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What the sources say

Assassin BugAcanthaspis petax

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Assassin Bug profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 43 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

Profile updated

Source
01

Jackson & Pollard 2007

Jackson & Pollard (2007). Bugs with backpacks deter vision‐guided predation by jumping spiders. Journal of Zoology.

The page saysThe predatory bug that covers itself with the carcasses of ants, a disguise that seems to fool jumping spiders.
The source sayscovers itself with a 'mask', or 'backpack', made from carcasses of its preferred prey (ants) ... salticids readily identify naked bugs as prey, but fail to identify masked bugs as preyNote: "seems to" carries the abstract's "These findings suggest"; salticids are jumping spiders.
The page saysNot Evaluated
The source saysAcanthaspis petax , a reduviid bugNote: GBIF's copy of the Red List returns NOT_EVALUATED for Acanthaspis petax Stål, 1865, usage key 9766270, checked 2026-09-16. No Red List assessment exists for this species.
The page saysThe Lake Victoria region of East Africa, where the studied bugs came from
The source saysThe ant bugs and the salticids were from the Lake Victoria region of East Africa.
The page saysAnts, its preferred prey
The source sayscarcasses of its preferred prey (ants)
The page saysWears a mask of ant carcasses that seems to fool sharp-eyed jumping spiders
The source sayscovers itself with a 'mask', or 'backpack', made from carcasses of its preferred prey (ants) ... salticids being predators with exceptionally acute vision ... salticids readily identify naked bugs as prey, but fail to identify masked bugs as prey
The page saysAcanthaspis petax is a reduviid, or assassin bug, also known as the "ant bug."
The source saysAcanthaspis petax , a reduviid bug ('ant bug')Note: "assassin bug" = Reduviidae per walker-2017's opening: "Assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae)".
The page saysThe bugs in a 2007 study of it came from the Lake Victoria region of East Africa.
The source saysThe ant bugs and the salticids were from the Lake Victoria region of East Africa.Note: "2007" is the reference's own year field, not text inside the abstract.
The page saysIts preferred prey is ants.
The source sayscarcasses of its preferred prey (ants)
The page saysIt covers itself with a "mask," or "backpack," made from the carcasses of those ants.
The source sayscovers itself with a 'mask', or 'backpack', made from carcasses of its preferred prey (ants)
The page saysThe study asked how insects use masks like this as a defence against predators that hunt by sight.
The source saysAs a case study of how insects use masks as a defence against vision‐guided predators
The page saysThe test predators were three species of jumping spider from the same region.
The source saysthree salticid spider species, Hyllus sp., Plexippus sp. and Thyene sp. ... The ant bugs and the salticids were from the Lake Victoria region of East Africa.
The page saysJumping spiders are predators with exceptionally acute vision.
The source sayssalticids being predators with exceptionally acute vision
The page saysIn each test, a spider was shown either a live bug or a lure made from a dead bug.
The source saysIn each test, a salticid was presented with a live bug or a lure made from a dead bug
The page saysSome had the mask intact and some had it removed, which the researchers called "naked."
The source sayswith the mask removed ('naked') or intact ('masked')
The page saysThe spiders made predatory responses to naked bugs significantly more often than to masked ones.
The source saysSalticids made predatory responses to naked bugs significantly more often than to masked bugs.
The page saysThe results suggest the spiders readily identify a naked bug as prey but fail to identify a masked one.
The source sayssalticids readily identify naked bugs as prey, but fail to identify masked bugs as prey
The page saysJumping spiders are vision-guided predators, yet in experiments they made predatory responses to masked Acanthaspis petax significantly less often than to bugs with the mask removed.
The source saysvision‐guided predators, an experimental study was carried out using Acanthaspis petax ... Salticids made predatory responses to naked bugs significantly more often than to masked bugs.
The page saysAcanthaspis petax belongs to Reduviidae, the assassin bug family.
The source saysAcanthaspis petax , a reduviid bugNote: Reduviidae = assassin bugs per walker-2017: "Assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae)".
The page saysAcanthaspis petax covers itself with what researchers call a mask, or backpack, made from the carcasses of its preferred prey, ants.
The source sayscovers itself with a 'mask', or 'backpack', made from carcasses of its preferred prey (ants)
The page saysIn experiments, jumping spiders, hunters with exceptionally acute vision, made predatory responses to bugs with the mask removed significantly more often than to masked bugs.
The source saysan experimental study ... salticids being predators with exceptionally acute vision ... Salticids made predatory responses to naked bugs significantly more often than to masked bugs.
The page saysThe results suggest the spiders fail to identify a masked bug as prey.
The source saysThese findings suggest that salticids readily identify naked bugs as prey, but fail to identify masked bugs as prey.
The page saysa bug that hides under a backpack made from the carcasses of the ants it preys on, a mask that draws significantly fewer predatory responses from jumping spiders than a bare bug
The source sayscovers itself with a 'mask', or 'backpack', made from carcasses of its preferred prey (ants) ... Salticids made predatory responses to naked bugs significantly more often than to masked bugs

Source
02

Walker et al. 2017

Walker et al. (2017). Melt With This Kiss: Paralyzing and Liquefying Venom of The Assassin Bug Pristhesancus plagipennis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Molecular & Cellular Proteomics.

The page saysbelongs to a family whose venom can paralyze and liquefy
The source saysAssassin bug venom has features in common with venoms from other animals, such as paralyzing and lethal activity when injected ... this venom also has strong liquefying activityNote: Family-level (Reduviidae); A. petax's own venom is not studied in any cached source.
The page saysAssassin bugs are venomous insects, and most of them prey on invertebrates.
The source saysAssassin bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae) are venomous insects, most of which prey on invertebrates.
The page saysTheir venom can paralyze and kill when injected, and its ingredients include peptide neurotoxins.
The source saysparalyzing and lethal activity when injected, and a molecular composition that includes disulfide-rich peptide neurotoxins
The page saysIt also has strong liquefying activity, which scientists call unique among venoms.
The source saysAssassin bug venom has features in common with venoms from other animals ... Uniquely, this venom also has strong liquefying activity
The page saysA 2017 study of another assassin bug, Pristhesancus plagipennis, found more than 100 proteins in its venom.
The source saysthe venom proteome of the harpactorine assassin bug Pristhesancus plagipennis includes a complex suite of >100 proteinsNote: "2017" is the reference's own year field, not text inside the abstract.
The page saysMany are enzymes and cell-damaging components that the authors say are likely to be well suited to turning tissue into liquid.
The source saysassassin bug venom includes a high proportion of enzymatic and cytolytic venom components likely to be well suited to tissue liquefaction
The page saysScientists have suggested that this liquefying power helps the bug feed through the narrow channel of its proboscis.
The source saysstrong liquefying activity that has been hypothesized to facilitate feeding through the narrow channel of the proboscis
The page saysThat mouthpart was inherited from ancestors that fed on plant sap.
The source saysa structure inherited from sap- and phloem-feeding phytophagous hemipterans
The page saysAs the bug group called Heteroptera evolved, it became a fang and feeding structure.
The source saysadapted during the evolution of Heteroptera into a fang and feeding structure
The page saysAssassin bug venom has strong liquefying activity, which scientists call unique among venoms.
The source saysAssassin bug venom has features in common with venoms from other animals ... Uniquely, this venom also has strong liquefying activity
The page saysIt can also paralyze and kill when injected.
The source saysparalyzing and lethal activity when injected
The page saysScientists have suggested the liquefying power helps the bug feed through the narrow channel of its proboscis.
The source saysstrong liquefying activity that has been hypothesized to facilitate feeding through the narrow channel of the proboscis
The page saysA 2017 study of the assassin bug Pristhesancus plagipennis found more than 100 proteins in its venom.
The source saysthe venom proteome of the harpactorine assassin bug Pristhesancus plagipennis includes a complex suite of >100 proteinsNote: "2017" is the reference's own year field, not text inside the abstract.

Source
03

University of Florida IFAS Entomology & Nematology

Assassin and Ambush bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). University of Florida IFAS Entomology & Nematology.

The page saysA University of Florida guide describes North American assassin bugs and ambush bugs together.
The source saysThere are many different species of assassin and ambush bugs. The following description provides general characteristics for the group.
The page saysIt gives assassin bugs a length of 1.3 to 3.7 centimetres.
The source saysAssassin bugs are 1.3 to 3.7 cm in lengthNote: The guide's own figure for assassin bugs; ambush bugs are given separately (1.3 cm or less).
The page saysAcross the group, females are longer and wider than males, and the bugs take about three months to complete their life cycle.
The source saysfemales are longer and wider than males ... It takes about three months for these bugs to complete their life cycles.Note: Group-wide statements: the guide describes assassin and ambush bugs together.
The page saysAfter the eggs hatch, the nymphs go through five stages called instars before they become adults.
The source saysOnce the eggs hatch, the nymphs undergo five instars until they reach the adult stage.Note: Paraphrase: "after" for "Once", "before they become adults" for "until they reach the adult stage". North American assassin bugs, per the IFAS page.
The page saysNymphs are usually soft-bodied and brightly coloured.
The source saysNymphs are usually soft bodied and are brightly colored
The page saysSome North American assassin bugs can.
The source saysAt least one species, the masked hunter, feeds on bed bugs but also bites people.Note: The IFAS page covers North American assassin bugs only.
The page saysThe masked hunter bites people as well as feeding on bed bugs, and the wheel bug can deliver a painful bite if handled.
The source saysAt least one species, the masked hunter, feeds on bed bugs but also bites people. The wheel bug, common in the eastern United States, also can deliver a painful bite to people if handled.
The page saysdangerLevel: Medium
The source saysalso can deliver a painful bite to people if handledNote: Family scope, as the page frames bites: a painful bite that rarely does serious harm is Medium's 'Can injure, but rarely seriously'. No source records a bite from A. petax itself.

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.