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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)

Family Reduviidae - Assassin Bugs

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References · Works Cited
Unidentified Assassin Nymph - Apiomerus crassipes Pselliopus nymph eating an adult ambush bug, Phymata sp - Pselliopus cinctus Assassin - Sinea Assassin Bug Nymph with Prey - Zelus luridus Reduviid - Oncocephalus geniculatus Phymata pennsylvanica should be Zelus renardii nymph ? - Zelus renardii Male, Lophoscutus uhleri? - Lophoscutus - male
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)
Infraorder Cimicomorpha
Family Reduviidae (Assassin Bugs)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Cladistic analysis of the family and status of higher taxa discussed in(1); world fauna catalogued in(2)
Explanation of Names
Reduviidae Latreille 1807
see Reduvius
Numbers
195 spp. in 55 genera in 11 subfamilies in our area (Swanson, updated from (3)); second largest heteropteran family, with close to 7,000 spp. in almost 1,000 genera worldwide(4), arranged in 25 subfamilies & 28 tribes(5)(6)
Overview of our fauna based on the classification synopsis prepared by Dan Swanson
Taxa not yet in the guide are marked (*)
Family REDUVIIDAE
Subfamily Ectrichodiinae
Genus Rhiginia

Subfamily Emesinae
Tribe Emesini
Genera Emesa · Gardena · Phasmatocoris · Stenolemoides · Stenolemus

Tribe Leistarchini
Genus Ploiaria

Tribe Metapterini
Genera Barce · Emesaya · Ghinallelia · Pseudometapterus

Tribe Ploiariolini
Genera *Emesopsis · Empicoris

Subfamily Bactrodinae
Genus Bactrodes

Subfamily Harpactorinae
Tribe Apiomerini (sometimes treated as Subfamily Apiomerinae)
Genus Apiomerus

Tribe Harpactorini
Genera Acholla · Arilus · Atrachelus · Castolus · Doldina · Fitchia · Heza · Pselliopus · Repipta · Rhynocoris · Rocconota · Sinea · Zelus

Subfamily Microtominae
Genera Homalocoris · Microtomus

Subfamily Peiratinae (the "pirates", or "corsairs")
Genera Melanolestes · Rasahus · Sirthenea

Subfamily Phymatinae - Ambush Bugs (formerly Family Phymatidae)
Tribe Macrocephalini
Genera Lophoscutus · Macrocephalus

Tribe Phymatini
Genus Phymata - Jagged Ambush Bugs

Subfamily Reduviinae
Genera Pseudozelurus · Reduvius · Zeluroides

Subfamily Saicinae
Genera Oncerotrachelus · Pseudosaica · Saica · *Tagalis

Subfamily Stenopodainae
Genera Arenaeocoris · Ctenotrachelus · Diaditus · Gnathobleda · Narvesus · Oncocephalus · Pnirontis · Pygolampis · Stenopoda

Subfamily Triatominae
Genera Paratriatoma · Triatoma
Size
5‒40 mm
Identification
Short three-segmented beak used for stabbing prey. Beak folds into groove in prosternum. Head typically constricted behind the eyes, giving a neck-like appearance. Antennae long, thin, not clubbed.
Keys to species: Alabama(7) • Florida(8) • Virginia(9)
key to suprageneric taxa of the world in (5)
Range
worldwide and throughout NA, much more diverse in warmer climates
Habitat
see (10)
Season
see (10)(11)
Food
Most prey on arthropods; Triatominae suck blood(12)
Life Cycle
eggs:
Remarks
Many species can inflict a painful bite. If one lands on you, brush or flick it off, do not slap/swat.
Internet References
Reduviidae of Texas (Quinn 2017)
Works Cited
1.Cladistic analysis of Reduviidae (Heteroptera: Cimicomorpha) based on morphological characters
Weirauch C. 2008. Syst. Entomol. 33: 229‒274.
2.Systematic catalogue of the Reduviidae of the world (Insecta: Heteroptera)
Maldonado Capriles J. 1990. University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, x+694 pp.
3.Catalog of the Heteroptera, or True Bugs of Canada and the Continental United States
Thomas J. Henry, Richard C. Froeschner. 1988. Brill Academic Publishers.
4.Biodiversity of the Heteroptera
Henry T.J. 2009. In: Foottit R.G., Adler P.H., eds. Insect biodiversity: Science and society. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell: 223−263.
5.An Illustrated Identification Key to Assassin Bug Subfamilies and Tribes (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)
C. Weirauch, ... 2014. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification .
6.Weirauch C. (2008-2012) About assassin bugs
7.The Reduviidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Alabama, with a morphological key to species
Clem C.S., Swanson D.R., Ray C.H. 2019. Zootaxa 4688: 151–198.
8.Bierle et al. A Literature-based Key to REDUVIIDAE (Heteroptera) of Florida
9.Assassin Bugs of Virginia (Heteroptera: Reduviidae)
Hoffman R.L. 2006. The Insects of Virginia 15: vi+73 pp.
10.Survey of the Reduviidae (Heteroptera) of southern Illinois, excluding the Phymatinae, with notes on biology
Hagerty A.M., McPherson J.E. 1999. Great Lakes Entomol. 32: 133–160.
11.The assassin bugs of Michigan (Heteroptera: Reduviidae)
McPherson J.E. 1992. The Great Lakes Entomologist 25: 25–31.
12.American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico
Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.
Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Hannah Nendick-Mason, john and jane balaban, Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Chuck Entz, Mike Quinn, Ted Kropiewnicki, drswanny, Nick Block, JohnMaxwell22, ceiseman, v belov, Marci Hess
Last updated 9 June, 2024 - 7:31pm

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