Raptorial-forelegs
Guides
Anteoninae
Anteoninae is a large subfamily of Dryinidae wasps comprising five extant genera: Anteon, Deinodryinus, Lonchodryinus, Metanteon, and Prioranteon. Members are parasitoids of leafhoppers (Cicadellidae), with females possessing raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing hosts. Larvae develop externally on host thorax or between metathorax and abdomen, eventually forming soil-covered cocoons in the ground.
Deinodryinus
Deinodryinus is a genus of dryinid wasps established by Perkins in 1907. The genus contains at least five described species distributed across multiple continents, including Madagascar, Brazil, and Mexico. Members are parasitoid wasps, though specific host associations remain largely undocumented. The genus exhibits an almost cosmopolitan distribution pattern.
Deinodryinus atriventris
Deinodryinus atriventris is a species of dryinid wasp first described by Cresson in 1872. Members of the genus Deinodryinus are ectoparasitoids of Hemiptera, particularly leafhoppers and planthoppers (Cicadellidae and Fulgoroidea). The species is part of the family Dryinidae, a group characterized by females that possess raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing host insects. Observations of this species are sparse, with limited published biological data available.
Emesopsis
Emesopsis is a genus of small tropical assassin bugs (family Reduviidae, subfamily Emesinae) containing at least 22 described species. Most species are restricted to tropical Asia and Australia, with E. nubila being the only pantropical species, also occurring in southern Europe. These bugs are characterized by their unusual locomotion using middle and hind legs while the raptorial front legs are reserved for prey capture. They are generalist predators of various small insects.
Entanoneura
Entanoneura is a genus of mantidflies (family Mantispidae) in the order Neuroptera. These insects are characterized by their raptorial forelegs, which resemble those of praying mantises and are used to capture prey. The genus was established by Enderlein in 1910. As with other mantidflies, members of Entanoneura are predatory insects with complex life cycles that often involve parasitism of spider eggs.
Gelastocoris
toad bugs
Gelastocoris is a genus of predatory true bugs in the family Gelastocoridae, commonly known as toad bugs. The genus comprises more than 20 described species, including both extant and extinct taxa. Members are characterized by their distinctive toad-like appearance, cryptic coloration, and raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing prey. The family name derives from Greek 'gelastos' (laughable) and 'koris' (bug), referencing their unusual morphology.
Macrocephalus
Macrocephalus is a genus of ambush bugs first described by Olivier in 1789. The genus name refers to the enlarged head characteristic of these insects. Species in this genus are predatory true bugs that capture prey by ambush. Taxonomic placement has varied, with the genus historically assigned to Reduviidae but currently recognized in Phymatidae.
Mantids
mantids, praying mantises, mantises
Mantids are predatory insects comprising the order Mantodea, characterized by raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing prey, triangular heads with large compound eyes, and highly mobile necks that permit nearly 180-degree head rotation. They exhibit two primary hunting strategies: ambush predation from vegetation and cursorial pursuit of prey on the ground. Over 2,400 species have been described worldwide, occupying diverse habitats from tropical to temperate regions. Mantids are primarily solitary and display remarkable camouflage adaptations, with many species mimicking leaves, flowers, or bark to avoid detection by predators and prey alike.
Mantispidae
mantidflies, mantispids, mantid lacewings, mantis-flies
Mantispidae is a family of neuropteran insects comprising approximately 400 species in around 400 genera, distributed worldwide with highest diversity in tropical and subtropical regions. Adults are predators characterized by raptorial forelegs—convergent with mantises but independently evolved—used to capture small arthropod prey. The family exhibits diverse larval life histories: Mantispinae are ectoparasitoids of spider egg sacs; Symphrasinae parasitize ground-nesting hymenopterans and scarab beetle larvae; Calomantispinae are predatory on small arthropods; and Drepanicinae life history remains largely unknown. First-instar larvae (planidia) employ specialized host-location strategies including direct penetration of egg sacs or phoretic transport on female spiders.
Mantispinae
mantidflies, mantispines
Mantispinae is a subfamily of mantidflies (order Neuroptera) comprising at least 30 genera and approximately 310 described species. Adults are characterized by raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing prey, bearing a striking resemblance to praying mantises (Mantodea) due to convergent evolution. Members of this subfamily are distinguished by a larval life history specialized for parasitism of spider egg sacs.
Mantodea
mantises, mantids, praying mantises
Mantodea is an order of predatory insects comprising over 2,400 species in approximately 430 genera and 15 families, with Mantidae being the largest family. Members are characterized by raptorial forelegs adapted for catching prey, triangular heads with large compound eyes on flexible necks, and elongated bodies. The order exhibits two primary foraging strategies: ambush predation (the ancestral condition) and cursorial pursuit of prey. Mantodea has undergone significant taxonomic revision, having been elevated from a suborder of Orthoptera to full order status, then subsequently grouped with cockroaches and termites within Dictyoptera based on molecular phylogenetic evidence.
Nabidae
Damsel Bugs
Nabidae is a family of predatory true bugs known as damsel bugs, containing over 500 species in approximately 20 genera. These soft-bodied, elongate insects are terrestrial predators that use raptorial forelegs to capture and hold prey, similar to mantids. They are economically important in agriculture due to their predation on crop pests including aphids, lepidopteran eggs, and other small insects. Many species are attracted to lights at night, and some exhibit wing polymorphism with fully winged, short-winged, or wingless forms.
Nepidae
waterscorpions, water scorpions, water stick insects, needle bugs
Nepidae is a family of exclusively aquatic predatory true bugs containing approximately 250 species in 14 genera. Members are commonly called waterscorpions due to their superficial resemblance to scorpions, possessing raptorial forelegs and a long caudal respiratory siphon. The family is divided into two subfamilies: Nepinae (broad, flat-bodied 'water scorpions') and Ranatrinae (slender 'water stick insects'). They occur on all continents except Antarctica, inhabiting stagnant or slow-moving freshwater habitats.
Ochthera
Mantid Shoreflies
Ochthera is a genus of predatory shore flies (Ephydridae) distinguished by raptorial forelegs modified for seizing prey. Adults and larvae are exclusively predatory, feeding on midge and mosquito larvae. The genus has a global distribution with approximately 37-55 species, including 13 species in North America. Some species have documented significance as predators of disease vectors, including African malaria vectors.
Ochthera mantis
mantis fly, mantis shore fly
Ochthera mantis is a predatory shore fly in the family Ephydridae, first described by Charles De Geer in 1776. The species is notable for its raptorial forelegs, which are modified for seizing prey and resemble those of praying mantises—hence its common name. Both adults and larvae are predatory, with adults hunting small insects along shorelines and larvae feeding aquatically on midge and mosquito larvae. It is a Holarctic species with a limited distribution in Europe.
Phymata albopicta
jagged ambush bug
Phymata albopicta is a species of jagged ambush bug in the family Reduviidae. Like other members of the genus Phymata, it is a sit-and-wait predator that hunts on flowers, using raptorial forelegs to seize prey. The species has been documented in North America and Middle America. It exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females being larger and capable of capturing larger prey items.
Phymata arctostaphylae
Phymata arctostaphylae is a species of ambush bug in the family Reduviidae, native to North America. As a member of the genus Phymata, it exhibits the characteristic predatory behavior of ambush bugs, lying in wait on flowers to capture visiting insects. The species name references Arctostaphylos, suggesting an association with manzanita plants. Like other Phymata species, it possesses raptorial forelegs adapted for seizing prey and a venomous bite that subdues victims.
Phymata luxa
jagged ambush bug
Phymata luxa is a species of ambush bug in the family Reduviidae, first described by Evans in 1931. As a member of the genus Phymata, it is a predatory insect that hunts on flowers using a sit-and-wait ambush strategy. The species is found in North America, though specific details about its range and ecology remain limited compared to better-studied congeners.
Phymata saileri
jagged ambush bug
Phymata saileri is a species of jagged ambush bug in the family Reduviidae. Like other members of the genus Phymata, it is a predatory insect that hunts on flowers, using raptorial forelegs to capture prey. The species was described by Kormilev in 1957 and occurs in North America.
Phymatinae
Ambush Bugs
Ambush bugs (Phymatinae) are a subfamily of assassin bugs (Reduviidae) characterized by their sit-and-wait predatory strategy and exceptional camouflage. They possess heavily modified raptorial forelegs capable of seizing prey ten or more times their own body size. Adults range 5–12 mm in length with a distinctive squat, diamond-shaped body. The subfamily comprises approximately 300 species distributed across tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions worldwide except Australia and New Zealand. Formerly treated as a separate family (Phymatidae), molecular phylogenetic studies confirm their placement within Reduviidae.
Plega signata
Mantidfly, Mantidfly (no common name specific to this species)
Plega signata is a species of mantidfly in the family Mantispidae, first described by Hagen in 1877. Originally placed in the genus Symphrasis, it was later transferred to Plega. Mantidflies are neuropteran insects that exhibit remarkable morphological convergence with praying mantises, possessing raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing prey. The species occurs in Middle America and North America according to distribution records. As with other mantidflies, the larvae are likely parasitoids, though specific host relationships for P. signata remain poorly documented. The genus Plega contains species that are generally less studied than the more common North American mantidflies in the genus Mantispa.
Prostemmatini
Prostemmatini is a tribe of damsel bugs within the family Nabidae, order Hemiptera. Members are predatory true bugs characterized by their raptorial forelegs adapted for catching prey. The tribe is distinguished from the other nabid tribe, Nabini, by specific morphological features of the male genitalia and wing venation. These insects are generally found in ground-level vegetation and leaf litter where they hunt small arthropods.
Pseudogonatopus herbarum
Pseudogonatopus herbarum is a species of dryinid wasp in the family Dryinidae. These wasps are parasitoids of planthoppers in the family Delphacidae. The species has been recorded from Europe and parts of Asia. Like other members of its genus, females possess raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing hosts.
Ranatra
water stick-insect, water scorpion, water mantis
Ranatra is a genus of slender aquatic predatory insects in the family Nepidae, commonly called water stick-insects or water scorpions. The genus contains over 140 species distributed across freshwater habitats worldwide, with highest diversity in South America and Asia. These insects are sit-and-wait predators that use raptorial forelegs to capture prey. They possess a distinctive long caudal siphon for breathing while submerged.
Reduviidae
Assassin Bugs, Ambush Bugs, Kissing Bugs, Wheel Bugs, Thread-legged Bugs, Bee Assassins, Millipede Assassins, Masked Hunters
Reduviidae is a large cosmopolitan family of true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) comprising approximately 7,000 described species across more than 20 subfamilies. The family is predominantly terrestrial and predatory, with members employing diverse hunting strategies including ambush predation, active pursuit, and specialized prey capture using modified forelegs or sticky secretions. A notable exception is the subfamily Triatominae, whose members are hematophagous ectoparasites of vertebrates and vectors of Chagas disease. Most species possess a distinctive narrow neck, sturdy body, and curved proboscis that fits into a stridulatory groove on the prosternum, producing sound when rubbed against ridges. The family exhibits remarkable morphological diversity, with body sizes ranging from 12 to 36 mm and coloration spanning cryptic browns and blacks to aposematic reds, oranges, and metallic blues.
Saica elkinsi
Saica elkinsi is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, first described by Blinn in 1994. It is native to North America and belongs to the subfamily Saicinae, a group characterized by raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing prey. Members of the genus Saica are slender, long-legged predators found in tropical and subtropical habitats.
Zeugomantispa
Green Mantidflies
Zeugomantispa is a genus of small predatory mantidflies in the family Mantispidae, commonly known as green mantidflies. The genus contains at least three described species distributed in the Americas, with Zeugomantispa minuta being the most frequently encountered and commonly called the green mantisfly. Adults are sit-and-wait predators that ambush small soft-bodied insects, while larvae are specialized predators of spider eggs within egg sacs. The genus is distinguished by its green coloration and raptorial forelegs that resemble those of praying mantises, though the two groups are not closely related.
Zeugomantispa minuta
green mantisfly, green mantidfly
Zeugomantispa minuta, commonly known as the green mantisfly, is a small predatory insect in the family Mantispidae. Adults are sit-and-wait predators that use raptorial forelegs to capture prey. Larvae are specialized parasitoids that develop within spider egg sacs, feeding on spider eggs. The species occurs across the Americas from the Caribbean through Central and North America to South America.