An analysis of lygaeid bugs feeding upon the seeds of figs is presented based on observations in South Africa and the West Indies. The known lygaeid fig fauna comprises approximately 46 species contained in 31 genera and four subfamilies. The majority of species are in the subfamily Rhyparochrominae (nine tribes), although most arboreal species belong to the subfamily Heterogastrinae. This fig fauna is grouped into four components: 1. arboreal predators, 2. obligatory terrestrial predators, 3. frequent facultative terrestrial predators, and 4. accidental terrestrial predators. A discussion is included of wing polymorphism relative to Ficus habitats and of the possible effect of lygaeid upon the reproductive potential and spatial relationships of individual trees. THE MEMBERS OF the hemipterous family Lygaeidae are now known to feed in large part on the mature seeds of various species of plants (Sweet 1960, 1964; Putshkov 1956; Putshkov and Putshkova 1956; Eyles 1964; Ashlock 1958), although sap feeding, predacious, and even vertebrate blood-sucking taxa are also known. During the course of nearly a year's field work in the Republic of South Africa in 19671968 and subsequent field work in the West Indies in 1970 and 1971, it has become evident that there is a large and varied lygaeid fauna that feeds on the seeds of various species of Ficus (Moraceae) in these areas. In a series of papers, Janzen (1969, 1970, 1971) discusses the important role played by, what he interestingly terms, seed in reducing the reproductive potential of tropical forest trees, and in enforcing the spatial separation of individuals of a given tree species which, given sufficient evolutionary time, leads to an increase in the total number of tree species in the habitat. The genus Ficus is a very large complex of tropical and subtropical trees [over 800 species, Hutchinson (1967 ) 1, and therefore the role of predators in the ecology and evolution of Ficus would seem to be of considerable theoretical importance. Although many careful studies have been made of the pollination of figs (i.e., Ramirez 1970) I have been able to find few references to fig feeding by lygaeid bugs. Carayon (1964b) reports Stilbocoris natalensis (Distant) feeding on Ficus seeds in the Ivory Coast; Scudder (1957) says that Dinomachus marshalli Distant has been reported on Ficus in great numbers in Rhodesia; Gross (1965) notes Appolonias robustus Gross on bark of Indian fig in Australia; Ballou (1937) reports Oizcopeltas cingulifer Stal on Ficus carica L. in Costa Rica; Lepelley (1960) lists Oncopeltus famelicus (F.) on Ficus exasperata Vahl in Uganda. Slater (1971) discusses in detail the biology of the fig bugs of the subfamily Heterogastrinae of South Africa. Carayon (1964a) reports Parastilbocoris pilosus (Schoouteden) feeding on seeds of Musanga cecropioides R. Br., another member of the Moraceae. The observations given in this paper are largely empirical and hopefully will bring to the attention of ecologists and hemipterists an intriguing area available for careful quantitative investigations of the species compositions of the various aggregations, extent of host specificity, degree of competition and niche specialization, degree of obligatory feeding habits, effectiveness of predation pressure, and of the biology of the individual species. The lygaeid fig fauna can be conveniently grouped into four somewhat overlapping major components. I. ARBOREAL SEED PREDATORS.-Species that live in the trees themselves and feed on the seeds while the latter are still in the syconium. II. OBLIGATORY TERRESTRIAL SEED PREDATORS. -Species that live in the litter layer below the trees and feed only, or primarily, on Ficus seeds. III. FREQUENT FACULTATIVE TERRESTRIAL SEED PREDATORS.-Species that live in the litter layer below Ficus trees and feed on the seeds, but feed on seeds of other plants as well. IV. ACCIDENTAL TERRESTRIAL SEED PREDATORS. -Species that feed primarily on other seeds but utilize seeds of Ficus when they occur in the insect's habitat.