Subclass Pterygota:
Pterous (winged) insects, develop by metamorphosis
Division Exopterygota
(exo = outer; pteron = wing)
Hemipteroid orders
(hemi = half; pteron = wing)
Order Hemiptera
(hemi = half; pteron = wing)
COMMON NAME: True bugs
QUICK DESCRIPTION: The different species of true bugs have so many different characteristics that it is almost impossible to give an adequate general description for the group -- in fact, the only thing members of this order have in common are their piercing/sucking mouthparts. One suborder, Heteroptera, is distinguished by the forewing which is hard and leathery at the top and soft and membraneous at the tip -- when their wings are folded together over their bodies, the insects appear to have a crosslike marking on their backs. The Homoptera suborder has all wings membraneous -- you have to turn them over and look at their mouthparts to find out if they are true bugs.
MINUTE DETAILS: Minute to large insects, compound eyes usually well developed but rarely absent, two or three ocelli usually present, antennae with few segments, mouthparts suctorial with mandibles and maxillae in from of stylets enclosed within a labial sheath; two paris of wings usually present with fore wings of harder consistency than hind pair; abdomen nine- to eleven-segmented, external genitalia variable in both sexes, cerci absent.
[Back to the Family Tree]