Heteroptera (True Bugs)

Heteroptera (True Bugs)Hyocephalus aprugnus

Welcome to our section on Australia’s True Bugs. These true bugs include some species that may be familiar to some of us including Amorbus alternatus (commonly known as the Eucalyptus Tip-wilting Bug) and Choerocoris paganus (commonly known as the Ground Shield Bug or the Red Jewel Bug).

Click on the following images to see more information on the true bugs.

Amorbus sp., Alice Springs NT — **Amorbus**

Eucalyptus Tip-wilting Bug (Amorbus alternatus), nymph, Araluen, Alice Springs NT — Amorbus alternatus (Eucalyptus Tip-wilting Bug)

Green Grid Stink Bug (Antestiopsis cederwaldi), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones — Antestiopsis cederwaldi (Shield Bug)

Common Milkweed Bug (Arocatus rusticus), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones — Arocatus rusticus (Common Milkweed Bug)

Mallotus Harlequin Bug (Cantao parentum), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones — Cantao parentum (Mallotus Harlequin Bug)

Choerocoris paganus, Alice Springs Desert Park NT — Choerocoris paganus (Ground Shield Bug)

Orange Assassin Bug (Gminatus australis), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones — Gminatus australis (Orange Assassin Bug)

Hyocephalus aprugnus (Ground Dwelling Bug), Onkaparinga SA © Connor Margetts / C.Margetts Photography — Hyocephalus aprugnus (Ground Dwelling Bug)

Ippatha australiensis (Stink Bug), family Pentatomidae, Alice Springs NT — Ippatha australiensis (Stink Bug)

Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis), Alice Springs, NT — Laccotrephes tristis (Water Scorpion)

Green Jewel Bug (Lampromicra senator), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones — Lampromicra senator (Green Jewel Bug)

Soapberry Bugs (Leptocoris tagalicus) on Needlewood (Hakea leucoptera), Alice Springs NT — **Leptocoris (Soapberry Bugs)**

Leptocoris mitellatus, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman — Leptocoris mitellatus

Mictis profana (male), Central Coast NSW © Peter Street — Mictis profana (Crusader Bug)

Common Gum Tree Shield Bug (Poecilometis patruelis), Alice Springs NT — Poecilometis patruelis (Eucalypt Shield Bug)

Assassin Bug (Pristhesancus plagipennis), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones — Pristhesancus plagipennis (Assassin Bug)

Gminatus australis (Assassin Bug), Granite Belt QLD © Michael Jefferies — **Reduviidae Assassin Bugs**

Red Spiny Assassin Bug (Scipinia arenacea), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones — Scipinia arenacea (Red Spiny Assassin Bug)

Large Milkweed Bugs (Spilosethus hospes), Alice Springs NT — Spilosethus hospes (Large Milkweed Bugs)

Nymph - Eucalyptus Tip-wilting Bug (Amorbus alternatus), Alice Springs NT — **Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies**

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

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

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.

Eye of the Leptocoris mitellatus, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman — Eye of the *Leptocoris mitellatus*, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman

This is a work in progress, check back as we add more true bugs…

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Informal: Pterygotes
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
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
Suborder: Heteroptera
Infraorder:
- Cimicomorpha
- Dipsocoromorpha
- Enicocephalomorpha
- Gerromorpha
- Leptopodomorpha
- Nepomorpha
- Pentatomomorpha

Footnote & References

Heteroptera, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/b809bc05-d1c2-4664-8727-cc6493b7a3cd

Heteroptera (True Bugs)Hyocephalus aprugnus

InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera (True Bugs) Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub