Meloidae
Also known as Blister Beetle, Oil Beetle, Striped Blister Beetle, Orange Blister Beetle
family of beetles
Species
Meloidae
FAMILY
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumArthropoda
- ClassInsecta
- OrderColeoptera
- FamilyMeloidae
芫菁科（學名：Meloidae）為一種鞘翅目的昆蟲，又稱地膽科，英文俗名「Blister beetles」，日本俗稱「土斑貓」（日語：土斑猫）。當牠們身受威脅時，便會分泌斑蝥素（英语：Cantharidin）來禦敵，接觸後會導致水泡（Blister），這就是英文俗名的由來。全世界已知的本科生物大約有7,500種；而許多種類色彩斑斕，是為了警告掠食者牠們身懷劇毒。
via GBIF
Article
At Mumbai Blister beetles are beetles of the family Meloidae, so called for their defensive secretion of a blistering agent, cantharidin. About 2,500 species are known worldwide. Many are conspicuous and some are aposematically colored, announcing their toxicity to would-be predators.
Description