Hemiptera
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 Two-lined spittlebug
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Hemiptera is a large, cosmopolitan order of insects, comprising some 67,500 known species in three suborders. Traditionally these taxa were treated as two separate orders, Homoptera (Auchenorrhyncha and Sternorrhyncha) and Heteroptera; the former name is now obsolete (the group was paraphyletic), and the latter name is falling into disuse, often replaced by Prosorrhyncha. Referring latest investigations the name Auchenorrhyncha should also be replaced by Archeorrhyncha and Clyeporrhyncha.
Members of the "Heteroptera" are typically called "true bugs". The name heteroptera comes from their forewings having both membranous and hard portions. It is also essentially this same feature which gives the order its name, hemiptera, coming from the Greek for half-wing.
Members of the Hemiptera are distinguished from all other insects by both adults and nymphs having a proboscis that includes a salivary channel as well as a food channel. The proboscis is usually specialized to suck the juices from various parts of plants, including seeds, although some species are predatory (on arthropods and sometimes small animals), and a few are adapted to suck blood from mammals. In addition, the space between the overlapping wings in the members of this order forms a triangular shape near the head which is commonly used to identify a true bug.
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[edit] Suborder Prosorrhyncha
There are 25,000 known species in over 60 families.
[edit] Suborder Archaeorrhyncha
Some authors prefer this name to refer to the Fulgoromorpha, or Planthoppers.
[edit] Suborder Clypeorrhyncha
This name is sometimes used to refer to the Cicadomorpha.
[edit] Suborder Sternorrhyncha
There are 12,500 species.
[edit] External links
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