The first records of Empicoris orthoneuron from Michigan, and E. winnemana and Ploiaria hirticornis from Missouri are reported. Those for E. orthoneuron and P. hirticornis represent considerable extensions of their recorded ranges

McPherson, J. E

English

ValpoScholar

The Great Lakes Entomologist 
Volume 24 
Number 4 - Winter 1991 Number 4 - Winter 
1991 
Article 8 
December 1991 
Range Extensions of Three Emesine Species in North America 
(Heteroptera: Reduviidae) 
J. E. McPherson 
Southern Illinois University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle 
 Part of the Entomology Commons 
Recommended Citation 
McPherson, J. E. 1991. "Range Extensions of Three Emesine Species in North America (Heteroptera: 
Reduviidae)," The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 24 (4) 
Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol24/iss4/8 
This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. 
It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. 
For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at scholar@valpo.edu. 
1991 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST 263 
RANGE EXTENSIONS OF THREE EMESINE SPECIES 
IN NORTH AMERICA 
(HETEROPTERA:REDUVIIDAE) 
J. E. McPherson l 
ABSTRACT 
The first records of Empicoris orthoneuron from Michigan, and E. winnemana 
and P/oiaria hirticornis from Missouri are reported. Those for E. orthoneuron and 
P. hirticornis represent considerable extensions of their recorded ranges. 
Recently (1991) I reported rather dramatic range extensions for three species of 
emesine reduviids, Le., Empicoris culici/ormis (De Geer) and E. winnemana McAtee 
and Malloch from Michigan and Pseudometapterus umbrosus (Blatchley) from 
Illinois. These records showed that ese species were more widespread than previ­
ously thought. Although it is possible that these emesines are expanding their 
ranges, it seems more likely that they have been overlooked by earlier investigators 
because of their secretive habits, sticklike bodies, and small size (P. umbrosus 
averages about 15 mm long; all Empicoris species average less than 8 mm). 
Subsequent to that study, I received an additional six adults from the University 
of 
Michigan Museum 
of Zoology (UMMZ) representing three species, only one of 
which (E. winnemana) was reported in my earlier paper. Herein, Empicoris ortho­
neuron McAtee and Malloch is reported from Michigan, and E. winnemana and 
Ploiaria hirticornis (Banks) are reported from Missouri; all are less than 7 mm long. 
Empicoris orthoneuron McAtee 
This species has been reported from Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, Missis­
sippi, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, California, Oregon, and British Columbia; and 
from Mexico to Argentina (Froeschner 1988). It has been collected from flood 
debris, Spanish moss, and under dead leaves (Elkins 1951); and from a light trap, 
bird's nest, and spider web (Wygodzinsky 1966, label information); and on imported 
orchids from Port Barrios, Guatemala (McAtee and Malloch 1925, label informa­
tion). Its discovery in Michigan, as with E. culici/ormis (McPherson 1991), strongly 
suggests it is more widely distributed in North America than previously thought. 
Deposited in the UMMZ are two specimens with the following label 
information: 
MI: Cheboygan Co., 2 July 19139 (1 0), A. E. Cordell (Coll.; previously identi­
fied by J. D. Lattin in 1950 under synonym of E. reticulatus McAtee and Malloch); 
Cheboygan Co., Univ. Mich. Biol. Sta., 28 June 1960 (l t), R. E. Beer (Coll.). 
Empicoris winnemana McAtee & Malloch 
As noted above, I reported the occurrence of this species from Michigan (1991). 
It 
had been previously reported only from Connecticut, Maryland, and Virginia 
(Froeschner 1988). 
IDepartment of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901. 
1
McPherson: Range Extensions of Three Emesine Species in North America (Heter
Published by ValpoScholar, 1991
264 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 24, No.4 
Deposited in the Southern Illinois University Entomology Collection (SIUEC), 
donated by the UMMZ, is an adult with the following label information: 
MO: Shannon Co., T30 R 4W Sec. 6, Shannondale Glade, 15-16 July 1990 
(10), Malaise Tr., M. Arduser (ColI.). 
Ploiaria hirticornis (Banks) 
This species has been collected from Washington, D. C., North Carolina, Flor­
ida, and Louisiana (Froeschner 1988). It has been found beneath a board on the site 
of 
an old house, beaten from dead leaves 
of cabbage palmetto, and sifted from roots 
of 
tufts 
of grass (Blatchley 1926). Its presence in Missouri is a remarkable find. Not 
only does it greatly extend its known range into the midwest, but it is the first time 
the tribe (Leistarchini) has been reported from this part of the country. As I noted in 
my 
earlier report 
of emesine species, I suspect that this insect has not recently 
extended its range but simply has been overlooked. 
Deposited in the UMMZ and SIUEC are three specimens of P. hirticornis with 
the following label information: 
MO: Shannon Co., T30N R 4W Sec. 6, Shannondale Glade, 17-18 July 1990 
(1 C;, 
UMMZ; 1 
C;, SIUEC (donated by the UMMZ)), Malaise Tr., M. Arduser 
(CoiL); same label information other than date, 19-21 July 1990 (I!, UMMZ). 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
I thank M. F. O'Brien, Insect Division, UMMZ, for permission to examine the 
emesine specimens and for donating two to the SIUEC. I am also grateful to R. C. 
Froeschner, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D. c., for confirm­
ing my identification f P. hirticornis. 
LITERATURE CITED 
Blatchley, W. S. 1926. Heteroptera or true bugs of eastern North America with especial 
reference to the faunas of Indiana and Florida. Nature Pub. Co., Indianapolis. 1116 pp. 
Elkins, J. C. 1951. The Reduviidae of Texas. Texas J. Sci. 3:407-412. 
Froeschner, R. C. 1988. Family Reduviidae Latreille, 1807. The assassin bugs, p. 616-651. In: 
T. J. Henry and R. C. Froeschner (eds.). Catalog of the Heteroptera, or true bugs, of 
Canada and the continental United States. E. J. Brill, New York. 958 pp. 
McAtee, W. L. and J. R. M lloch. 1925. Revision of the American bugs of the reduviid 
subfamily Ploiariinae. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 67(1):1-153. 
McPherson, J. E. 1991. Noteworthy range extensions of three emesine species (Heterop­
tera:Reduviidae). Great Lakes Entomol. 24:99-101. 
Wygodzinsky, P. 	W. 1966. A monograph of the Emesinae (Reduviidae, Hemiptera). Bull. 
Amer. Mus. Natur. Hist. 133:1-614. 
2
The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 24, No. 4 [1991], Art. 8
https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol24/iss4/8


Range Extensions of Three Emesine Species in North America (Heteroptera: Reduviidae)

Valparaiso University

The Great Lakes Entomologist Volume 24 Number 4 - Winter 1991 Number 4 - Winter 1991 Article 8 December 1991 Range Extensions of Three Emesine Species in North America (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) J. E. McPherson Southern Illinois University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle  Part of the Entomology Commons Recommended Citation McPherson, J. E. 1991. "Range Extensions of Three Emesine Species in North America (Heteroptera: Reduviidae)," The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 24 (4) Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol24/iss4/8 This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at scholar@valpo.edu. 1991 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST 263 RANGE EXTENSIONS OF THREE EMESINE SPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA (HETEROPTERA:REDUVIIDAE) J. E. McPherson l ABSTRACT The first records of Empicoris orthoneuron from Michigan, and E. winnemana and P/oiaria hirticornis from Missouri are reported. Those for E. orthoneuron and P. hirticornis represent considerable extensions of their recorded ranges. Recently (1991) I reported rather dramatic range extensions for three species of emesine reduviids, Le., Empicoris culici/ormis (De Geer) and E. winnemana McAtee and Malloch from Michigan and Pseudometapterus umbrosus (Blatchley) from Illinois. These records showed that ese species were more widespread than previ­ously thought. Although it is possible that these emesines are expanding their ranges, it seems more likely that they have been overlooked by earlier investigators because of their secretive habits, sticklike bodies, and small size (P. umbrosus averages about 15 mm long; all Empicoris species average less than 8 mm). Subsequent to that study, I received an additional six adults from the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology (UMMZ) representing three species, only one of which (E. winnemana) was reported in my earlier paper. Herein, Empicoris ortho­neuron McAtee and Malloch is reported from Michigan, and E. winnemana and Ploiaria hirticornis (Banks) are reported from Missouri; all are less than 7 mm long. Empicoris orthoneuron McAtee This species has been reported from Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, Missis­sippi, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, California, Oregon, and British Columbia; and from Mexico to Argentina (Froeschner 1988). It has been collected from flood debris, Spanish moss, and under dead leaves (Elkins 1951); and from a light trap, bird's nest, and spider web (Wygodzinsky 1966, label information); and on imported orchids from Port Barrios, Guatemala (McAtee and Malloch 1925, label informa­tion). Its discovery in Michigan, as with E. culici/ormis (McPherson 1991), strongly suggests it is more widely distributed in North America than previously thought. Deposited in the UMMZ are two specimens with the following label information: MI: Cheboygan Co., 2 July 19139 (1 0), A. E. Cordell (Coll.; previously identi­fied by J. D. Lattin in 1950 under synonym of E. reticulatus McAtee and Malloch); Cheboygan Co., Univ. Mich. Biol. Sta., 28 June 1960 (l t), R. E. Beer (Coll.). Empicoris winnemana McAtee & Malloch As noted above, I reported the occurrence of this species from Michigan (1991). It had been previously reported only from Connecticut, Maryland, and Virginia (Froeschner 1988). IDepartment of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901. 1McPherson: Range Extensions of Three Emesine Species in North America (HeterPublished by ValpoScholar, 1991264 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 24, No.4 Deposited in the Southern Illinois University Entomology Collection (SIUEC), donated by the UMMZ, is an adult with the following label information: MO: Shannon Co., T30 R 4W Sec. 6, Shannondale Glade, 15-16 July 1990 (10), Malaise Tr., M. Arduser (ColI.). Ploiaria hirticornis (Banks) This species has been collected from Washington, D. C., North Carolina, Flor­ida, and Louisiana (Froeschner 1988). It has been found beneath a board on the site of an old house, beaten from dead leaves of cabbage palmetto, and sifted from roots of tufts of grass (Blatchley 1926). Its presence in Missouri is a remarkable find. Not only does it greatly extend its known range into the midwest, but it is the first time the tribe (Leistarchini) has been reported from this part of the country. As I noted in my earlier report of emesine species, I suspect that this insect has not recently extended its range but simply has been overlooked. Deposited in the UMMZ and SIUEC are three specimens of P. hirticornis with the following label information: MO: Shannon Co., T30N R 4W Sec. 6, Shannondale Glade, 17-18 July 1990 (1 C;, UMMZ; 1 C;, SIUEC (donated by the UMMZ)), Malaise Tr., M. Arduser (CoiL); same label information other than date, 19-21 July 1990 (I!, UMMZ). ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank M. F. O'Brien, Insect Division, UMMZ, for permission to examine the emesine specimens and for donating two to the SIUEC. I am also grateful to R. C. Froeschner, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D. c., for confirm­ing my identification f P. hirticornis. LITERATURE CITED Blatchley, W. S. 1926. Heteroptera or true bugs of eastern North America with especial reference to the faunas of Indiana and Florida. Nature Pub. Co., Indianapolis. 1116 pp. Elkins, J. C. 1951. The Reduviidae of Texas. Texas J. Sci. 3:407-412. Froeschner, R. C. 1988. Family Reduviidae Latreille, 1807. The assassin bugs, p. 616-651. In: T. J. Henry and R. C. Froeschner (eds.). Catalog of the Heteroptera, or true bugs, of Canada and the continental United States. E. J. Brill, New York. 958 pp. McAtee, W. L. and J. R. M lloch. 1925. Revision of the American bugs of the reduviid subfamily Ploiariinae. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 67(1):1-153. McPherson, J. E. 1991. Noteworthy range extensions of three emesine species (Heterop­tera:Reduviidae). Great Lakes Entomol. 24:99-101. Wygodzinsky, P. 	W. 1966. A monograph of the Emesinae (Reduviidae, Hemiptera). Bull. Amer. Mus. Natur. Hist. 133:1-614. 2The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 24, No. 4 [1991], Art. 8https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol24/iss4/8

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Range Extensions of Three Emesine Species in North America (Heteroptera: Reduviidae)

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