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Species Cissites auriculata

Representative Images

Cissites auriculata (Champion) - Cissites auriculata Cissites auriculata (Champion) - Cissites auriculata Big-eared Blister Beetle - Cissites auriculata Cissites auriculata Cissites auriculata Cissites auriculata (Champion) - Cissites auriculata Ladybugzilla - Cissites auriculata Ladybugzilla - Cissites auriculata

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)
Superfamily Tenebrionoidea
Family Meloidae (Blister Beetles)
Subfamily Nemognathinae
Genus Cissites
Species auriculata (Cissites auriculata)

Other Common Names

Big-eared Blister Beetle

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Cissites auriculata (Champion)
Orig. Comb: Horia auriculata Champion 1892

Explanation of Names

auriculata = 'eared' (refers to the protruding temples)

Size

19-37 mm (Champion 1892)

Identification

Range

w. & s. TX to Panama / W. Indies - Map (1)(2)

Season

Jan. to Jun. in TX (BG data)

Food

larval hosts: large carpenter bees (Xylocopa, Apidae) (3)
adults are aphagous (3) (lack the ability to feed)

Remarks

First U.S. Record

TEXAS: Brewster Co., Big Bend Nat'l Park, 1988

Print References

Bianchi, F.A. 1962. Notes on the biology of Cissites auriculata (Champion) (Coleoptera: Meloidae). Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society 18: 111-119.
Champion, G.C. 1892. Insecta. Coleoptera. Heteromera (part). Pp. 372, Tab 17, Fig. 9 In: F.D. Godman & O. Salvin (editors). Biologia Centrali-Americana. Taylor & Francis, London. 4(2): x + 494 pp.
Enns, W.R. 1958. Distribution records of two American species of Cissites (Coleoptera-Meloidae). Coleopterists Bulletin 12: 61-64. (JSTOR)

Internet References

Texas Entomology - Mike Quinn 2011
Type - MCZ, Harvard
Cissites spp. - Meloidae.com