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Photo#7334
Black Corsair - Melanolestes picipes - male
Copyright © 2004 Cotinis

Black Corsair - Melanolestes picipes - Male
Durham County, North Carolina, USA
June 23, 2004
Size: 17 mm
Found at a light, moribund. Posed. Size measured by photographing adjacent to scale.

This species is rather similar to Reduvius peronatus. I have looked at several images and illustrations of both, and I am certain (enough) that this is Melanolestes.

Presence of wings shows this is a male, see this Univ. of Kentucky page.

(Eric Eaton confirms this below.)
Contributed by Cotinis on 23 September, 2004 - 12:34am
Last updated 21 January, 2005 - 11:03am

female corsair
I have just posted a photo of a wingless female corsair at our University of Kentucky assassin bug page:
http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/bugs/assassin/assassin.htm#corsair
It was photographed in Rowan Co. Kentucky, June 2004
… Blake N., 22 October, 2004 - 11:32am

I agree
Melanolestes is easily told by the first two pairs of legs, which look like they have little "ankle weights." There is a Latin name for this modification, something like "sponga fossulosa" or something. Helps them hold prey and grip slippery surfaces. Females are wingless and found under debris on the ground.
… Eric R. Eaton, 23 September, 2004 - 1:13pm

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