Species Rasahus hamatus

Corsair

Rasahus hamatus (Fabricius, 1781)

From Latin hamat, hooked--perhaps refers to the beak (1).

17-21 mm (2), (guide photos)

The coloration that separates Rasahus biguttatus and Rasahus hamatus is given by Fracker (1912). Part of the key reads as follows:

c. Costal margin of hemelytra pale at base

d. No transverse vitta at base of membrane....2. biguttatus Say

dd. Transverse pale vitta at base of membrane....3. sulcicollis Serv. [Mexico]

cc. Costal margin of hemelytra black to base; elytra with a narrow ochreous patch on corium and clavus....4. hamatus Fabr.

Blatchley (2) gives a detailed description (link):

Elongate, subparallel, male; suboval, female. Head, pronotum and scutellum usually black; apical third or more of clavus and an oblique stripe on inner side of basal half of corium dull yellow; remainder of corium and membrane dark brown, the latter with a large oval yellow spot on base; connexivum, both above and beneath, with alternate wide black and yellow bars, female, the dark ones narrow or sometimes wanting, male; legs reddish-yellow, the front and middle femora paler at base with lower face and upper half of outer one some-times fuscous-brown; sterna black, ventrals fuscous-brown. Joints 1, 3 and 4 of antennae fuscous, 2 dull yellow; 1 shorter than head; 2 - 4 subequal in length, each two and half times as long as 1. Head and pronotum with long scattered hairs. Front lobe of pronotum with seven more or less distinct shallow grooves, the two on face black or piceous ; clavus, inner margin of corium and membrane dark brown; corium, except inner margin, beak and legs, reddish-yellow; antennae fuscous, the basal joint yellow; connexivum with margin, both above and below, in part reddish-yellow. Head and margins of pronotum with numerous erect hairs. Basal joint of antennae stout, subclavate, slightly curved, reaching tip of tylus; joints 2 and 4 subequal in length, 3 one-third shorter than either. Scutellum with an obtuse ridge each side, these merging to form a short, compressed apical spine. Sides of abdomen strongly reflexed.

Includes southeastern United States (guide photos). Also found in neotropics south to Argentina (2).

Said to be able to deliver a painful bite (Missouri Conservationist).