Cerocoma is a Palearctic genus of blister beetle, whose biology is poorly known.[1] 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.

Cerocoma
Cerocoma schaefferi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Meloidae
Tribe: Cerocomini
Genus: Cerocoma
Geoffroy, 1762

The antennae are 9-segmented, and the galea is modified into a sucking tube; imagines feed on pollen and nectar of Asteraceae and Apiaceae plants. The wings are well-developed, and the legs are long and slender.

Larvae of C. schreberi were found feeding on paralysed mantids collected by Tachytes wasps.[2]

The genus is mostly Mediterranean in distribution, and encompasses about 27 species.[3] Fauna Europaea lists 13 species[4] The taxonomic division into two subgenera, Cerocoma and Metacerocoma (Kaszab, 1951) was considered unfounded by some authors.[5] Based on morphological and molecular analysis, Turco and Bologna subdivided the genus into five subgenera: Cerocoma, Cerocomina, Mesocerocoma, Metacerocoma and Meloides.[6]

List of species

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Subgenus Metacerocoma

Subgenus Cerocoma

References

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  1. ^ Federica Turco, Andrea Di Giulio & Marco A. Bologna (2003). "Sexual and cleaning behaviour and related morphology in the genus Cerocoma (Coleoptera: Meloidae)". Journal of Insect Behavior. 16 (2): 257–278. doi:10.1023/A:1023971919814. S2CID 39054630.
  2. ^ A. Cros (1919). "Biologie des Cerocoma". Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France. 14: 248–252. doi:10.3406/bsef.1919.28845. S2CID 181905332.
  3. ^ Federica Turco , Marco A. Bologna (2007). "Revision of the genus Diaphorocera Heyden, 1863 (Coleoptera, Meloidae, Cerocomini)". Contributions to Zoology. 76 (2): 63–85. doi:10.1163/18759866-07602001. S2CID 86614727. Archived from the original on 2012-03-28. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
  4. ^ "Cerocoma Geoffroy 1762". Fauna Europaea. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  5. ^ Klucze do oznaczania owadów Polski : opracowanie zbiorowe. Cz. 19 z. 84, Majkowate - Meloidae. Warszawa-Wrocław : Państ. Wydaw. Naukowe, 1987 ISBN 83-01-07379-9
  6. ^ Systematic revision of the genus Cerocoma Geoffroy, 1762. Zootaxa, No. 2853. (29 April 2011), pp. 1-71