Morphology of spermatheca in Scutelleridae (Hemiptera: Pentatomoidea) and its taxonomic significance

Abstract Structures of spermatheca in 63 species of Scutelleridae (Hemiptera) representing 46 genera and all subfamilies currently recognised in the family were examined and compared. The morphology of three main parts of the spermatheca (receptacle, intermediate part, and spermathecal duct) was described and three main types of spermatheca in Scutelleridae were identified. The taxonomic importance of spermathecal features for the higher classification of scutellerids is discussed.