Megetra vittata is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae. It is found in North America.[1][2][3] Like other blister beetles, megetra vittata excrete cantharidin, a toxic chemical, to defend itself from predators.[4] Animals such as horses can fall ill and die from this toxin, as a result of eating many of these beetles, as they have been reported to get mixed in with their hay and other feed.
| Megetra vittata | |
|---|---|
| |
| In Lozoya, Madrid | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Meloidae |
| Genus: | Megetra |
| Species: | M. vittata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Megetra vittata (LeConte, 1853)
| |
References
edit- ^ "Megetra vittata Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
- ^ "Megetra vittata". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
- ^ "Megetra vittata species Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
- ^ "Blister Beetles | Entomology". entomology.ca.uky.edu. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
Further reading
edit- Selander, Richard B. (1965). "A Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Megetra (Coleoptera: Meloidae) with Ecological and Behavioral Notes". The Canadian Entomologist. 97 (6): 561–580. doi:10.4039/Ent97561-6. S2CID 84687455.
- Lobl, I.; Smetana, A., eds. (2013). Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Volume 5: Tenebrionoidea. Apollo Books. ISBN 978-90-04-26090-0.
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