Genus Melanolestes

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Range · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Black Corsair - Melanolestes picipes - male

Black Corsair - Melanolestes picipes - female

Assassin Bug (Black Corsair) - Melanolestes picipes - male

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)

Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)

Family Reduviidae (Assassin Bugs)

Genus Melanolestes

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Melanolestes Stål, 1866

Explanation of Names

The name is from melano-, New Latin from Greek, dark, plus lestes, Greek, plunderer (1). So this is the "dark plunderer".

Numbers

Nearctica.com and Arnett, p. 266 (2) list 3 spp. One, M. abdominalis, is often considered a color variety of M. picipes.

Range

Melanolestes picipes (including form abdominalis) is widespread, at least in eastern and central United States. Melanolestes morio is noted from Florida (Key to REDUVIIDAE of Florida), but other details of its distribution are not readily available.

See Also

Other members of the subfamily Peiratinae, the "pirates" or "corsairs":

Melanolestes

Rasahus

Sirthenea--with only one North American species--Sirthenea carinatus

Print References

McPherson, J. E., S. L. Keffer, and S. J. Taylor. 1992. Taxonomic status of Melanolestes picipes and M. abdominalis (Heteroptera: Reduviidae). The Florida Entomologist 74(3):396-403. (from comment here)

Internet References

A Literature-based Key to REDUVIIDAE (Heteroptera) of Florida

Works Cited

1.	A Dictionary of Entomology By George Gordh, David H. Headrick

2.	American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico By Ross H. Arnett

Contributed by Cotinis on 22 September, 2004 - 11:45pm
Last updated 26 June, 2009 - 11:12am

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