Apiomerus

Apiomerus is a genus of conspicuous, brightly colored assassin bugs belonging to the family Reduviidae. The species can be found in the United States ranging into tropical America.[1] The common name bee assassins derives from their frequent habit of sitting and waiting upon flowers and taking bees as prey. The bright colors are aposematic, likely a warning to larger predators that a painful bite can be delivered.

Apiomerus
Apiomerus spissipes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Hemiptera
Family:
Reduviidae
Subfamily:
Harpactorinae
Tribe:
Apiomerini
Genus:
Apiomerus

Hahn, 1831

Many species of this genus have a sticky resin pad located on their dorsal abdomen. The resin is thought to be derived from plant material and may play a role in defending eggs from predation, especially by ants.

The genus consists of about 110 described species.[2]

Partial species list
  • Apiomerus californicus Berniker & Szerlip, 2011
  • Apiomerus cazieri Berniker & Szerlip, 2011
  • Apiomerus cooremani Costa Lima, Campos Seabra & Hathaway, 1951
  • Apiomerus crassipes (Fabricius, 1803)
  • Apiomerus flaviventris Herrich-Schaeffer, 1846
  • Apiomerus floridensis Berniker & Szerlip, 2011
  • Apiomerus hirtipes (Fabricius, 1787)
  • Apiomerus immundus Bergroth, 1898
  • Apiomerus longispinis Champion, 1899
  • Apiomerus moestus Stål, 1862
  • Apiomerus montanus Berniker & Szerlip, 2011
  • Apiomerus peninsularis Berniker & Szerlip, 2011
  • Apiomerus pictipes Herrich-Schaeffer, 1846
  • Apiomerus pilipes Fabricius, 1787
  • Apiomerus repletus Uhler, 1876
  • Apiomerus rufipennis (Fallou, 1889)
  • Apiomerus spissipes (Say, 1825)
  • Apiomerus subpiceus Stål, 1862
  • Apiomerus wygodzinskyi Berniker & Szerlip, 2011

References
  1. Berniker L., Szerlip, S.L., Forero, D., Weirauch, C. (2011) Revision of the crassipes and pictipes species groups of Apiomerus Hahn (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae). Zootaxa 2949:1-113. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2949.1.1
  2. Schuh and Slater 1995
  • Schuh, R.T. & Slater, J. A. 1995. True bugs of the world (Hemiptera: Heteroptera): classification and natural history. New York, Cornell University Press, 336p.


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