Leaf Footed Bug: Giant Mesquite Bug or close relative

bugman

June 3rd, 2009 at 8:17 am

Categories

Need ID for Neo tropical Conservation Project
Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Hi Daniel,
Sorry it’s me again. I have this pic of a very colorful bug that looks like a reduviid but the narrow neck usually typical of the family is not present and also the shield on the back is kind of wierd… therefore I was thinking it might be in another family, maybe leaffooted bug (correidae) although those one are not really colorful most of the time. Any ID?
You may want to check this link on flickr as someone else took a pic of a similar bug at higher elevetion somewhere else in the country (a difference of 500 metres!). On his pic you will also see the profile of the lad which can prove helpful. Here’s the link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28347466@N08/3333642517/in/set-72157605982707119/
Absolutely no rush, I know you are busy working on that book, so good luck with it! You are doing a wonderful job teaching people how to admire and respect bugs. Thank you!
Best
Thierry
Ecuador

Leaf Footed Bug

Hi again Thierry,
We agree with the family Coreidae (only one r), the Leaf Footed Bugs. It may be the genus Thasus which contains the Giant Mesquite Bug, Thasus neocalifornicus, which looks quite similar. You can see images of this species, which ranges in California and Mexico, on BugGuide. The insect in the photo on the link you provided is incorrectly identified as being in the family Reduvidae, the Assassin Bugs.

Leaf Footed Bug from Sicily (October 8, 2008)
Leaf Footed Bug from Peru (November 8, 2008)
Leaf Footed Bug ()
Leaf Footed Bug, possibly Giant Agave Bug (April 26, 2009)
Leaf Footed Bug Hatchlings (November 20, 2009)

Comments 1

kkroeker wrote:
Thierry:

Your very handsome bug caught my attention. I agree with Daniel that it is in the family Coreidae, and very possibly in the genus Thasus. You could also check out the very closely related (sometimes synonymous) genus Pachylis. There are numerous photos of juvenile T. acutangulus and P. hector on the internet, all of which look very similar to your bug, but it is unclear to me that either species occurs as far south as Ecuador. One reference I found did suggest Brazil for P. hector, but most indicate that they are Central American species. Perhaps it is another species in one of those genera. The link below is for Spanish paper that may be helpful, assuming your Spanish is better than mine. Good luck. Karl.

http://www.ejournal.unam.mx/zoo/066-01/ZOO66106.pdf
Posted 03 Jun 2009 at 11:51 am ¶