Gold Coast Bugs (Hemiptera & Heteroptera)Assassin Bug (Pristhesancus plagipennis) Common Milkweed Bug (Arocatus rusticus) Cotton Harlequin Bug (Tectocoris diophthalmus) Eucalyptus Tip-wilting Bug (Amorbus alternatus) Green Jewel Bug (Lampromicra senator) Green-faced Wattle Hopper (Hackerobrachys viridiventris) Lantana Treehopper (Aconophora compressa) Mallotus Harlequin Bug (Cantao parentum) Orange Assassin Bug (Gminatus australis) Red Spiny Assassin Bug (Scipinia arenacea) Shield Bug (Antestiopsis cederwaldi)

The order Hemiptera is sometimes referred to as “true bugs”, a term that also applys to the suborder Heteroptera. The Hemiptera comprise over 80,000 species that includes commonly named groups such as cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, assassin bugs, bed bugs, and shield bugs.

The suborder Heteroptera are a group within the order Hemiptera, of some 40,000 species of insects. This group are also referred to as “true bugs”, which is used to describe the order Hemiptera.

Cotton Harlequin Bug (Tectocoris diophthalmus), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
Cotton Harlequin Bug (Tectocoris diophthalmus), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones

Heteroptera comes from the Greek for “different wings”, as most species of this group have forewings with both membranous and hardened portions (called hemelytra, elytra, or tegmina). The hemelytra (plural), is the modified forewings, that is thick and cornified (horny) at the base, and membranous at the apex (tips). At rest the forewings are folded over the hindwings.

Yellow Predatory Shield Bug (Amyotea hamata), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
Yellow Predatory Shield Bug (Amyotea hamata), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones

True Bugs (Hemitera)
Green-faced Wattle Hopper (Hackerobrachys viridiventris), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
Green-faced Wattle Hopper (Hackerobrachys viridiventris)

True Bugs (Heteroptera)
Assassin Bug (Pristhesancus plagipennis), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
Assassin Bug (Pristhesancus plagipennis)
Common Milkweed Bug (Arocatus rusticus), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
Common Milkweed Bug (Arocatus rusticus)
Cotton Harlequin Bug (Tectocoris diophthalmus), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
Cotton Harlequin Bug (Tectocoris diophthalmus)
Amorbus alternatus, Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
Eucalyptus Tip-wilting Bug (Amorbus alternatus)
Green Jewel Bug (Lampromicra senator), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
Green Jewel Bug (Lampromicra senator)
Mallotus Harlequin Bug (Cantao parentum), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
Mallotus Harlequin Bug (Cantao parentum)
Orange Assassin Bug (Gminatus australis), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
Orange Assassin Bug (Gminatus australis)
Red Spiny Assassin Bug (Scipinia arenacea), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
Red Spiny Assassin Bug (Scipinia arenacea)
Green Grid Stink Bug (Antestiopsis cederwaldi), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
Green Grid Stink Bug (Antestiopsis cederwaldi)

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hemiptera
  • Suborder: Auchenorrhyncha (True Hoppers)
  • Suborder: Coleorrhyncha (Moss Bugs)
  • Suborder: Heteroptera (True Bugs)
  • Suborder: Sternorrhyncha (Plant-parasitic Hemipterans)
  • Suborder: Heteroptera
  • Infraorder
    • Cimicomorpha
    • Dipsocoromorpha
    • Enicocephalomorpha
    • Gerromorpha
    • Leptopodomorpha
    • Nepomorpha
    • Pentatomomorpha
  • Infraorder: Pentatomomorpha
  • Superfamily: Pentatomoidea
  • Family: Scutelleridae
  • Subfamily: Scutellerinae
  • Genus: Cantao
  • Species: Cantao parentum
  • Genus: Lampromicra
  • Species: Lampromicra senator
  • Family: Pentatomidae
  • Subfamily: Asopinae
  • Genus: Asopinae
  • Species: Amyotea hamata

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hemiptera
  • Suborders: Heteroptera
  • Infraorder:
    • Cimicomorpha
    • Dipsocoromorpha
    • Enicocephalomorpha
    • Gerromorpha
    • Leptopodomorpha
    • Nepomorpha
    • Pentatomomorpha
Green Jewel Bug (Lampromicra senator), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
Green Jewel Bug (Lampromicra senator), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones

Footnote & References

  1. Photographs © Stefan Jones
  2. Heteroptera, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/HETEROPTERA
  3. Cantao parentum (White, 1839), Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Cantao parentum

Gold Coast Bugs (Hemiptera & Heteroptera)Assassin Bug (Pristhesancus plagipennis) Common Milkweed Bug (Arocatus rusticus) Cotton Harlequin Bug (Tectocoris diophthalmus) Eucalyptus Tip-wilting Bug (Amorbus alternatus) Green Jewel Bug (Lampromicra senator) Green-faced Wattle Hopper (Hackerobrachys viridiventris) Lantana Treehopper (Aconophora compressa) Mallotus Harlequin Bug (Cantao parentum) Orange Assassin Bug (Gminatus australis) Red Spiny Assassin Bug (Scipinia arenacea) Shield Bug (Antestiopsis cederwaldi)

Gold Coast InsectsAntlions, Lacewings, and Allies (Neuroptera) Ants Bees Beetles Bugs (Hemiptera & Heteroptera) Buterflies & Moths Flies (Diptera) Wasps

Gold Coast RegionFauna

QueenslandQueensland Fauna Gold Coast Region Lamington National Park Southern Downs QLD