Meloidae

family of beetles

species of insect

Meloe is a genus of blister beetles commonly referred to as oil beetles. The name derives from their defensive strategy: when threatened they release oily droplets of hemolymph from their joints (legs, neck, and antennae). This fluid is bright orange and contains cantharidin, a poisonous chemical compound. Wiping the chemical on skin can cause blistering and painful swelling of the skin. This defensive strategy is not exclusive to this genus; all meloids possess and exude cantharidin upon threat.

species of beetle

thumb|Lytta vesicatoria, the Spanish fly

species of beetle

Epicauta is a genus of beetles in the blister beetle family, Meloidae. The genus was first scientifically described in 1834 by Pierre François Marie Auguste Dejean. Epicauta is distributed nearly worldwide, with species native to all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Surveys have found the genus to be particularly diverse in northern Arizona in the United States. Few species occur in the Arctic, with none farther north than the southern edge of the Northwest Territories, Canada.

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Mylabris is a genus of beetles in the family Meloidae. It is endemic to the Palearctic realm. The species-rich genus Hycleus (c. 430 spp.) was historically confused with Mylabris and have their greatest diversity in the Afrotropics.

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Sitaris is a genus of beetles belonging to the family Meloidae.

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Cysteodemus is a genus of desert spider beetles in the family Meloidae. There are at least two described species in Cysteodemus. thumb|Cysteodemus armatus

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Pyrota is a genus of blister beetles in the family Meloidae. There are at least 30 described species in Pyrota.

Zonitis is a genus of blister beetles in the family Meloidae. The genus was named and described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. thumb|Zonitis sayi

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Nemognatha is a genus of blister beetles in the family Meloidae. There are at least 20 described species in Nemognatha. thumb|Nemognatha cribraria

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Cerocoma is a Palearctic genus of blister beetle, whose biology is poorly known. As in other members of the family, these insects are hypermetamorphic. Larval hosts of few species were described. Imagines show distinct sexual dimorphism in the feeding apparatus and the antennae. All species in this genus have aposematic colouration.

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Eupompha is a genus of blister beetles in the family Meloidae. There are about 14 described species in Eupompha.

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Cissites is a genus of blister beetles in the family Meloidae. There are at least four described species in Cissites.

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Gnathium is a genus of blister beetles in the family Meloidae. There are about 16 described species in Gnathium.

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