Tegea atropicta

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Tegea atropicta
Systematics
Family : Predatory bugs (Reduviidae)
Subfamily : Harpactorinae
Tribe : Tegeini
Genre : Tegea
Subgenus : Tegea
Type : Tegea atropicta
Scientific name
Tegea atropicta
Stål , 1863

Tegea (Tegea) atropicta is a species of bug from the family of predatory bugs (Reduviidae). In English the type of bug is also called Termite Assassin Bug ("termite murder bug").

features

The bugs reach body lengths of 16 to 18 millimeters. They are colored light orange to red and have a black pattern. The scutellum is black. The connexive (part of the abdomen that is visible on the side) is piebald and red.

distribution

The type of bug occurs in eastern Australia in the states of New South Wales and Queensland.

Way of life

The bugs are often found on eucalyptus trees . As predators, they specialize in termites . You can find the prey on trees or on felled tree trunks. They usually place themselves over the exit of a termite tunnel and stretch their trunk (rostrum) into it and wait for a termite to try to clear the tunnel opening again.

Taxonomy

Tegea atropicta is the only species of the genus in Australia. The genus Tegea is placed by some authors in the tribe Tegeini from the subfamily Harpactorinae , while other authors assign an independent subfamily Tegeinae .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Termite Assassin Bug . Australian Museum. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  2. ↑ a b c d e Termite Assassin Bug - Tegea atropicta . www.brisbaneinsects.com. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  3. ↑ Tegea (Tegea) atropicta Stål, 1863 . Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved January 28, 2017.

Web links