Berytidae
Berytidae is a family of the order Hemiptera ("true bugs"), commonly called stilt bugs[2] or thread bugs.[3]
| Stilt bugs | |
|---|---|
![]()  | |
| Dorsal view of a typically gracile species in the family Berytidae | |
| Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia | 
| Phylum: | Arthropoda | 
| Class: | Insecta | 
| Order: | Hemiptera | 
| Suborder: | Heteroptera | 
| Infraorder: | Pentatomomorpha | 
| Superfamily: | Lygaeoidea | 
| Family: | Berytidae | 
| Synonyms[1] | |
  | |
Description
    
The Berytidae are extremely gracile insects with legs so long and slender as to suggest common names such as "thread bugs" and "stilt bugs". In this they resemble the Emesinae, with which they are easily confused, though they are in different families. They may be distinguished most readily by the forelegs, that in the Emesinae are raptorial in a way resembling those of the Mantodea, Mantispidae and certain other invertebrate predators. In form and function the forelegs of the Berytidae are roughly similar to those of their other legs. Other differences are subtler and not fully consistent. For one thing, the antennae of most Berytidae though long, geniculate, and in other ways generally similar to Emesinae, tend to have a more or less obvious swelling at the tip. Some members of the family also have slight swellings at the distal ends of the femora of their legs, though in many species this is either absent or not obvious.
Biology
    
The habits of most species are not well known. Most are believed to be sap-suckers like most other Hemiptera, but some also feed on mites and small insects. One common genus in this family is Neides[4][5][6]
Subfamilies and selected genera
    
Three subfamilies are usually recognised:[4]
Berytinae
    
Aurh.: Fieber, 1851 - all genera:
- tribe Berytini Fieber, 1851
 
- Apoplymus Fieber, 1859
 - Arideneides Tatarnic, 2022
 - Bezu Stusak, 1989
 - Chinoneides Stusak, 1989
 - Neides Latreille, 1802
 - Neoneides Stusak, 1989
 - Yemmatropis Hsiao, 1977
 
- tribe Berytinini Southwood & Leston, 1959
 
- Berytinus Kirkaldy, 1900
 
Gampsocorinae
    
Aurh.: Southwood and Leston, 1959
- Bajacanthus Henry & Wall, 2019
 - Gampsocoris Fuss, 1852
 - Hoplinus Stal, 1874
 - Pronotacantha Uhler, 1893
 
Metacanthinae
    
Aurh.: Douglas and Scott, 1865
- Capyella Breddin, 1907
 - Jalysus Stal, 1862
 - Metacanthus Costa, 1847
 - Metatropis Fieber, 1859
 - Yemma Horvath, 1905
 
Unplaced genera
    
- Acanthophysa Uhler, 1893
 - Aknisus McAtee, 1919
 - Protacanthus Uhler, 1894
 - Paleologus Distant, 1902
 
References
    
- "Neididae Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
 - Thomas J. Henry (1997). Monograph of the stilt bugs, or Berytidae (Heteroptera) of the Western Hemisphere. Entomological Society of Washington.
 - Alan Weaving; Mike Picker; Griffiths, Charles Llewellyn (2003). Field Guide to Insects of South Africa. New Holland Publishers, Ltd. ISBN 1-86872-713-0.
 - Dellapé, Pablo M.; Henry, Thomas J. (2021). "family Berytidae Fieber 1851". Lygaeoidea Species File. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
 - "Berytidae". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
 - "Family Berytidae information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
 
Gallery
    
Stilt bug, possibly juvenile?
Unknown species
Stilt bug
Stilt bug, Berytidae
