HeteropteraHeteroptera Index Hyocephalus aprugnus Ippatha australiensis Leptocoris Mictis profana (Crusader Bug) Reduviidae Assassin Bugs
— Gminatus australis | Pristhesancus plagipennis | Scipinia arenacea
In the order Hemiptera (described as “true bugs) and suborder Heteroptera, is a large cosmopolitan family Reduviidae. At the time of writing, there were recognised 7,000 described species, across more than 20 recognised subfamilies, making it one the largest families in the order Hemiptera.
Most of the members of this family are predatory, except for a few blood-sucking species. Whilst the majority of the subfamilies are known as “assassin bugs”, there are some other recognised common names for individual subfamilies.
- Ambush bugs — subfamily Phymatinae
- Thread-legged bugs — subfamily Emesinae, including the genus Emesaya
- Kissing bugs (or cone-headed bugs) — subfamily Triatominae, unusual in that most species are blood-suckers and several are important disease vectors
- Wheel bugs — genus Arilus, including the common North American species Arilus cristatus
- Grass assassin bugs — genus Lopodytes
Assassin bugs should be handled with caution, if at all, as they defend themselves with a very painful stab from the proboscis.
In the following series of photos, an assassin bug genus Pristhesancus (possibly Pristhesancus plagipennis, although there are a number of similar species in the genus) has captured a native Hylaeine bee (in the first two photos, and a honey bee. In the last photo you can see flies on the caught bee (hoping to take advantage of the situation).
With some exception, 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).
Gminatus australis
For more information, see Gminatus australis.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Hemiptera
- Suborder: Heteroptera
- Infraorder: Cimicomorpha
- Superfamily: Reduvioidea
- Family: Reduviidae
- Subfamily: Harpactorinae
- Genus: Gminatus
- Species: Gminatus australis
Pristhesancus plagipennis
For more information, see Pristhesancus plagipennis.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Hemiptera
- Suborder: Heteroptera
- Infraorder: Cimicomorpha
- Superfamily: Reduvioidea
- Family: Reduviidae
- Subfamily: Harpactorinae
- Genus: Pristhesancus
- Species: Pristhesancus plagipennis
Scipinia arenacea
For more information, see Scipinia arenacea.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Hemiptera
- Suborder: Heteroptera
- Infraorder: Cimicomorpha
- Superfamily: Reduvioidea
- Family: Reduviidae
- Subfamily: Harpacorinae
- Genus: Scipinia
- Species: Scipinia arenacea
Assassin bugs go through stages in its life cycle, starting from the ovum or egg, then 5 instar stages of growth, before the final adult stage.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Hemiptera
- Suborder: Heteroptera
- Infraorder: Cimicomorpha
- Superfamily: Reduvioidea
- Family: Reduviidae
- Subfamily:
- Ectrichodiinae
- Emesinae
- Epiroderinae Distant, 1904
- Harpactorinae Amyot & Serville, 1843
- Holoptilinae
- Peiratinae
- Reduviinae
- Saicinae
- Stenopodainae
- Tegeinae
- Triatominae
- Visayanocorinae
Footnote & References
- Photographs © Marc Newman / Photographs © Michael Jefferies
- Many thanks for ID of Pristhesancus plagipennis 5th instar to Di Bickers, member of Entomology Australia “Invertebratology”, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/507004496955277/
- Many thanks for ID of genus Pristhesancus to Kimberi Pullen, member of Entomology Australia “Invertebratology”, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/507004496955277/
- Reduviidae, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/f8c00d7a-da7b-4b9f-a43a-77bddbbed2e7
- Assassin Bugs (Family Reduviidae), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/48959-Reduviidae
- Reduviidae, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduviidae
- Assassin’s venom system packs a deadly double, 23 February 2018, The University of Queensland Australia, https://tinyurl.com/yavhu3yr
- Assassin bugs are double trouble, by Andrew Masterson, 25 February 2018, Cosmos, https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/biology/when-it-comes-to-venom-assassin-bugs-are-double-trouble/
- Common Assassin Bug – Pristhesancus plagipennis, Hemiptera True Bugs, Brisbane Insects and Spiders, https://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_assinsinbugs/CommonAssa.htm
HeteropteraHeteroptera Index Hyocephalus aprugnus Ippatha australiensis Leptocoris Mictis profana (Crusader Bug) Reduviidae Assassin Bugs
InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub