Abstract
PHYSIOLOGICAL barriers prevent most insect taxa adopting a marine life ; but the bug Aepophilus bonnairei has surmounted some of these and lives abundantly at the lowest Fucus zone of rocky shores in south-west Britain. The better to understand the adaptive trends followed, a sound systematic basis is needed. The bug is placed in a monotypic family : but (1) in Gerroidea next to Mesoveliidae1 ; (2) adjacent to Cryptostemmidae2 ; (3) between the bedbugs and Anthocoridae3, or (4) in Saldoidea but as a branch distinct from saldids and Leptopodidae4. Pruthi5 showed the male genitalia of Aepophilus and some saldids to be almost identical and suggested that on this single character the marine-bug did not warrant separation from Saldidae ; not a single writer has accepted this view, but it is now shown to be correct.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Puton, A., “Synopis des Hémiptères Hétéroptères de France”, 1 (Paris, 1879).
Bergroth, E., Ent. Mon. Mag., 35, 282 (1899).
Kirkaldy, G. W., Canad. Ent., 40, 357 (1908).
Reuter, O. M., Acta Soc. Sci. Fenn., 37 (3), 1 (1910).
Pruthi, H. S., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 127 (1925).
Leston, D., and Haskell, P. T. (in preparation).
Brown, E. S., J. Anim. Ecol., 17, 180 (1948).
Morton, J. E., J. Mar. Biol. Assoc., 33, 187 (1954).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
LESTON, D. Systematics of the Marine-Bug. Nature 178, 427–428 (1956). https://doi.org/10.1038/178427a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/178427a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
