Tritoma
Appearance
Tritoma | |
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Tritoma bipustulata | |
Scientific classification | |
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Genus: | Tritoma |
Tritoma is a genus of beetles in the family Erotylidae, the pleasing fungus beetles. It is distributed worldwide, mainly in the Old World.[2] There are over 100 species.[2]
Some species consume euagaric mushrooms, staying concealed amidst the gills as they feed.[3] Some feed on mushrooms growing from dead trees, as well as mycorrhizae on living roots.[4] One of the most common pleasing fungus beetles in Europe, T. bipustulata, is a black beetle with red spots which engages in autohaemorrhaging as a defensive behavior.[5]
Molecular analysis suggests that Tritoma is paraphyletic, and might be best treated as two separate genera.[3]
Species include:
- Tritoma angulata
- Tritoma atriventris
- Tritoma aulica
- Tritoma biguttata
- Tritoma bipustulata
- Tritoma eryhrocephala
- Tritoma humeralis
- Tritoma mimetica
- Tritoma pulchra
- Tritoma sanguinipennis
- Tritoma tenebrosa
- Tritoma unicolor
References
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Wikispecies-logo.svg/34px-Wikispecies-logo.svg.png)
Wikispecies has information related to Tritoma.
- ^ International Commission On Zoological Nomenclature (1994). "Opinion 1754. Histoire abrégée des insectes qui se trouvent aux environs de Paris (Geoffroy, 1762): some generic names conserved (Crustacea, Insecta)". Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature. 51 (1): 58–70.
- ^ a b Goodrich, M. A. and C. A. Springer. (1999). The pleasing fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) of Nebraska. Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences 25 53-71.
- ^ a b Robertson, J. A., et al. (2004). A molecular phylogenetic analysis of the pleasing fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae): evolution of colour patterns, gregariousness and mycophagy. Systematic Entomology 29(2) 173–87.
- ^ Skelly, P. E. Pleasing Fungus Beetles, Pseudischyrus, Tritoma, Megalodacne, Ischyrus spp. (Insecta: Coleoptera: Erotylidae). EENY-091. Entomology and Nematology. Florida Cooperative Extension Service. University of Florida IFAS. 1999.
- ^ Drilling, K. and K. Dettner. (2010). First insights into the chemical defensive system of the erotylid beetle, Tritoma bipustulata. Chemoecology 20(4), 243-53.
External links
- Tritoma. ITIS.