Abdomen wider in distal half, extended laterally beyond wings.
Species in the family Phymatidae as defined in Borror and White are distinguished
from the Reduviidae by having the antennae slightly clubbed, the front
legs with greatly enlarged femurs, and the abdomen expanded posteriorly.
Most authorities, however, include these interesting predators within the
family Reduviidae.
References:
Page 118 and plate 3 in D. J. Borror and R. E. White. 1970. A Field Guide
to the Insects. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
Page 118 in J. A. Slater and R. M. Baranowski. 1978. How to Know the True
Bugs. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Co. 256 p.
Page 146 in R. G. Bland and H. E. Jaques. 1978. How to Know the Insects,
3rd ed. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Co. 409 p.
Page 301 in D. J. Borror, C. A. Triplehorn, and N. F. Johnson. 1989. An Introduction
to the Study of Insects, 6th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders College Publishing.
875 p.
Page 422 (as Reduviidae) in H. V. Daly, J. T. Doyen, and A. H. Purcell
III. 1998. Introduction to Insect Biology and Diversity, 2nd ed. Oxford
University Press. 680 p.
