First record of the assassin bug genus Coilopus Elkins, 1969 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae) from Colombia

Abstract

The assassin bug genus Coilopus Elkins, 1969 is recorded for the first time from Colombia. Coilopus vellus Elkins, 1969 is a wasp mimic that was previously recorded from Costa Rica, French Guiana, and Brazil. The Colombian specimens fill the distributional gap between the known Central and South American records. In addition, based on collected wasps from the same place as Coilopus, Mischocyttarus sp. (Vespidae: Polistinae) is proposed as the hymenopteran model of this mimetic harpactorine.

First description of the male and redescription of the female of Parahiranetis salgadoi Gil-Santana (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Harpactorinae)

“…Harpactorini is the most diversified Reduviidae group with more than 53 recognized genera in the Neotropical region (McPherson and Ahmad 2011, Forero 2011, 2012, Swanson 2012, Gil-Santana 2015, Gil-Santana et al 2015). Several taxa of Harpactorini are thought to be involved in mimicry systems with Hymenoptera (Champion 1899, Elkins 1969, Maldonado and Lozada 1992, Hogue 1993, Gil-Santana 2008, Forero and Giraldo-Echeverry 2015, Gil-Santana 2015, 2016). They resemble bees or wasps in general body and wing coloration as well as physical proportions (Haviland 1931, Leathers and Sharkey 2003, Gil-Santana 2008, 2015, 2016).…”

First description of the male of Hiranetis atra Stål and new country records, with taxonomic notes on other species of Hiranetis Spinola (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Reduviidae, Harpactorinae)

“…Gil-Santana (2015) has updated this key, including all these seven genera, and also Parahiranetis Gil-Santana, 2015. Forero and Giraldo-Echeverry (2015) further proposed that a Vespidae ( Mischocyttarus sp.) was the hymenopteran mimetic model of Coilopus vellus Elkins, 1969.…”

Eating with the enemy? Mimic complex between a stingless bee and assassin bugs

“…1A-C and 1E) (Fortunato, 1986). Unlike true spines, aculeos are excrescences of the epidermis and underlying tissues but without vascular tissue (Font Quer, 1970). Recently, the aculeos of B. forficata subsp.…”

“…Among the harpactorines (Reduviidae), outstanding examples of mimicry occur with some groups of Hymenoptera (Gil-Santana et al, 2015). Many genera of Harpactorini, such as Hiranetis Spinola, Graptocleptes Stål, and Coilopus Elkins, resemble braconid ichneumonid, and/or vespid wasps (Maldonado Capriles & Lozada Robles, 1992;Forero & Giraldo-Echeverry, 2015). Species of Notocyrtus Burmeister are recognized as mimetics of meliponine bees which they resemble mostly because of the inflated pronotum (Haviland, 1931;Jackson, 1973;Gil-Santana, 2008).…”