ARILUS SERRATUS. Fuscus, elytris subferrugineis, rostro, antennis
tibiisque fulvis, scutello cristato serrato. (Long. Corp. 1 unc. 3 lin.)
SYN. Cimex serratus, _Linn. Syst. Nat._ 2. 722. 62. _Fabr. Ent. Syst._ 4.
205. 42. _Syst. Rh._ 266. 2. (Reduvius s.) _Stoll. Cim._ 2. _t._ 1. _f._
6.
Cimex carinatus, _Drury_, _App. vol._ 2.
HABITAT: St. Vincent (_Drury_). America (_Fabr._).
Head very small, and black. Neck long and slender. Eyes small. Antennæ
orange-coloured; as long as the insect. Thorax very small and black in
front; the hind part exceeding large, and of a rusty dark brown, the
middle rising circularly and erect, with many points like teeth on its
edges; the sides being extended beyond the body, and appearing like
angles with their points cut off. Corium of the wing-cases dusky brown,
the membrane of a brassy olive colour. Abdomen black. Legs orange, the
thighs being black; from the front of the head issues a slender
orange-coloured beak, which reaches to the fore legs.
This large and remarkable species of winged bug is commonly known in the
West Indies under the name of the Wheel-bug, and is stated by Messrs. Kirby
and Spence to possess the power of communicating an electric shock to the
person whose flesh it touches. "The late Major-General Davies, of the Royal
Artillery, once informed me, that when abroad, having taken up this animal
and placed it upon his hand, it gave him a considerable shock, as if from
an electric jar, with its legs, which he felt as high as his shoulders; and
dropping the creature, he observed six marks upon his hand where the six
feet had stood." (Intr. to Ent. 1. 110.)
There appear to be several species confounded under the specific name of
serratus. The one figured by our author is well distinguished by the colour
of its rostrum and tibiæ, which are fulvous or orange-coloured. (Fabricius
calls them yellow "flavis," and Burmeister red "rufis.") I have received
this species from Valparaiso. Another species having brown tibiæ, of a
narrower form, rather smaller than the preceding, and having fewer teeth
upon the scutellar crest, is very abundant in Pennsylvania. It may be
distinguished by the following character:--
Arilus denticulatus, _Westw._ fuscus, tibiis concoloribus, rostro
antennisque obscurè rufescentibus cristâ scutellari circiter
10-denticulatâ. Long. Corp. 13 lin.
Habitat in America septentrionali (Comm. Dom. Peale).
The sting of these insects produced by the short and powerful proboscis is
accompanied with very considerable pain. Mr. Smeathman informed Mr. Drury
that he had been stung by the largest wasps of Africa, as well as by these
bugs, and thought the pain inflicted by the latter much more severe, though
the effect does not remain so long. The {74}pain is doubtless caused by
that pungent volatile fluid which affects our smell so much when we catch
those insects, with which they are abundantly supplied, and which they emit
with considerable force.