A FURTHER STUDY OF THE STERNAL PATCHES OF HETEROPTERA-PENTATOMIDAE WITH CONSIDERATIONS OF THEIR FUNCTION AND VALUE FOR CLASSIFICATION

Sternal patch patterns in several Heteroptera-Pentatomidae are describ ed and compared. Male patterns are more constant and their value for t axonomic studies probably greater than female patterns. A distinction between species which may extend to the definition of genera was obser ved in males of Piezodorus hybneri and Acrosternum heegeri from Pakist an. The patches are sometimes indistinct (female Nezara viridula) and clearly revealed only in cuticular isolates. Local and geographic inst ability of patterns occurs in Piezodorus lituratus. An effect of tempe rature on patch area development in female N. viridula was detected. T ests made on N. viridula with a water-detecting film indicated that pa tch cuticle is highly permeable to water It is suggested that the obse rvational and experimental data so far available are consistent with t he hypothesis that the patches have a thermoregulatory function. Dalpa da eremica has the most extended series of patches now known. Merging of patches in the mid-line has been observed uniquely in Brachynema si mony.