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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Bugs (Heteroptera) » Cimicomorpha » Assassin Bugs (Reduviidae) » Microtominae » Microtomus » Microtomus luctuosus
Photo#136154
Microtomus luctuosus
Copyright © 2007 Robin McLeod

Microtomus luctuosus
Falcon State Park, Starr County, Texas, USA
July 6, 2007
Size: 20-25 mm
On sidewalk outside visitor center in blazing midday sun. Overexposed image had to be darkened to show detail. Distinguished from Microtomus purcis by lack of red on hind femora.
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Contributed by Robin McLeod on 12 August, 2007 - 4:57pm
Last updated 29 April, 2010 - 8:48am

Interesting.
I wonder how valid that species name is, and how the specimen was determined. Just curious, after learning that the 'two' Melanolestes species are really just one with a color variation.
… Eric R. Eaton, 13 August, 2007 - 4:01pm login or register to post comments

 
In your comment
here you mention the red band on the hind leg as an identifying feature of Microtomus purcis. This specimen has no red on the hind legs, and neither do either of the photos of the type specimens of M. luctuosus I linked to on the Guide page. There's only two species of Microtomus in North America listed at nearctica.com, so I don't know of any others to consider.
… Robin McLeod, 13 August, 2007 - 8:22pm login or register to post comments

 
i think you're right, Robin, and vote for luctuosus...
...based on the type specimen shown at http://www2.nrm.se/en/het_nrm/l/microtomus_luctuosus.html (BBcoded links sometimes fail)
… v belov, 2 October, 2008 - 1:26am login or register to post comments

You're getting lots of new species, Robin.
That's what's so appealing about collecting (images or otherwise) in a new habitat.
… Jim McClarin, 12 August, 2007 - 5:49pm login or register to post comments

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