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Zelus longipes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zelus longipes
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Family: Reduviidae
Genus: Zelus
Species:
Z. longipes
Binomial name
Zelus longipes
(Linnaeus, 1767)

Zelus longipes is an assassin bug (Reduviidae) that is a member of the Harpactorinae subfamily. Its distribution ranges include southern North America, Central America, and South America (except Chile),[1] especially in agroecosystems in Brazil.

Zelus longipes has been considered as a potential biocontrol agent, as it prefers caterpillars of Spodoptera frugiperda, which is a moth that is a pest in cornfields. [2] The species is a generalist predator, commonly used to combat picture-winged flies (Diptera: Ulidiidae), which cause damage to sweet corn yields in Florida. [3] Z. longipes prefers smaller caterpillars, probably because there is less risk of injury while subduing smaller prey.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Hart, E. R., 1986: Genus Zelus Fabricius in the United States, Canada, and Northern Mexico (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 79, 535–548
  2. ^ Sparks, A. N., 1979: A review of the biology of the fall armyworm. Fla. Entomol. 62, 82–87
  3. ^ M. Kalsi, D. R. Seal, G. S. Nuessly, J. L. Capinera, C. G. Martin, Distribution of Zelus longipes (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in South Florida Corn Fields and Its Functional Response to Corn-Infesting Picture-Winged Flies (Diptera: Ulidiidae), Environmental Entomology, Volume 43, Issue 5, 1 October 2014, Pages 1223–1234
  4. ^ R. Cogni, A. V. L. Freitas and B. F. Amaral Filho. "Influence of prey size on predation success by Zelus longipes L. (Het., Reduviidae)" (PDF). J. Appl. Ent. 126, 74–78 (2002).
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