Emesinae

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Thread-legged bugs
Bug July 2009-1.jpg
Ploiaria domestica
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Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Family: Reduviidae
Subfamily: Emesinae
Amyot and Serville, 1843
Tribes

Collartidini
Leistarchini
Emesini
Ploiariolini
Deliastini
Metapterini

Contents

The Emesinae, or thread-legged bugs, are a subfamily of the Reduviidae (i.e., assassin bugs). They are conspicuously different from the other reduviids by their very slender body form. They are stalking, predatory insects that can be collected on palm fronds, cliffs, spider webbing, or near lights at night (many can be collected by blacklight). They walk on their mid and hind legs; the front pair is raptorial. Some groups specialize on spiders. Very little is known about emesines except that many species are found in the tropics. Pedro Wygodzinsky wrote the most recent revision of this group. [1]

Biogeography

Thread Legged bug in Pennsylvania Thread Legged bug in Pennsylvania.jpg
Thread Legged bug in Pennsylvania

The Emesinae are cosmopolitan in distribution; however, they are most abundant in the tropics. For example, the tribe Metapterini, while having a worldwide distribution, has the majority of its diversity confined to tropical islands. The center of emesine diversity is apparently Africa. This continent contains the only species of the most plesiomorphic tribe, the Collartidini, while a more derived tribe, the Deliastini, is restricted to South America. About 90 genera and 900 species have been described in the Emesinae. [2] [3]

Systematics

The first cladistic analysis of the Reduviidae (assassin bugs) based on molecular data (mitochondrial and nuclear ribosomal DNA) was published in 2009. This analysis suggested that the Emesinae are not monophyletic. [4] The analysis sampled only seven specimens of Emesinae, though five of the six currently recognized tribes were included. The analysis suggested that the Emesinae are polyphyletic with respect to the Saicinae and Visayanocorinae. Additionally, the Emesini and Ploiariolini were not supported as monophyletic groups. [4] The taxonomy of the group is thus in doubt.

Related Research Articles

Reduviidae Family of insects

The Reduviidae are a large cosmopolitan family of the order Hemiptera. Among the Hemiptera and together with the Nabidae almost all species are terrestrial ambush predators: most other predatory Hemiptera are aquatic. The main examples of nonpredatory Reduviidae are some blood-sucking ectoparasites in the subfamily Triatominae. 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. Large specimens should be handled with caution, if at all, because they sometimes defend themselves with a very painful stab from the proboscis.

Phymatinae Subfamily of true bugs

Insects in the subfamily Phymatinae are commonly called ambush bugs after their habit of lying in wait for prey, relying on their superb camouflage. Armed with raptorial forelegs, ambush bugs routinely capture prey ten or more times their own size. They form a subgroup within the assassin bugs.

Ghilianella is a genus of true bug in the subfamily Emesinae. Fifty-eight species have been described, with a distribution from Guatemala to Brazil. The linear form of the species in this genus allow the young larvae to be carried about by the mother or perhaps the father. The larvae of the young can curl around the parent's thorax.

<i>Ploiaria</i> Genus of true bugs

Ploiaria is a cosmopolitan genus of thread-legged bugs (Emesinae). There are presently about 130 described species.

<i>Stenolemus</i> Genus of true bugs

Stenolemus is a genus of thread-legged bug (Emesinae). Species of this genus are noted for preying on spiders.

Gardena is a genus of thread-legged bugs in the subfamily Emesinae. It is the second-largest genus in the tribe Emesinii. Presently there are 46 described species.

The Metapterini are a tribe of thread-legged bugs, assassin bugs of subfamily Emesinae.

Ploiariolini Tribe of true bugs

Ploiariolini is a tribe of thread-legged bugs, comprising 16 genera and 142 described species. Ploiariolini has a worldwide distribution.

<i>Emesopsis</i> Genus of true bugs

Emesopsis is a genus of tropical bugs (Heteroptera) from the family Reduviidae. There are at least 22 described species, of which one, E. nubila, also occurs in southern Europe.

Bagauda is a genus of thread-legged bug in the Emesinae. 18 species are currently known. Many of the species of this genus are associated with caves, some exclusively so. Bagauda is synonymous with the genus Pleias Kirkaldy, 1901, but Bagauda has become more widely used. The genus is restricted to Old World tropics.

Chinemesa is a little-known genus of thread-legged bug (Emesinae) apparently endemic to Borneo. Only four species have been described and the three described by Wygodzinsky in 1966 have not been observed since.

Polauchenia is a genus of thread-legged bug (Emesinae). Only five species have been described.

Phasmatocoris is a little-known genus of thread-legged bug (Emesinae). Fourteen species have been described, including 3 from Colombia.

<i>Empicoris</i> Genus of true bugs

Empicoris is a cosmopolitan genus of thread-legged bug (Emesinae). Numerous species have been described.

<i>Barce</i> (bug) Genus of true bugs

Barce is a genus of thread-legged bugs in the family Reduviidae. There are about six described species in Barce.

Onychomesa is a little-known genus of thread-legged bug in the subfamily Emesinae. Three species have been described, one from India, Japan, and Taiwan.

The Collartidini is a tribe of thread-legged bugs restricted to Africa, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. Wygodzinsky (1966) proposed that this group is the sister group of the remaining Emesinae.

Emesa is a small genus of thread-legged bug (Emesinae). Only four species have been described.

Schidium is a large genus within the subfamily Emesinae, distributed in the Palaearctic, Afrotropical, Oriental, and Australian Regions.

Stenolemoides is a genus of thread-legged bugs in the family Reduviidae. There are at least three described species in Stenolemoides.

References

  1. ↑ Wygodzinsky, Pedro W. (1966). "A monograph of the Emesinae (Reduviidae, Hemiptera)". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History ; v. 133. hdl:2246/1675.
  2. ↑ Redei. "New and little-known thread-legged assassin bugs from Australia and New Guinea (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae)" (PDF). Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 53 (4), pp. 363–379, 2007.
  3. ↑ Maldonado Capriles, J. (1990) Systematic Catalogue of the Reduviidae of the World (Insecta: Heteroptera). Caribbean Journal of Sciences, Special Edition, i–x, 1–694.
  4. 1 2 Weirauch, Christiane; Munro, James B. (2009). "Molecular phylogeny of the assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), based on mitochondrial and nuclear ribosomal genes". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution: 53 (2009) 287–299. 53 (1): 287–299. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2009.05.039. PMID   19531379.


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