Reduviidae

Reduviidae Temporal range: Cenomanian–Recent PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Assassin bug (Rhynocoris iracundus) with bee prey
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Suborder:	Heteroptera
Infraorder:	Cimicomorpha
Family:	Reduviidae Latreille, 1807
Subfamilies
Bactrodinae Centrocnemidinae Cetherinae Chryxinae Ectrichodiinae Elasmodeminae Emesinae Microtominae (=Hammacerinae) Harpactorinae Holoptilinae Manangocorinae Peiratinae Phimophorinae Phymatinae Physoderinae Pseudocetherinae Reduviinae Saicinae Salyavatinae Sphaeridopinae Stenopodainae Triatominae Tribelocephalinae Vesciinae Visayanocorinae

The Reduviidae is a large cosmopolitan family of the suborder Heteroptera of the order Hemiptera (true bugs). Among the Hemiptera and together with the Nabidae almost all species are terrestrial ambush predators; most other predatory Hemiptera are aquatic. The main examples of non-predatory Reduviidae are some blood-sucking ectoparasites in the subfamily Triatominae, with a few species from South America noted for their ability to transmit Chagas disease. Though spectacular exceptions are known, most members of the family are fairly easily recognizable: they have a relatively narrow neck, sturdy build, and formidable curved proboscis (sometimes called a rostrum). Large specimens should be handled with caution, if at all, because they sometimes defend themselves with a very painful stab from the proboscis.