Taxonomic review of the predatory stink bugs of the Korean Peninsula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae), with a key to the Korean species and a discussion of their usefulness as biological control agents

Abstract

Abstract Owing to their predatory feeding habits, many members of the stink bug subfamily Asopinae have been used as biological agents for controlling insect pests. Herein a taxonomical review of Korean Asopinae species is presented. The habitus and a detailed genital morphology of each species is illustrated together with the first key to the Asopinae species present in Korea. We report Eocanthecona kyushuensis (Esaki & Ishihara, 1950) for the first time on the Korean Peninsula and the subtropical species Andrallus spinidens has been confirmed in the southern part of Korea, but Troilus luridus has not been found in the Republic of Korea. All this information is of extreme importance for the correct identification and understanding of the biology and distribution of Asopinae species. We also present a discussion of the potential usefulness and viability of the stink bugs as biological control agents in Korea.