ADULT ABDOMINAL CHARACTERS IN THE LYGAEOID–COREOID COMPLEX OF THE HETEROPTERA, AND THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE GROUP

Abstract

The characters used in the classification of the logaoedic–coreoid complex of the Heteroptera vary and no simple classification into superfamilies is apparent. The abdomen provides a number of additional characters which are useful and can be used with previous ones, in the assessment of phenetic affinity. The Coreoidea can be considered as containing families with 75% affinity with the Coreidae, whilst the Lygaeoidea contains families with less than a 75% affinity with this family. Since many of the families in the complex are defined on rather subjective characters, a key based on objective abdominal characters seems more satisfactory.