Apiomerus

Apiomerus
Apiomerus spissipes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Family:	Reduviidae
Tribe:	Apiomerini
Genus:	Apiomerus Hahn, 1831

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.

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]

Apiomerus species

Species in the genus include:

• Berniker & Szerlip, 2011
• Berniker & Szerlip, 2011
• Costa Lima, Campos Seabra & Hathaway, 1951
• Apiomerus crassipes (Fabricius, 1803)
• Apiomerus flaviventris Herrich-Schaeffer, 1846
• Berniker & Szerlip, 2011
• (Fabricius, 1787)
• Bergroth, 1898
• Apiomerus longispinis Champion, 1899
• Stål, 1862
• Berniker & Szerlip, 2011
• Berniker & Szerlip, 2011
• Herrich-Schaeffer, 1846
• Apiomerus pilipes Fabricius, 1787
• Uhler, 1876
• (Fallou, 1889)
• Apiomerus spissipes (Say, 1825)
• Stål, 1862
• Berniker & Szerlip, 2011

References[]

• Schuh, R.T. & Slater, J. A. 1995. True bugs of the world (Hemiptera: Heteroptera): classification and natural history. New York, Cornell University Press, 336p.

External links[]

• Bugguide hosted by Iowa State University Entomology
• Research of Apiomerus Systematics at UC Riverside
• https://web.archive.org/web/20110726225254/http://nature.berkeley.edu/~dchoe003/index4.htm

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