Alydidae
Guides
Alydinae
broad-headed bugs
Alydinae is a subfamily of true bugs comprising approximately 24 genera and over 140 described species. Members are commonly known as broad-headed bugs due to their distinctive head shape. The subfamily was established by Amyot & Serville in 1843 and is classified within the family Alydidae, superfamily Coreoidea. Alydinae represents one of the primary lineages within the broad-headed bug family.
Alydus calcaratus
ant bug
Alydus calcaratus is a large, dark plant bug in the family Alydidae with a Holarctic distribution spanning Europe, Asia, and northern North America. It is the sole representative of its family in northern Central Europe outside the Alps. Adults are 10–12 mm, blackish with an orange-red dorsal abdomen visible only in flight, and exhibit wasp-like resemblance. Nymphs are convincing ant mimics with an unclear relationship to ant nests. The species feeds primarily on fallen legume seeds, with carrion-feeding also observed.
Alydus conspersus
broad-headed bug
Alydus conspersus is a species of broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae, first described by Montandon in 1893. It is one of three recognized subspecies within the species complex. The species is distributed across North America with documented records from Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Michigan. Like other members of the Alydidae, it is associated with feeding on seeds and has been observed utilizing extra-phytophagous food sources including animal dung.
Alydus scutellatus
Alydus scutellatus is a species of broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae, first described by Van Duzee in 1903. This small true bug belongs to a group commonly known for their seed-feeding habits, though members of the family have been documented engaging in extra-phytophagous feeding behaviors including carrion and dung consumption. The species has been recorded from western North American localities including British Columbia, Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico.
Apidaurus
Apidaurus is a genus of broad-headed bugs (Alydidae) established by Stål in 1870. These insects belong to the true bug family Alydidae, commonly known as broad-headed bugs due to their characteristically widened head shape. The genus is part of the subfamily Alydinae and is distributed in the Americas, with records from Paraguay and Texas.
Burtinus
Burtinus is a genus of broad-headed bugs in the family Alydidae, established by Stål in 1860. The genus contains at least two described species: Burtinus luteomarginatus and Burtinus notatipennis. Members of this genus are found in the Americas, with records from southern North America through South America.
Cydamus abditus
Cydamus abditus is a species of broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae, described by Van Duzee in 1925. It belongs to the subfamily Micrelytrinae and tribe Micrelytrini. The species is known from Arizona in the southwestern United States, with limited published information available regarding its biology and ecology. As with other members of the genus Cydamus, it is likely associated with herbaceous vegetation in arid and semi-arid habitats.
Cydamus borealis
Cydamus borealis is a species of broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae, described by Distant in 1881. It belongs to the subfamily Micrelytrinae and tribe Micrelytrini. The species has been recorded from Central America and North America, with specific distribution records from Guatemala and Texas.
Darmistus
Darmistus is a genus of broad-headed bugs in the family Alydidae, established by Stål in 1860. The genus contains at least three described species: D. crassicornis, D. duncani, and D. subvittatus. As members of the Alydidae, these insects are characterized by their distinctive head shape and are part of the diverse true bug fauna of the Americas.
Hyalymenus
broad-headed bugs
Hyalymenus is a genus of broad-headed bugs in the family Alydidae, established by Amyot & Serville in 1843. The genus comprises approximately six described species distributed primarily in the Americas. Members of this genus are characterized by their distinctive broad, flattened heads, a trait common to the family Alydidae. One species, Hyalymenus tarsatus, is commonly known as the Texas bow-legged bug.
Hyalymenus longispinus
broad-headed bug
Hyalymenus longispinus is a species of broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae, first described by Stål in 1870. It belongs to a family of true bugs characterized by broad, flattened heads. The species has been documented in the Caribbean region and Florida, with 268 observations recorded on iNaturalist. As a member of Alydidae, it is likely associated with leguminous plants, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited.
Hyalymenus subinermis
Hyalymenus subinermis is a broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae, described by Van Duzee in 1923. The species occurs in Central America and North America. As a member of the genus Hyalymenus, it belongs to a group of alydine bugs commonly associated with leguminous plants.
Megalotomus quinquespinosus
Lupine Bug
Megalotomus quinquespinosus, commonly known as the lupine bug, is a broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae. It is found across North America. While many alydids are primarily plant-feeders, this species has been documented feeding on carrion and dung, including the remains of small mammals in predator scat. This behavior represents an unusual expansion of diet beyond typical seed-feeding habits seen in related species.
Neomegalotomus
Neomegalotomus is a genus of broad-headed bugs in the family Alydidae, established in 1998. The genus contains at least two described species: N. parvus and N. rufipes. Most biological knowledge derives from studies of N. parvus, a Neotropical pest of legume crops. The genus is characterized by broad head morphology typical of Alydidae and is associated with Fabaceae hosts.
Neomegalotomus rufipes
broad-headed bug
Neomegalotomus rufipes is a species of broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae. It was described by Westwood in 1842. The species occurs in the Caribbean region and parts of North America. Like other members of Alydidae, it possesses the characteristic broad, flattened head that gives the family its common name. Information on its biology and ecology remains limited.
Protenor
broad-headed bugs
Protenor is a genus of broad-headed bugs (family Alydidae) established by Stål in 1868. The genus contains at least three described species: P. australis, P. belfragei, and P. tropicalis. Members of this genus are true bugs in the suborder Heteroptera, characterized by the family Alydidae's distinctive broad head morphology. The genus has been recorded in North America and other regions, though detailed species-level biology remains poorly documented.
Protenor australis
Protenor australis is a species of broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae, described by Hussey in 1925. The genus Protenor belongs to the subfamily Micrelytrinae, a group of true bugs characterized by their broad, flattened heads relative to body size. Distribution records indicate presence in Middle America and North America. The species remains poorly documented in published literature, with minimal observational data available.
Stenocoris
rice bugs
Stenocoris is a genus of true bugs in the family Alydidae, commonly known as rice bugs. The genus contains more than 20 described species distributed across Africa and the Americas. Several species are significant agricultural pests of rice, feeding on developing grains and causing yield loss and quality reduction. The genus is characterized by slender body form typical of the Alydidae family.
Stenocoris tipuloides
neotropical rice bug
Stenocoris tipuloides, commonly known as the neotropical rice bug, is a broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae. The species occurs in the Americas, with records from South America, Florida, and Texas. It belongs to a genus of true bugs associated with rice and other graminaceous crops.
Tollius
Tollius is a genus of broad-headed bugs in the family Alydidae, established by Carl Stål in 1870. These true bugs (Hemiptera) are characterized by their distinctive head morphology. The genus contains at least four described species.
Tollius setosus
Tollius setosus is a species of broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae, first described by Van Duzee in 1906. It is one of the few recognized species in the genus Tollius, which belongs to the subfamily Alydinae. The species is known from western North America, with confirmed records from California. As a member of the Alydidae, it shares the family's characteristic broad, flattened head shape. Limited information is available regarding its biology and ecology.