Zelus is a genus of insects in the family Reduviidae, the assassin bugs. There are currently 60 described species; most occur in Central and South America, and five are found in North America.[2]

Zelus
Zelus renardii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Family: Reduviidae
Subfamily: Harpactorinae
Tribe: Harpactorini
Genus: Zelus
Fabricus, 1803
Type species
Cimex longipes
Linnaeus, 1767[1]
Species

About 60, see text

Synonyms
  • Diplodus Amyot & Serville, 1843 (Homonym)
  • Pindus Stål, 1862

Some species have been investigated for their potential as biocontrol agents in integrated pest management. Zelus is also known for a sticky trap predation strategy. Sticky resin produced from a leg gland is smeared on hairs to aid in prey capture. This is somewhat analogous to the carnivorous plant sundew.

Species include:

References

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  1. ^ Zhang, Guanyang; Hart, Elwood R; Weirauch, Christiane (2016). "A taxonomic monograph of the assassin bug genus Zelus Fabricius (Hemiptera: Reduviidae): 71 species based on 10,000 specimens". Biodiversity Data Journal. 4 (e8150): e8150. doi:10.3897/BDJ.4.e8150. PMC 5019016. PMID 27651730.
  2. ^ Taxonomic Revision of Zelus Fabricius. Heteropteran Systematics Lab. University of California, Riverside.
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