Aelia Fabricius

Type Species: Cimex acuminatus Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation (Brullé, 1836).

Included Species:
acuminata (Linnaeus, 1758)
albovittata Fieber, 1868
alticola Kiritshenko, 1914
americana Dallas, 1851
angusta Stehlík, 1976
baluchistanensis Ahmad & Zaidi, 1988
chinensis Rider & Rolston, 1995
cognata Fieber, 1868
contorta Kiritshenko, 1930
cribrosa Fieber, 1868
fieberi Scott, 1874
frigida Kiritshenko, 1930
furcula Fieber, 1868
germari Küster, 1852
granum Jakovlev, 1903
klugii Hahn, 1833
melanota Fieber, 1868
notata Rey, 1887
obtusa Fieber, 1868
punctiventris Horváth, 1911
rostrata Boheman, 1852
satunini Kiritshenko, 1930
sibirica Reuter, 1884
syriaca Horváth, 1903
virgata (Herrich-Schäffer, 1841)

Comments: Wagner (1960) divided Aelia into 4 species groups, and provided keys to the groups and species within each group; he also provided descriptions for most of the species.

1 Abdomen pale, sometimes with dark longitudinal bands, but the space between connexivum and spiracles always pale; corium pale, at most the radial vein and the edge a dark longitudinal streak; male parameres always with page-like surface	2
- Abdomen with dark longitudinal bands, the space between connexivum and spiracles at least partially dark or darkly punctured; corium usually dark with bright veins; male parameres without page-like surface	3

2(1) Shape large and robust; bucculae often with an anterior tooth or a bump, rarely without these, then the length is 9.5-11.5 mm; dorsoposterior margin of male pygophore with 3 emarginations	rostrata group
- Shape small and slim; bucculae always without anterior tooth or bump; dorsoposterior margin of male pygophore always with only a middle emargination or completely without recesses	acuminata group

3(1) Shape small; abdomen broader than pronotum; bucculae in front with rounded embossment, in the back low; abdomen ground color dark	frigida group
- Larger; abdomen not broader than pronotum; bucculae without embossments, sloping evenly to the rear; abdomen ground color pale, with dark marks	virgata group

Species not placed by Wagner (1960):
americana Dallas, 1851 (acuminata group fide Staddon & Abdollahi, 1999)
angusta Stehlík, 1976 (acuminata group - originally described as subspecies of henschi, which = sibirica)
baluchistanensis Ahmad & Zaidi, 1988 (acuminata group - originally described as related to acuminata)
chinensis Rider & Rolston, 1995 (acuminata group - Derzhansky, personal communication: this may be a junior synonym of klugii)

Brown, E. S. 1962. Notes on the systematics and distribution of some species of Aelia Fabr. (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae) in the Middle East, with special reference to the rostrata group. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (13)5: 129-145, pl. II.

China, W. E. and N. Lodos. 1960. A study of the taxonomic characters of some species of Aelia F. (Heteroptera-Pentatomidae). Annals and Magazine of Natural History (13)2[1959]:577-602.

Staddon, B. W. and G. A. Abdollahi. 1999. Comparative morphology and taxonomic indications of the aedeagus in the genus Aelia (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae 63(1-2): 209-224.

Voegelé, J. 1968. Importance des processus supérieurs des genitalia males pour la systématique des Aelia paléarctiques (Hem. Het. Pentatomidae). Annales de la Société Entomologique de France (ns) 4(1): 185-195.

Wagner, E. 1960. Die paläarktischen arten der gattung Aelia Fabricius 1803 (Hem. Het. Pentatomidae). Zeitschrift für Angewandte Entomologie 47: 149-195.

David A. Rider
Associate Professor of Entomology
North Dakota State University
202 Hultz Hall
Fargo, ND 58105
E-Mail: David.Rider@ndsu.nodak.edu