Checklist of the broad-headed bugs ( Insecta : Hemiptera : Alydidae ) of Alabama , United States

The purpose of this project was to investigate the distribution of the insect family Alydidae in the state of Alabama. Eight species and six genera were confirmed to be present, and all are new state records. The genus Hyalymenus and the species Stenocoris furcifera were previously only recorded in Florida, but are distributed well within Alabama. Although North American members of this family are not economically important, destructive species do exist in Asia and Africa. This information, therefore, will be useful in the potential event of an introduction.


INTRODUCTION
With five physiographic provinces ranging from coastal plains on its southern tip to rugged peaks in the northeast, Alabama hosts 64 types of terrestrial ecosystems including 25 forests/woodlands, 11 wetlands, and seven glades and prairies (Duncan 2013).The state is ranked as the most speciose state in the eastern United States and the fifth most in the country with over 4,500 species of plants and animals, a count that only includes select insect groups with well-documented distributions (Stein 2002).Alabama is also ranked second highest in extinction rate, making it increasingly important to study the species within.Remarkably, many common species, especially among several insect taxa, have yet to be fully documented in this state.The family Alydidae is one such group.To our knowledge, not a single report of a member of the family Alydidae from Alabama has been published prior to this study.
The family Alydidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) is known as the broad-headed bugs.These insects typically are found along roadsides and in woodland areas.The common name 'broad-headed bug' refers to the subfamily Alydinae, whose members have heads that are relatively broader proportionally than those of most other Heteroptera.Members of this subfamily tend to feed on legumes, but have also been reported as carrion feeders (Schaefer 1980).Members of the second subfamily, Micrelytrinae, are primarily grass feeders (Schaefer and Mitchell 1983).All members of Alydinae and many members of Micrelytrinae have nymphs that are thought to be ant mimics (Panizzi et al. 2000).
Alydus eurinus (Say, 1825: 324) (Figure 4): Distinguishing characteristics: posterior pronotal corners rounded; no fascia on side of head; dorsolateral margin of pronotum not more heavily pilose than rest of pronotum; generally with overall dark, almost black coloration but sometimes lighter.
Clem and Ray | Alydidae of Alabama, United States

DISCUSSION
This study presents the first official reports of the family Alydidae in Alabama.At least eight species are recorded from the state.Although these distributions likely are incomplete, much information can be drawn from them.Based on the catalog presented by Froeschner (1988), Alydus pilosulus, Alydus eurinus, Megalotomus quinquespinosus, and Stachyocnemus apicalis have a nearly nation-wide distribution.The first three are also found to be widespread throughout Alabama ).Stachyocnemus apicalis is notorious for being difficult to collect and has only been recorded from Dale County (Figure 2.5), but it is likely present throughout the state.
The genus Hyalymenus is in need of revision.We were unable to identify the specimens collected in Alabama using the key produced by Torre-Bueno (1941).The presence of this genus in the southeastern U.S. was previously thought to be restricted to Florida (Froeschner 1988).Our records indicate that Hyalymenus can be found as far north as Lee County, Alabama (Figure 2.4).One specimen was collected underneath the bark of a hickory tree (Carya sp.) in Montgomery, Alabama during February, implying that it over-winters as an adult.Several other specimens were collected in Geneva County while sweeping soybeans (Glycine max [L.]).This could be evidence that much like other Alydinae, its host range includes legumes.
Esperanza texana is also found throughout the state (Figure 3.1).This species has been associated with bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.]), and is suspected of expanding its distribution with human habitation (Froeschner 1980).It has been recorded previously in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas (Wheeler and Henry 1984), but not Alabama. Froeschner (1988) reported Stenocoris furcifera and Stenocoris tipuloides as only occurring in Florida.Our study extends that distribution to include Alabama.Very few records of S. furcifera have been uncovered in Alabama, but it has been recorded in the central part of the state (Figure 3.2).Stenocoris tipuloides, however, was captured in the far northern county of Limestone (Figure 3.3), suggesting that it has a distribution extending inland.Hoffman (1994) mentions one record of this species from Virginia, and two records from South Carolina.
The northern part of Alabama is much less extensively surveyed.Such counties may harbor additional species records such as Alydus conspersus (Montandon 1893: 49) or Protenor belfragei (Haglund 1868: 162), although the records from Froeschner (1988) indicate that they reside mostly in the far northern states.There is a greater possibility that there are undetected species in southern Alabama.In Jansen and Halbert (2016), 14 species of Alydidae are recorded from Florida.All of the species found in Alabama also occur in Florida.Based on examination of specimens housed at the Florida State Collection of Arthropods, many of those additional species appear to be restricted to southern Florida but could possibly extend into Alabama.Although North American members of this family of insects are not of great economic importance, it is still imperative that this group is monitored.The genus Leptocorisa is an important rice pest in Asia and the Pacific, and Riptortus is a major pest of legumes in Africa and Asia (Panizzi et al. 2000;Sands 1977).Jansen and Halbert (2016) present a key to the Florida species that includes some of these economically important species.
Author Contributions: SC was the principal investigator on the project, gathering and identifying the majority of the museum material.He also photographed the specimens and did the majority of the writing for this manuscript.CR served as the advisor, helping with initial identification when necessary while also collecting new specimens and reviewing earlier versions of this manuscript.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Map of Alabama with corresponding counties.The state is approximately 135,765 km 2 and extends from 34.9920° N to 30.2299° N, and 088.4699°W to 084.8922° W.
Clem and Ray | Alydidae of Alabama, United States Outside of Alabama, potential new county and state records based on specimens housed in the Auburn University Museum of Natural History and some from the University of Tennessee Insect Collection should also be noted.Alydus eurinus is recorded from Hart County, Kentucky, Lee County, Virginia, and Coffee County, Tennessee (new state record).Alydus pilosulus is recorded from Clermont County, Ohio (new state record), Tifton County, Georgia (new state record), Highlands County, Florida, and Coffee County, Tennessee (new state record).Hyalymenus sp. are recorded from Okaloosa and Brevard Counties in Florida, Megalotomus quinquespinosus is recorded from Highlands County, Florida, Stachyocnemus apicalis is recorded from Custer County, South Dakota (new state record), Stenocoris tipuloides is recorded from Brazos County, Texas and Bay, Highlands, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties in Florida, and Stenocoris furcifera is recorded from Highlands County, Florida.Additionally, a species record for Alydus conspersus exists from Custer County, South Dakota (new state record), and Protenor australis was collected in Highlands County, Florida.

Table A1 .
List of specimens of Alydidae of Alabama.

Table A1 .
Continued.Clem and Ray | Alydidae of Alabama, United States
ContinuedClem and Ray | Alydidae of Alabama, United States