Empicoris subparallelus

McAtee & Malloch, 1925

thread-legged assassin bug

Empicoris subparallelus is a of thread-legged assassin bug in the Reduviidae. It was first described in 1925 by McAtee and Malloch. The species is known from Cuba and the southern United States (Florida and Texas). In Florida, it was first documented in 2007 from light traps used for mosquito surveillance in the Florida Keys. It has been proposed as a potential biocontrol agent for mosquitoes, though direct on mosquitoes has not been confirmed.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Empicoris subparallelus: //ˌɛmpɪˈkɔːrɪs ˌsʌbpəˈrælɪləs//

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Distribution

Cuba; Florida, United States; Texas, United States. First reported in Florida in 2007 from the Florida Keys.

Diet

Potential of small insects; may prey on mosquito or larvae, though this has not been confirmed by observation.

Behavior

Attracted to ultraviolet light sources; has been collected at light traps set for mosquito monitoring.

Ecological Role

Potential in insect ; proposed for biocontrol of mosquitoes and sand flies based on related ' .

Human Relevance

Proposed as a potential biocontrol agent for mosquitoes and sand flies, though direct evidence of efficacy is lacking. Documented as bycatch in mosquito surveillance programs, contributing to knowledge of regional insect diversity.

Similar Taxa

Ploiaria speciesRelated thread-legged bugs in the same tribe Ploiariolini; a Tunisian has been proposed as a biocontrol agent for Phlebotomus sand flies and mosquitoes.

More Details

Bycatch documentation

Documented as a new distribution record for the Florida Keys through examination of bycatch in mosquito surveillance traps, highlighting the scientific value of examining non-target organisms in routine insect monitoring programs.