Distantiella[1] is a genus of African bugs, of the family Miridae or "capsids", named after William Lucas Distant. This genus is placed in the subtribe Odoniellina: which has been included in tribes Dicyphini or Monaloniini.
The Global Biodiversity Information Facility lists:[2]
The two species of Distantiella are very similar to each other externally and the genus is most similar to Sahlbergella: the latter genus differs in hind tibia with "regular" setation as opposed to dense setation in Distantiella.[3]
Both species are distributed in tropical Africa and their host plants are known to include various species of Malvaceae and Citrus. D. theobroma is a major insect pest of cacao, causing damage similar to Sahlbergella singularis in tropical Africa and Helopeltis spp. in SE Asia.[4]