Pinned specimen of Gorareduvius westraliensis (Photo Credit: Paige Maroni)

Gorareduvius westraliensis

The Reduviidae, or Assassin Bugs, are a large family of the order Hemiptera (true bugs), consisting of about 7000 species. Almost all of these are terrestrial ambush predators, using their powerful, curved proboscis to puncture and kill other insects and invertebrates. Some, such as the Chagas disease carrying Rhodnius prolixus, are blood-suckers. Many species have elongate heads and legs, which allow them to attack and subdue prey from a distance.

Morphology

This species is usually micropterous with vestigial wings, has long, stout legs, and the fore tibia are distinctly swollen in the middle and covered in dense, bushy hairs. It is most closely related to the genus Undiareduvius, but can be distinguished by the anterior lobe of the pronotum being globose and about two times as long as the posterior lobe, the conspicuous dorsal tuberculate swellings on abdominal segments 1 and 7, the transverse ridge across metanotum, and the lobed connexiva which are folded over dorsum of the abdomen, giving Gorareduvius a parallel sided appearance.

Evolution

The Australian Harpactorinae are represented by about 30 genera, the majority of which occur in tropical areas of the north.

Behaviour

Like some other reduviids in the tribe Harpactocorinae, Gorareduvius are thought to coat their fore tibia with sticky plant resin, which facilitates the capturing of prey.

Method of reproduction

Sexual

Habitat

Terrestrial

Distribution

Northern Western Australia

Life Cycle

As with other true bugs, reduviids have incomplete metamorphosis: upon hatching from their egg they go through several nymphal stages, each progressively larger and more developed than the next. In the final stage they moult into the adult, which is distinguished from the nymphs by the presence of fully developed wings (except in micropterous or apterous morphs). 

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Superfamily: Reduvioidea
Family: Rediviidae
Subfamily: Harpactorinae
Genus: Gorareduvius
Species: westraliensis
Name Published Year: 1991
Rank: species
Scientific Name Authorship: Malipatil

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Western Australian Museum Collections https://museum.wa.gov.au/online-collections/names/gorareduvius-westraliensis
Accessed 4 Sep 2023

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