General Description
Body red and orange, legs and head black. Mouthparts short, thick and curved. Body up to 1 cm long.
Biology
Assassin Bugs are aggressive, ambush predators that grab insect prey between their front legs before stabbing it with their mouthparts and sucking out the body fluids. Large bugs are capable of inflicting a painful bite on humans.
Distribution
South-western and eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania.
Habitat
On flowers.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Red and orange body, head and legs black, large curved mouthparts.
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Colours
Red, Orange, Black
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Habitats
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Diet
Carnivore
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Hazards
Painful bite possible from larger bugs.
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Endemicity
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Not listed, FFG Threatened List: Not listed, DSE Advisory List: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Not listed
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Taxon Name
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Scientific Author
(Erichson, 1842)
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Common Name
Assassin Bug
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Class
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Order
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
australis