PEET: Taxonomic Expertise in True Bugs: Systematic and Monographic Research on Assassin Bugs (Heteroptera: Reduviidae)

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The assassin bugs (Reduviidae) are charismatic members of the order Heteroptera or "true bugs." There are many species of assassin bugs, and they exhibit remarkable diversity, not only in the way they look but also in their behavior. Many assassin bugs are beneficial because they eat potentially harmful insects. However, some species feed on vertebrate blood and carry Chagas disease, which affects millions of people in South and Central America. Unfortunately, we do not know how many species of assassin bugs exist, nor do we have good ways to identify them. Very few taxonomists study assassin bugs, which makes it hard to know much about their evolution, behavior, or even where they all live. This project will assemble an international team of scientists to train students in the evolution and classification of insects, with a special focus on the assassin bugs. The research will combine fieldwork and studies of museum specimens with powerful descriptive and analytical approaches as well as development and use of bioinformatics tools, while focusing on five subgroups of the assassin bugs. Biodiversity information on an ecologically extraordinary group of insects will become available while advancing knowledge on species that are of medical importance and of interest as natural enemies. At least five graduate level trainees and five undergraduate students will be trained in systematics of Reduviidae and the true bugs. Monographs, online tools including identification keys, an electronic catalog and a digital library of taxonomic literature, images of type specimens, species pages, and movies documenting assassin bug behavior will make the group accessible to educators, ecologists, those dealing with integrated pest control, and the general public.