Soybean Stink Bugs: Updates on Classification, Taxonomy, and Distribution

The insects included in the family Pentatomidae (stink bugs) comprise a monophyletic group with about 5,000 spp., distributed in more than 950 genera and nine subfamilies. Most stink bugs are phytophagous, mostly polyphagous or oligophagous, while a group of predaceous species is also known. Several species are associated with economically important crops, such as cotton, maize, and soybean; other species are secondary or sporadic pests in a variety of agroecosystems. Nevertheless, the classification of this important group of insects is still unsettled, and relatively little is known about the evolution of the lineages that include species associated with crops. Robust phylogenetic studies of the Pentatomidae have been available only recently, and a better understanding of the group is now emerging. Currently, there are more than 300 spp. of stink bugs associated with commodity crops worldwide. Taxonomically, the identification of economically important species can be sometimes challenging, and recent studies at population levels have shown significant intraspecific variation and hybridization zones. In this chapter, we review and discuss the impact of recent phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies on the classification of soybean-associated stink bugs, and present an updated review on taxonomy, identification, and current distribution data of the most cited species in the last 20 years.