Empicoris Wolff 1811

Tatarnic, Nikolai J., Wall, Michael A. & Cassis, Gerasimos, 2011, A systematic revision of the Australian ploiarioline thread-legged assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae), Zootaxa 2762, pp. 1-30 : 17

Empicoris Wolff 1811

Diagnosis. This genus can be recognized in Australia by the combination of the following characters: head and thorax with dense wool-like pile; scutellum, metanotum, and 2nd abdominal tergite (1st visible) with median spine (one or two rarely absent in species from other geographic areas); pronotum with lateral carinae; forewing with subbasal cell absent, and pterostigma extending just beyond apex of discal cell.

Remarks. This is the largest genus in the tribe, with approximately 78 described species ( Maldona 1990). The genus is distributed throughout the globe, but has been most extensively treated in the New World (e.g. McAtee and Malloch 1925). The Old World fauna is very poorly understood, with many species known only from their descriptions ( Wygodzinsky 1966). Comprehensive monographic study of the genus is overdue.

The Australian species described here are very similar in gross appearance. Despite their apparent similarity, species can be easily sorted by the patterns of pubescence on the venter of the abdomen, size, and colour patterning. The phylogenetic utility of these characters within the genus requires further examination. All species occurring in Australia (for which males are known) possess an apically emarginated pygophore. This condition was previously only described from E. rubromaculatus , though Wygodzinsky (1966) knew the condition occurred in other undescribed species.