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Family: Meloidae (blister beetles, oil beetles, CMR beetles)
Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata > Panhexapoda > Hexapoda
> Insecta
(insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota > Metapterygota > Neoptera > Eumetabola >
Holometabola > Coleoptera
(beetles)
> Polyphaga > Superfamily: Cucujoidea
Elongate, soft-bodied beetles with the
pronotum narrower than the elytra and also tapered at the large head, forming
a narrow 'neck'. Medium to large sized beetles (20-50mm) and vary in colour - black,
grey, brown metallic, yellow and red. Some are alarm-coloured in red and black
or yellow and black, warning of their distastefulness and toxicity. The term CMR
beetles relates to yellow and black colours of the Cape Mounted Riflemen
(1911-1922)
uniforms.
Adult Blister Beetles feed on flowers, nectar and foliage. Some
Blister beetles, lay their eggs in the soil and the larvae feed on grasshopper
eggs. Others lay their eggs in flowers and those larvae attach themselves to
visiting bees and get taken back to the nests where they feed on pollen and
nectar. Beetle larvae that cooperate to mimic
amorous bees.
Adults secrete liquids in the leg joints that contain the poison
cantharadin. This may blister the skin and if ingested, can be fatal. One of
these beetles, Lytta vesicatoria, is referred to as
Spanish Fly. The
crushed powder of the Spanish Fly has been known as an aphrodisiac. The
cantharides cause inflammation of the urethral passage and genitals, thereby
heightening the passion and ardour. However, this ardour could be severely doused should the effective dose be exceeded as this is dangerously close to an
overdose, leading to a permanent end to all pursuits of passion. Cantharides cause painful urination, fever, and sometimes bloody
discharge and can cause permanent damage to genitals and kidneys.
Publications
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Bologna, M.A., Fattorini, S. & Pinto, J.D. 2001. Review of the
primitive blister beetle genus Iselma, with a description of the
first instar larva (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea: Meloidae). African
Entomology 9: 105-129.
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Bologna, M.A. & Pinto, J.P. 2001. Phylogenetic studies of the Meloidae
(Coleoptera), with emphasis on the evolution of phoresy. Systematic
Entomology 26: 33-72.
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Bologna, M.A. & Pinto. J.D. in press. The Old World genera of Meloidae
(Coleoptera): a key and synopsis. Journal of Natural History
Page by Margie Cochrane |
