Meccus (genus)

Reduviidae (medical) • Heteroptera (medical) • veterinary/medical pests • pests-diseases-weeds

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Meccus pallidipennis (click on image to enlarge it)
Author(s): Pavel Kirillov
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Meccus Stål, 1859

This is a small genus of blood-sucking kissing bugs, closely related to the genus Triatoma. It currently contains 6 species which are found in Mexico. Several species of Meccus are vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of the Chagas disease. The genus is considered by some authors to be part of Triatoma and the taxonomic status of the individual species of Meccus has been also under discussion for some time. Several authors have suggested that some or all of the species should be considered to be subspecies of Meccus phyllosomus.

Currently, the following species have been entered into the system:

• Meccus longipennis
• Meccus mazzottii
• Meccus pallidipennis
• Meccus phyllosomus