- Zelus longipes
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Zelus longipes Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hemiptera Family: Reduviidae Subfamily: Harpactorinae Tribe: Harpactorini Genus: Zelus Species: Z. longipes Binomial name Zelus longipes
L.Zelus longipes is an assassin bug that is a member of the (harpactorinae) subfamily. It occurs from the United States south to Central Argentina,[1] especially in agroecosystems in Brazil.
Z. longipes has been considered as a potential biocontrol agent, as it prefers caterpillars of Spodoptera frugiperda, which is a moth that is a pest in cornfields.[2] Z. longipes prefers smaller caterpillars, probably because there is less risk of injury while subduing smaller prey.[3]
References
- ^ Hart, E. R., 1986: Genus Zelus Fabricius in the United States, Canada, and Northern Mexico (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 79, 535–548
- ^ Sparks, A. N., 1979: A review of the biology of the fall armyworm. Fla. Entomol. 62, 82–87
- ^ R. Cogni, A. V. L. Freitas and B. F. Amaral Filho. "Influence of prey size on predation success by Zelus longipes L. (Het., Reduviidae)". J. Appl. Ent. 126, 74–78 (2002). http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/~rcogni/Cogni%20et%20al2002.pdf.
External links
- Zelus longipes on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
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