| Lethocerus indicus | |
|---|---|
| Lethocerus indicus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Family: | Belostomatidae |
| Genus: | Lethocerus |
| Species: | L. indicus |
| Binomial name | |
| Lethocerus indicus (Lepeletier & Serville, 1825) |
|
Lethocerus indicus is a giant water bug in the family Belostomatidae, native to Southeast Asia. It was originally described as Belostoma indicum but is no longer placed in that genus. It is well-known as an edible species, with a number of different regional cuisines preparing it in different manners. The taste of the flight muscles is often compared to sweet scallops or shrimp.
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The Vietnamese name for the insect and its extract is cà cuống. The insect's essence (a pheromone produced by the male that attracts females) is harvested by collecting its liquid-producing sacs. That liquid is then placed in small glass containers. The insect is claimed to be scarce, and demand for the extract is high. Most of the cà cuống essence on the market is therefore imitation, with the actual essence fetching a high price.
Cà cuống is typically used sparsely and eaten with bánh cuốn (rice noodle rolls) by adding a drop to the nước chấm (dipping sauce).
It is also eaten in a soup dish called 'bún thang' adding a unique essence to the broth. The dish traditionally includes rice noodles, thinly sliced egg crepe, pork cold cuts, and other various additions in a chicken/dry squid broth. A tiny drop of the extract on the tip of a toothpick would suffice to flavor the whole bowl of soup. This dish originated in Northern Vietnam.
In the northeast region of Thailand, eating insects is common. This species (known as malaeng da na; Thai: แมลงดานา) is a popular dish, eaten whole and fried, and as an extract.[1] Mang da is used to make Nam Phrik Mang Da, a type of chili sauce used as a condiment.[2]
In the Ilocos region in the northern part (Luzon) of the Philippines, where some insects like crickets, locusts, and beetles are eaten, the water bug (or "water beetle") is called alukap in Ilokano language and is sauteed or fried in oil, garlic, onions and tomatoes, or roasted, after the wings and legs have been removed, and eaten as a viand for steamed rice or as a finger food with liquor. The same is done in the Visayas region where it is called obus in the Visayan language. [3]
Host of Underbelly NYC and Bronx Flavor, Baron Ambrosia has made several short works documenting cà cuống and its usages. In episode 5 of Underbelly titled "Ca Cuong City" he introduces a cocktail using the lethocerus esscence mixed in chilled vodka called the Ca Cuong Martini. At the end of the episode he attempts to get random Bronxites to try the beverage which is garnished with several giant water bugs.
The large size of this insect and its flight muscles and the ease of dissection makes it a excellent model organism for muscle structure with special features pertinent to cardiac muscle. The high degree of structural order makes is possible to obtain x-ray diffraction patterns richer and more detailed than those from vertebrate striated muscle.