![]() The legs of some Reduviidae have areas covered in tiny hairs that aid in holding onto their prey while they feed. The saliva is commonly effective at killing prey substantially larger than the bug itself. This process is generally referred to as extraoral digestion. The saliva contains enzymes that digest the tissues they swallow. Predatory Reduviidae use the long rostrum to inject a lethal saliva that liquefies the insides of the prey, which are then sucked out. The effects can be intensely painful and the injection from some species may be medically significant.įeeding Orange assassin bug ( Gminatus australis) feeding on a beetle A reduviid camouflaged with debris, Australia Rhynocoris – predatory flower assassin bug from South Africa, may bite when carelessly handled, painful aftereffects often persist for months When harassed, many species can deliver a painful stab with the proboscis, injecting venom or digestive juices. These sounds are often used to discourage predators. Sound is made by rasping the proboscis against ridges in this groove stridulitrum (stridulatory organ). The most distinctive feature of the family is that the tip of the proboscis fits into a ridged groove in the prosternum, where it can be used to produce sound by stridulation. Most species are bright in colour with hues of brown, black, red, or orange. They most commonly have an elongated head with a distinct narrowed 'neck', long legs, and prominent, segmented, tubular mouthparts, most commonly called the proboscis, but some authors use the term "rostrum". ( September 2018) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)Ī Zelus nymph from the Southeastern United StatesĪdult insects range from roughly 12 to 36 mm, depending on the species. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Possibly this name was inspired by the lateral flanges on the abdomen of many species. That name, in turn, comes from the Latin reduvia, meaning " hangnail" or "remnant". The name Reduviidae is derived from the type genus, Reduvius. About 7000 species have been described, in more than 20 recognized subfamilies, making it one of the largest families in the Hemiptera. The family members are almost all predatory, except for a few blood-sucking species, some of which are important as disease vectors. The Reduviidae are members of the suborder Heteroptera of the order Hemiptera. Large specimens should be handled with caution, if at all, because they sometimes defend themselves with a very painful stab from the proboscis. Though spectacular exceptions are known, most members of the family are fairly easily recognizable they have a relatively narrow neck, sturdy build, and a formidable curved proboscis (sometimes called a rostrum). The main examples of nonpredatory Reduviidae are some blood-sucking ectoparasites in the subfamily Triatominae. ![]() Among the Hemiptera and together with the Nabidae almost all species are terrestrial ambush predators most other predatory Hemiptera are aquatic. The Reduviidae is a large cosmopolitan family of the order Hemiptera (true bugs). Assassin bug ( Rhynocoris iracundus) with bee prey
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