140 Invasive Stink Bugs and Related Species (Pentatomoidea)
whereas older specimens will suffice for morphological work. Additionally, specimens earmarked for
molecular studies need to be collected and preserved in particular ways so as to not destroy the DNA.
We also caution those who are using sequences posted on the internet in their phylogenetic studies. Quite
often, the organisms associated with the sequences are misidentified (see discussions on Panamanian
plataspids earlier in this chapter, and by Rédei 2016, and Lis et al. 2016).
2.3.4 Solutions
The problems listed above are real and will be difficult, but not impossible, to overcome. Tantamount for
success will be the willingness of workers on the systematics of the Pentatomoidea to form strong collabo-
rations with each other. Collaborations will reduce the work load each worker will have to shoulder and,
thus, perhaps, help overcome problem number one. Collaborations also can help to delineate a more effi-
cient sample for analyses, thus improving our capability to deal with this problem. Interpretation of char-
acters may be more difficult but, again, not impossible. A greater reliance on other, more useful characters
may be needed initially, and then the more difficult ones will make more sense deeper into the analyses.
Again, collaborations lead to discussion, and discussions on the difficult characters may result in ways to
interpret these difficult characters. Furthermore, the integration of molecular data with the morphological
data should also help us interpret characters that have evolved multiple times (or help us recognize second-
ary losses). Acquisition of specimens for molecular work, again will be bolstered by additional collabo-
ration. A better system needs to be developed for placing sequences on the internet for other workers to
use. Although this is an admirable task, we need to make sure that the organisms are correctly identified.
Perhaps it should be made mandatory that the identity of all taxa whose sequences are to made accessable
are authoritatively identified by an expert in the group before the sequences can be posted on the internet; it
also would be helpful to require photographs of the test animals along with the sequences.
We hopefully have provided the groundwork upon which further phylogenetic work can continue. We
believe a number of good collaborations among pentatomid workers already have been made; these need
to be strengthened. New relationships need to be established. Perhaps a step in the right direction would be
to develop an organizational workshop or summit and to encourage all serious pentatomoid taxonomists to
attend. We would be able discuss ways to overcome the above listed problems (e.g., standardize character
interpretation, parcel out work load, develop a molecular plan). Such a workshop could be held in conjunc-
tion with an International Heteropterists’ Society Meeting, or it could be held at another time. Either way,
it would need to be held near a large collection so that specimens could be examined during discussions.
Determining the phylogeny of the Pentatomoidea is certainly a task for an intercontinental team!
Additionally, increased collaborations will require increased coordination. That was the impetus
behind the development of the Pentatomoidea Website (Rider 2015a); it was meant to serve as a cen-
tralized spot where workers could access a bibliography on the group, to see what other workers were
doing, and to gain information on various taxa and their hosts, biology, etc. This website certainly needs
improvement, and to have more information added, but it also depends on colleagues to periodically
update their profile pages. Those workers who do not have a profile page, but would like one, are encour-
aged to send their information to the webmaster (DAR). The eventual publication of the World Catalog
of the Pentatomidae (and catalogs of other pentatomoid families) will also greatly aide taxonomic and
phylogenetic work.
In summary, we hope the information provided herein will stimulate further work. It is now time for
the fun to begin (e.g., to see how many of these taxa will hold true and which ones will fall, and which
taxa will be transferred to new places and which ones will stay put). Good luck, and have fun!
2.4 Acknowledgments
The first person deserving of our sincere gratitude is Jay McPherson who has spent an uncountable num-
ber of hours reading and editing these pages; this chapter would not be nearly the quality that it is without
his considerable contributions. There are many people throughout the years who have contributed greatly
to the development of this chapter, simply via the numerous discussions they have had with us. Some are