Genus Fitchia

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Print References · Works Cited

Assassin Bug Lunch and tiny party crashers - Fitchia aptera

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)

Subfamily Harpactorinae

Tribe Harpactorini

Genus Fitchia

Explanation of Names

Fitchia Stål 1859

Numbers

2 spp. in our area(1)

Size

~12-14 mm

Identification

The easiest field character for separating the two species involves the color of the integument surrounding the spiracle: concolorous pale in F. spinosula versus dark brown in F. aptera. Male parameres are distinctly clavate, as opposed to the slender, digitate parameres of F. aptera.

On average, F. spinosula tends to be a little longer and more slender than its congener. The pronotal armature is variable, and overlaps with F. aptera, but in F. spinosula, there are usually two submedial tubercles and a tubercle at each humeral angle.

Range

mostly e.NA to AZ-UT - Map (2)

Season

for NC, Brimley lists one F. aptera record (Sandhills, April) and F. spinulosa from several localities (Oct-Mar)(3)

Print References

McPherson, J.E., S.J. Taylor and S.L. Keffer. 1992. Evaluation of Characters to Distinguish Fitchia aptera and F. spinosula (Heteroptera: Reduviidae). The Florida Entomologist, 75(2): 222-230. (JSTOR)

Works Cited

1.	American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.

2.	Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

3.	Insects of North Carolina C.S. Brimley. 1938. North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Contributed by john and jane balaban on 13 June, 2005 - 7:02pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Beatriz Moisset, Bbarnd, Mike Quinn, v belov, KenW
Last updated 7 July, 2023 - 5:50pm

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