Pentatomomorpha

The Pentatomomorpha comprise an infraorder of insects in the true bug order Hemiptera. It unites such animals as the shield- or stink-bugs (Pentatomidae and alies), flat bugs (Aradidae), seed bugs (Lygaeidae and Rhyparochromidae), etc. They are closely related to the Cimicomorpha.^[1]

Pentatomomorpha
Squash bug, Coreidae
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Suborder:	Heteroptera
Infraorder:	Pentatomomorpha
Superfamilies
5–7, see text

Based on the fossil morphology, the common ancestor of Pentatomomorpha must be older than the fossils in the late Triassic. They play an important role in agriculture and forestry industries and they are also used as controlling agents in studies.

Systematics

Five superfamilies are usually placed in the Pentatomomorpha. The Aradoidea represent the most basal extant lineage, while the others, often united as clade Trichophora, are more modern:^[2][3][1]

• Aradoidea Brullé, 1836
• Coreoidea Leach, 1815
• Lygaeoidea Schilling, 1829
• Pentatomoidea Leach, 1815
• Pyrrhocoroidea Amyot & Serville, 1843

Among these, the Pentatomoidea seem to represent a by and large monophyletic lineage as traditionally understood, while the other three form a close-knit group and are in serious need of redelimitation.^[1] The Idiostolidae are usually considered a family of the Lygaeoidea, but in the past have been placed in a distinct monotypic superfamily Idiostoloidea, for example.

The Piesmatidae, usually placed in the Lygaeoidea also, are sometimes considered incertae sedis,^[4] or placed in a monotypic superfamily Piesmatoidea with the discovery of Cretopiesma. However a cladistic analysis rejected Cretopiesma from Piesmatidae and placed the genus in the family Aradidae.^[5]