Ash-Gray leaf bugs

Definition

A family of small, flattened true bugs (Hemiptera: Piesmatidae) commonly known by this name, characterized by their distinctive ash-gray or pale coloration and dorsoventrally compressed bodies adapted for living in tight spaces under bark or in leaf litter. The family includes both free-living species and some that associate with lichens or feed on plant tissues.

Etymology

Common name refers to the characteristic pale, ashen coloration of many species and their association with leaves or bark habitats.

Example

Members of the genus Piesma, the type genus of Ash-Gray leaf bugs, include species that feed on chenopodiaceous plants and are sometimes agricultural pests of sugar beet and spinach.

Synonyms

• Piesmatidae

Related Terms

• Hemiptera
• true bugs
• dorsoventral flattening
• bark fauna
• leaf litter arthropods
• Piesma
• cryptic coloration

Usage Notes

The common name is applied to the entire family Piesmatidae, not a single species. These bugs are morphologically convergent with some flat bugs (Aradidae) due to similar habitat pressures. The family is relatively small (~40 described species) and often overlooked in general surveys due to their cryptic habits. Specialist literature typically uses the scientific family name Piesmatidae.