Zelus longipes

Zelus longipes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Family:	Reduviidae
Genus:	Zelus
Species:	Z. longipes
Binomial name
	Zelus longipes; L.

Zelus longipes is an assassin bug (Reduviidae) that is a member of the harpactorinae subfamily. Its distribution ranges include southern North America, Central America, and South America (except Chile),[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)" (PDF). J. Appl. Ent. 126, 74–78 (2002).

External links

Zelus longipes on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site

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[1] Hart, E. R., 1986: Genus Zelus Fabricius in the United States, Canada, and Northern Mexico (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 79, 535–548

[2] Sparks, A. N., 1979: A review of the biology of the fall armyworm. Fla. Entomol. 62, 82–87

[3] R. Cogni, A. V. L. Freitas and B. F. Amaral Filho. "Influence of prey size on predation success by Zelus longipes L. (Het., Reduviidae)" (PDF). J. Appl. Ent. 126, 74–78 (2002).