| Assassin bugs, bed bugs, and allies | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scanning electron microscope image of a lace bug (family Tingidae) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Suborder: | Heteroptera |
| Infraorder: | Cimicomorpha Leston et al. 1954 |
| Families | |
|
see text | |
The Cimicomorpha are an infraorder of insects in the order Hemiptera, the true bugs.[1] The rostrum and other morphology of all members apparently is adapted to feeding on animals as their prey or hosts. Members include bed bugs, bat bugs, assassin bugs, and pirate bugs.
The two infraorders Cimicomorpha and Pentatomorpha have very similar characteristics, possibly as a result of the evolution of plant feeding. The key similarity that unites the Cimicomorpha and Pentatomorpha is the loss of the arolia (adhesive pads) on the pretarsi of the insects. These two infraorders comprise 90% of Heteroptera species.
These insects are a part of the old, informal classification of “Geocorisae” (land bugs). Among these bugs, parental care has evolved several times. Parental care varies from brooding of the eggs by the female, to a more active form that involves protection of young against predators and the female covering the nymphs under her body.