Orange, black & white found in central Mexico

[trucutu]

Hello entomolgists!

I know nothing about the subject other than what the word means and I seek an answer from your vast knowledge.

I found this little guy in Central Mexico about 80km south of Mexico City. It's quite beautiful, anyone know what it is? He's about 5cm long.

Thank you!

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[trucutu]

Side view

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[trucutu]

And another one...

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[thanos]

It is a nymph of a Reduviidae species (in the order Hemiptera:Heteroptera),possibly in the genus Thasus.
They are predatory,eating other insects.They suck their juices.
Their bright colours indicate that they are distasteful for the birds.

Thanos

[trucutu]

Well that's just not good manners.

[trucutu]

That is most excellent, now with the critter identified I found some info on it. If I can bug you a little bit more, what does it mean that it is a "nymph"?

[Fernando]

Jun 2, 2011 14:49:35 GMT -8 trucutu said:

If I can bug you a little bit more, what does it mean that it is a "nymph"?

Basically that it hasn't reached the adult stage yet.

[lepidofrance]

This Assassin bug (Reduviidae) nymph from Cozumel (Mexico) is not so different :

www.superstock.com/preview.asp?image=4179-16150&imagex=20&id=14191418&productType=3&pageStart=0&pageEnd=100&pixperpage=100&hitCount=51&filterForCat=&filterForFotog=

Sad they don't give the species or, at least, genus name !

Others Reduviidae images on :

www.superstock.com/stock-photography/Assassin+Bug



Above a black Assassin bug (reduve) from french Guyane. We see quite well the beginning of the rostrum with which the assassin bug kills its prey and sucks their content.



It looks like a war machine from Stars War motion picture !

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[Khalid Fadil]

Ooh, those guys can bite! I've been bitten many times. Hurts like Hell... Throbs on for at least three days.

[prillbug2]

One species transfers Chagas disease in the tropics. I found one adult when I was in Belize. Flew in and landed on our table while we were eating. Scared the heck out of everyone. But I just scooped into a vial of alcohol and treated it like it had the plague until I got home. Still have it. Still treat it like it has the plague. The genus is Triatoma.
Jeff Prill

[thanos]

Jeff,this one can't be in the genus Triatoma for sure (except if you mean the specimen that you cought).
This is a 'giant mesquite bug' nymph (genus Thasus). Check the morphology.Also the size of 5cm given above,fits.
Actually the species must be : Thasus acutangulus.Check this out - it fits absolutely :
www.whatsthatbug.com/2007/04/10/giant-mesquite-bugs-2/

Thanos

[lepidofrance]

Thanos : Poly kalo !

It matches with Thasus acutangulus !



About Calebmagnes's statement : to the extent that by stinging insect injects an enzyme that dissolves the flesh (for then aspirate), the bite is necessarily very painful. As the bite of diving beetles (Coleoptera).

[prillbug2]

You misunderstand me, Thanos. I'm not saying that . I'm responding to the fact that these bugs bite, and that this genus Triatoma is a carrier of this disease in its poop, which can be rubbed into the wound after the animal deficates. As for Thasus, I have Thasus from Arizona, so I know the difference.
Jeff Prill

[lepidofrance]

an other Assassin bug in action.

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