desmodium), while the Old World genus Riptortus includes economically significant pests of cowpea and other pulse crops.

Synonyms

• Broad-headed bugs

Related Terms

• Hemiptera
• Coreidae
• Alydinae
• Micrelytrinae
• Heteroptera
• Pentatomomorpha
• legume bug

Usage Notes

Distinguished from the closely related Coreidae (leaf-footed bugs) by the broad, triangular head shape and lack of leaf-like expansions on the hind legs. Species diversity is strongly concentrated in tropical regions; temperate faunas are notably depauperate. Formerly treated as a subfamily of Coreidae by some authors, but now universally recognized as a distinct family within the superfamily Coreoidea.