Zoological Catalogue of Australia Vol 27.3b

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Description

The infraorder Pentatomomorpha is the subject of the second volume in the "Zoological Catalogue of Australia" series dealing with the true bugs (the suborder Heteroptera). It includes the bark bugs, stilt bugs, seed bugs, cotton stainers, burrowing bugs, shield bugs and stink bugs. Many of these species are of significant economic importance both as pests and as natural enemies of other insect pests. In this catalogue, the authors propose a new classification for the Australian Heteroptera based on the most recent developments in heteropterology worldwide. The proposed classification departs significantly from all previous treatment of the Australian fauna. There is a comprehensive treatment of the classification and nomenclature of the Australian species and a thorough review of the literature concerned with the higher classification of the Pentatomomorpha.

Author Bio

Gordon F. Gross is Emeritus Curator and a past Deputy Director at the South Australian Museum. In his distinguished career as an insect curator, Dr Gross has published extensively on the Australian Heteroptera and has had a wider interest in the Heteroptera of Melanesia. He is best known for his landmark publications on the plant-feeding bugs of South Australia. Gerasimos (Gerry) Cassis is Head of the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research at the Australian Museum. He has over 25 years of research experience on Heteroptera and is mainly interested in bugs associated with plants. His research focuses on the biodiversity, biogeography and systematics of the Heteroptera, with particular interest on the Australian fauna. He has published three books as well as numerous scientific articles. Dr Cassis is also Deputy Chair of the Biological Diversity Council of New South Wales and a founding member of the International Heteropterists Society.