SPECIES PROBLEMS AND SPECIES GROUPS IN THE GENUS PIEZODORUS FIEBER (HEMIPTERA, PENTATOMIDAE)CC

The species of Piezodorus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) are not always e asily separated on the usual characters of sternal spine, antennal rat io, etc. Here we compare them on the basis of aedeagus, spermatheca, a nd male sternal glands. We confirm that hybneri and guildinii are very close, but show that length of vesica sets Australian hybneri apart f rom Asiatic hybneri. The male sternites uniquely in species of this hy bneri complex have dimorphic pheromone glands. Similarities of aedeagu s and spermatheca unite punctiventris, teretipes, and sindellus. Sinde llus is very close to, probably conspecific with, teretipes. P. litura tus is allied to punctipes and probably to inexpertus. The position of P. pallescens and that of P. purus is less clear cut. P. hessei Lesto n has been erroneously placed in the genus Piezodorus and should be tr ansferred to the genus Pausias. Although it is desirable to characteri ze the aedeagus in the inflated condition it is an aid to complete des cription to examine the vesica in uninflated material.