ABSTRACT
Toad bugs may be recognized by their short, broad form, protruding eyes, and raptorial forelegs. Development time ranges from 60 to 100 days, with both nymphs and adults preying on a variety of small insects. Extreme color polymorphisms are common within populations of Gelastocoris adults, causing them to resemble multicolored pebbles, and represent a likely case of frequency-dependent selection. Gelastocoridae are a predominantly southern hemisphere group, with major centers of endemism in Australia, New Guinea, and South America. The genus Gelastocoris is restricted to the New World, whereas Nerthra is pantropical with a few extralimital temperate zone species. The name Galgulidae is applied to this family in much of the earlier literature but, as stated by Menke, its usage by contemporary authors as the oldest family-group name is negated by Article 39 of the Code.
