Apiomerus
| Apiomerus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Apiomerus spissipes | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Family: | Reduviidae |
| Subfamily: | Harpactorinae |
| Tribe: | Apiomerini |
| Genus: | Apiomerus Hahn, 1831 |
Apiomerus is a conspicuous, brightly colored genus of assassin bugs belonging to the family Reduviidae. The species can be found in the United States ranging into tropical America. The common name bee assassins derives from their frequent habit of sitting and waiting upon flowers and taking bees as prey. The bright colors are aposematic likely a warning to larger predators that a painful bite can be delivered.
Many species of this genus have a sticky resin pad located on their dorsal abdomen. The resin is thought to be derived from plant material and may play a role in defending eggs from predation, especially by ants.
The genus presently consists of about 110 described species (Schuh and Slater 1995).
Partial species list
- Apiomerus crassipes (Fabricius, 1803)
- Apiomerus flaviventris Herrich-Schaeffer, 1846
- Apiomerus hirtipes (Fabricius, 1787)
- Apiomerus immundus Bergroth, 1898
- Apiomerus longispinis Champion, 1899
- Apiomerus moestus Stål, 1862
- Apiomerus pictipes Herrich-Schaeffer, 1846
- Apiomerus pilipes Fabricius, 1787
- Apiomerus repletus Uhler, 1876
- Apiomerus spissipes (Say, 1825)
- Apiomerus subpiceus Stål, 1862
External links
- Bugguide hosted by Iowa State University Entomology
- Research of Apiomerus Systematics at UC Riverside
- http://nature.berkeley.edu/~dchoe003/index4.htm
References
- Schuh, R.T. & Slater, J. A. 1995. True bugs of the world (Hemiptera: Heteroptera): classification and natural history. New York, Cornell University Press, 336p.