''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.
The representatives of this genus are mostly relatively small, and measure a few millimeters to about one centimeter.
They move, as is common for the bugs of the subfamily
Emesinae
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 ...
, with their back and middle legs. The raptorial front legs serve to capture prey. With them, the prey is captured, then bitten through with the mandibles and carried away. Then it is drained, which can sometimes take half an hour. ''Emesopsis'' prey on a variety of insect groups, ranging from
beetles,
bugs
Bugs may refer to:
* Plural of bug
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional characters
* Bugs Bunny, a character
* Bugs Meany, a character in the ''Encyclopedia Brown'' books
Films
* ''Bugs'' (2003 film), a science-fiction-horror film
* ''Bugs ...
,
flies, to
springtails.
Habitat and distribution
The species of the genus ''Emesopsis'' be found both in agricultural and forest
ecosystems.
They occur primarily in
tropical Asia (e.g.
India,
Thailand,
Malaysia,
Vietnam,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
New Guinea) and
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
(e.g. ''E. bunda'' in
Queensland). Only ''E. nubila'' is
pantropical, probably a consequence of the spread of global trade.
partial species list
*''
Emesopsis aberrans'' (Distant, 1909)
*''
Emesopsis aemula'' (Horvath, 1914)
*''
Emesopsis albispinosa'' Ishikawa & Okajima, 2004
*''
Emesopsis amoenus'' Wygodzinsky & Usinger, 1960
*''
Emesopsis bellulus'' Wygodzinsky & Usinger, 1960
*''
Emesopsis bunda'' Wygodzinsky, 1956
*''
Emesopsis decoris'' Wygodzinsky & Usinger, 1960
*''
Emesopsis gaius'' McAtee & Malloch, 1926
*''
Emesopsis gallienus'' McAtee & Malloch, 1926
*''
Emesopsis habros'' Wygodzinsky & Usinger, 1960
*''
Emesopsis hadrian'' McAtee & Malloch, 1926 Hadrian
*''
Emesopsis imbellis'' (Horvath, 1914)
*''
Emesopsis infenestra'' Tatarnic, Wall & Cassis, 2011
*''
Emesopsis longipilosa'' Ishikawa & Okajima, 2004
*''
Emesopsis medusa'' (Kirkaldy, 1908)
*''
Emesopsis nero'' McAtee & Malloch, 1926
*''
Emesopsis nubila'' Uhler, 1893
*''
Emesopsis obsoletus'' McAtee & Malloch, 1926
*''
Emesopsis pallidicoxa'' (Usinger, 1946)
*''
Emesopsis plagiatus'' Miller, 1941
*''
Emesopsis scitulus'' Wygodzinsky & Usinger, 1960
*''
Emesopsis spicatus'' McAtee & Malloch, 1926
*''
Emesopsis streiti'' Kovac & Yang, 1995
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1335636
Reduviidae
Hemiptera of Asia
Taxa named by Philip Reese Uhler