The biology of blister beetles of the vittata group of the genus Epicauta (Coleoptera, Meloidae). Bulletin of the AMNH ; v. 162, article 4
Supplemental Materials
Date
1979
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Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
New York : American Museum of Natural History
DOI
DOI
Abstract
"The vittata group of the genus Epicauta contains 31 species. Seven of these are confined to North America; one ranges from Central America to central South America; the rest are confined to South America. All the species from North America (Epicauta vittata, E. occidentalis, E. temexa, E. abadona, E. tamara, E. vitticollis, and E. unilineata) and three of those from southern South America (Epicauta monachica, E. luteolineata, and E. leopardina) are compared in detail with respect to ecology, behavior, and reproductive biology (courtship, copulation, oviposition, and development and hatching of eggs). Field and laboratory studies establish a high degree of uniformity among the species of the group in all characters except those of male courtship behavior. Differences in courtship behavior are especially marked between sympatric species. Little of the variation among taxa in biological characters is explicable on the basis of variation in the physical environment of the taxa. The group is formally defined and a diagnostic key to the species occurring in North America is presented. Species accounts giving synonymy, locality records, and (for the North American species) analyses of geographic variation are presented. New species in the group are Epicauta temexa, E. tamara, E. aragua, and E. apure. Epicauta kraussi var. purpureiceps is given species status as Epicauta purpureiceps"--P. 141.
Description
p. 139-266 : ill., maps ; 26 cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 261-266).
Includes bibliographical references (p. 261-266).
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