assassin bug

n. Any of various predatory insects of the family Reduviidae, having a short stout beak used to prey on other insects or, in certain genera, to suck blood from mammals. Also called reduviid.

assassin bug

n (Animals) any long-legged predatory, often blood-sucking, insect of the heteropterous family Reduviidae

assas′sin bug`

n. any of various large bugs of the family Reduviidae, many of which kill and extract the blood of other insects and some of which are bloodsucking parasites of mammals. [1890–95]

Thesaurus

Noun

assassin bug - a true bug: long-legged predacious bug living mostly on other insects; a few suck blood of mammalsreduviidheteropterous insect - true bugs: insects whose forewings are membranous but have leathery tipsfamily Reduviidae, Reduviidae - assassin bugsbig bedbug, conenose, conenose bug, cone-nosed bug, kissing bug - large bloodsucking bugArilus cristatus, wheel bug - large predatory North American bug that sucks the blood of other insects

assassin bug

assassin bug,

common name for members of the family Reduviidae, one of the largest and most varied groups belonging to the order Hemiptera (suborder Heteroptera). Assassin bugs are generally brownish to black, medium-sized to large insects, with heads that are elongate and narrow compared to the thorax. The raptorial front legs are used for grasping prey. Most assassin bugs are found on foliage, and some occasionally enter houses. The majority of species are predaceous on other insects, but a few are bloodsucking and will bite humans if carelessly handled. The bite of some species is painless, while the bite of others is extremely painful, resulting from a venom produced by the bug, the effect of which lasts for months. A painful biter is the common, black, wheel bug (Arilus cristatus), easily identified by the semicircular crest resembling a cogwheel on the top of its prothorax. Another is the masked hunter (Reduvius personatus), often found in houses where it preys on bedbugs and other insects. The adults often bite humans around the mouth, hence its other common name, the kissing bug. In the Southwest assassin bugs of the genus Triatoma are common. Called conenoses or Mexican bedbugs, they also invade houses and may bite humans. In Central and South America certain species of this genus are the vectors for a highly fatal trypanosometrypanosome
, microscopic, one-celled protozoan of the genus Trypanosoma, typically living as an active parasite in the bloodstream of a vertebrate; hundreds of species are known. A trypanosome is long and pointed and possesses a flagellum.
..... Click the link for more information. disease known as Chagas' diseaseChagas' disease,
disease of South and Central America caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It usually affects children and young adults and is transmitted by the feces of infected insects, typically the assassin bug.
..... Click the link for more information. . Assassin bugs are classified in the phylum ArthropodaArthropoda
[Gr.,=jointed feet], largest and most diverse animal phylum. The arthropods include crustaceans, insects, centipedes, millipedes, spiders, scorpions, and the extinct trilobites.
..... Click the link for more information. , class Insecta, order Hemiptera, family Reduviidae.

assassin bug

as·sas·sin bug

an insect of the family Reduviidae (order Hemiptera) that inflicts irritating, painful bites in animals and humans; related to the cone-nosed bugs (triatomines), a vector of American trypanosomiasis. [Fr., fr. It. assassino, fr. Ar. hashshāshin, those addicted to hashish]

assassin bug

n. Any of various predatory insects of the family Reduviidae, having a short stout beak used to prey on other insects or, in certain genera, to suck blood from mammals. Also called reduviid.

Any of the cone-nosed arthropods of the hemipteran family Reduviidae, order Hymenoptera, which includes true bugs, the trivial name refers to their insect predatory activity; those of the subfamily Triamtominae are vectors for Trypanosoma cruzi—Chaga’s disease agent

assassin bug

as·sas·sin bug

(ă-sas'in bŭg) An insect of the family Reduviidae that inflicts irritating, painful bites in animals and humans; related to the cone-nosed bugs (triatomines), a vector of American trypanosomiasis. [Fr., fr. It. assassino, fr. Ar. hashshāshin, those addicted to hashish]

assassin bug

A blood-sucking insect of the family Reduviidae . The insect transmitter of South American Trypanosomiasis (CHAGAS' DISEASE).

assassin bug

assassin bug

assassin bug

assas′sin bug`

assassin bug

assassin bug,

assassin bug

as·sas·sin bug

assassin bug

assassin bug

as·sas·sin bug

assassin bug

assassin bug

Synonyms for assassin bug

noun a true bug: long-legged predacious bug living mostly on other insects

Synonyms

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