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Peirates
A wingless black bug.
Found under a log.
I have only seen these in one location over several years.
Spotted on Apr 21, 2014
Submitted on Apr 24, 2014
9 Comments
Thank you Martin….Love your little Thread-Legged Assassin!
Hello Lauren
I am not the expert but here is some data that you probably know.
Fitchia aptera (USA) has a winged form http://bugguide.net/node/view/768846/bgi...
Here is another 'under bark' insect that seems to be wingless http://www.bowerbird.org.au/observations...
The Australian subfamily including out wingless member has other species http://lifeunseen.com/index2_list_381.ph...
I have no data about gender dimorphism but consider the apterous male as unlikely.
Thank you Martin. Is this all that is known about these? I see the red ocelli. It seems then that it is the female with residual wings? It is not common for Assassin bug adults to have residual wings.
(http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_...). This article thinks it is the male that is wingless, however the specimen in the pictures looks like a female (i.e: end of the abdomen pointed instead of rounded).
It would be so neat if you could find more and rule out that the residual winged "female" is not actually a nymph. It is necessary to get a male and female mating.
Oh dear! I didn't mean to make it that hard.
Try this; http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/...
otherwise check the link ' factsheet - Assassin bug' near the end of this blog page from Robertson;
http://peonyden.blogspot.com.au/2011/11/...
file:/// is on Martin's own machine
I couldn't open the link….could you resend it?
Lauren I have seen this species three times and each time in the same park, although they are known to be widespread. I have seen none with wings. It would appear that males are winged based on page 2 on this article file:///E:/fact-sheet-assassin-bugs.pdf
I was looking at this genus and am confused…..is this a reduced-winged male? Do the females have full wings? I didn't know there were Assassin species in which the males did not develop functional wings. I saw your other two spottings of these. In the one with the underside of a dead specimen - that one looks like it is a female. Did that one have full wings?
Great shots!