Scientific name: Polytoxus fuscovittatus (Stal)
Common name: Assassin bug
 Brown adult of assassin bug Polytoxus fuscovittatus (Stal)
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Taxonomy:
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Hemiptera |
| Family | Reduviidae |
Economic importance
Generalist predator.
Hosts
Larvae of moths and butterflies.
Description
Polytoxus fuscovittatus is easily distinguished by the three spines on the thorax. The lateral spines on the apex of the pronotum are about half the length of its pronotum, whereas the apical spine on the scutellum is outwardly and upwardly curved. Its head is shorter than the pronotum and has a transverse suture near the eyes. The pronotum is brownish black medially and reddish at both margins; the beak is 3-segmented.
The legs of the assassin bug are yellowish except for the brownish black apices of the femora that are also tinged with red-orange. The bases of the tibia are light red-orange and the tarsi have black apices.
Biology and ecology
Assassin bugs are solitary predators of lepidopterous larvae. They can attack prey larger than themselves by piercing its body with their needle- like mouth parts.
Selected references
Barrion AT, Litsinger JA. 1994. Taxonomy of rice insect pests and their arthropod parasites and predators. In: Biology and management of rice insects. Manila (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. p 13-362.
Reissig WH, Heinrichs EA, Litsinger JA, Moody K, Fiedler L, Mew TW, Barrion AT. 1986. Illustrated guide to integrated pest management in rice in tropical Asia. Manila (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 411 p.
Shepard BM, Barrion AT, Litsinger JA. 1987. Helpful insects, spiders, and pathogens. Manila (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 127 p.