Higher Systematics of the Pentatomoidea 95
This tribe at present contains five genera and 21 species (Table 2.3). Members of this tribe are small
to medium in size (9-12 mm), usually pale yellowish in color (may be more greenish when alive) with
concolorous punctures [an exception is Piezodorus lituratus (F.), which has darker punctures] (Figures
2.23K, 2.31J). The humeral angles are always rounded. The mesosternum is carinate medially with the
anterior portion produced anteriorly onto the prosternum as a small rounded lobe (Figure 2.7D). The
base of the abdomen is armed with a large, robust, usually ventrally flattened spine that often reaches to
or beyond the middle coxae. The ostiolar rugae are elongate, apically acuminate, and curved cephalad.
The posterior margin of the pygophore is simple and vertical, and the pygophoral opening is distinctly
dorsad. According to Gross (1976), the aedeagus is “one of the most complicated of any seen in the
Pentatomidae.” The phallosoma is small, a thecal shield may or may not be present, the conjunctiva is
produced into long tubular lobes, and the vesica may be long or short. There is a tendency for the basal
plates of the female genitalia to have their anterior margins hidden under the last non-genital abdominal
sternite. The spermathecal bulb is constricted in the middle, and the apical portion is simple or provided
with a single diverticulum (Linnavuori 1982).
Gross (1976) indicated that there were some superficial similarities with members of the Menidini. On
the other hand, Linnavuori (1982) stated that the Piezodorini was possibly related to the Nezarini. There
also seem to be some general similarities in appearance with members of the Eurysaspini.
Recent reviews, either in whole or in part, are available for Pausias Jakovlev (Ahmad 1994) and
Piezodorus (Staddon and Ahmad 1995).
Some species of Piezodorus are considered to be pests of various crops, especially legumes (Panizzi et al.
2000). For example, the tropical pest Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood) appears to have moved northwards
in recent years, becoming a problem species on soybean in the southern United States (see Chapter 8).
2.2.10.7.37 Procleticini Pennington, 1920
Pennington (1920) was the first to recognize this group at the family-group level when he proposed the
Procleticini for two monotypic genera, Procleticus Berg and Lobepomis Berg. Kormilev (1955) added
the genus Neoderoploa Pennington, and Pirán (1963) added his new genus Tera n ia. No further mention
of this tribe was made until Rider (1994) provided a generic conspectus of the tribe and broadened the
definition to include another seven genera: Aleixus McDonald, Brepholoxa Van Duzee, Dendrocoris
Bergroth (Figure 2.23I), Odmalea Bergroth (Figure 2.23J), Parodmalea Rider, Thoreyella Spinola
(Figure 2.31K), and Zorcadium Bergroth.
This tribe contains 11 genera and 36 species (Table 2.3). Members of this tribe are small to medium in
size and usually ovate in shape (Figures 2.23I, J; 2.31K). This New World group can be separated into
two groups based on the shape of the scutellum. In some genera (Brepholoxa, Dendrocoris, Odmalea,
Parodmalea), the scutellum is more or less triangular in shape, whereas in other genera (Lobepomis,
Neoderoploa, Procleticus, Terania), the scutellum is enlarged and spatulate in shape. The juga are usu-
ally longer than the tylus [except in some Odmalea concolor (Walker)] and often contiguous in front
of the tylus. The first antennal segment does not reach the apex of the head; the bucculae are lobed
posteriorly. The ostiolar rugae usually reach the middle of the metapleura and are usually acuminate
apically (except Brepholoxa). The thoracic sterna are shallowly to deeply sulcate, and the mesosternum
is not carinate medially. The abdominal venter is armed with a forwardly projecting spine or tubercle
(except it is quite small in Lobepomis and Procleticus and lacking in Parodmalea and males of some
Dendrocoris). The genital plates are small and, as a group, they appear to be recessed into the venter; the
basal plates are quite small and are often partially or completely obscured by the last abdominal sternite
(Figure 2.8J). The pygophore is somewhat produced posteriorly with a distinct medial emargination
that may be narrow and parallel-sided (Figures 2.8K, L) or, often, becoming circular ventrally. Gapon
(2005) studied the male genitalia of procleticines and discussed their relationship with other tribes.
Rider (1994) provided a generic conspectus of this tribe, defined the unique apomorphies that sup-
port the monophyly of this group, and established a current classification. Schwertner and Grazia (2012)
corroborated the monophyly and proposed a phylogenetic classification. Several procleticine genera
recently have been revised, at least in part: Dendrocoris (Nelson 1955, 1957; Thomas 1984; Thomas
and Brailovsky 2000), Odmalea (Rolston 1978a), and Thoreyella (Rolston 1984c; Bernardes et al. 2009,
2011). A revision of Brepholoxa is nearly complete (David A. Rider, unpublished data).