Hycleus phaleratus

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Hycleus phaleratus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Meloidae
Genus: Hycleus
Species:
H. phaleratus
Binomial name
Hycleus phaleratus
(Pallas, 1781)

Hycleus phaleratus, is a species of blister beetle found in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. [1] It is sometimes considered a problem in agricultural cultivation but has been used in traditional Chinese medicine. [2] The species was formerly placed in the genus Mylabris .

Description

Body length is about 18 to 25.1 mm. Head with moderately coarse deep and dense punctures. Eyes longer and reniform. Maxillary palpi with triangular apical segment. Pronotum strongly convergent from apical third to apex. Pubescence long, and dense on pronotum. Elytra with moderately coarse, shallow punctures and short pubescence. Basal region consists with two yellowish spots. These spots become rectangular in shape from dorsally and laterally. The median and apical yellow bands are less undulate. Ventrum moderately and coarsely punctate and shiny. Male has shallowly emarginate sixth visible abdominal sternum, whereas female with entire apex in sixth visible abdominal sternum. [3] Elytral axillary spot convered with black setae. Fore margins of the mesepisterna almost parallel which runs along the median groove. In male, proximal aedeagal hook is closer to the distal one. [4]

In China, the beetle is important commercially in Chinese medicine, due to the ability to biosynthesize potent defensive blistering agent cantharidin. [5] [6] The beetle was traditionally used to treat tumors, carbuncle, scrofula, poor blood circulation, pleurisy, dropsy, pericarditis, and missed menstrual periods. [7] [8] Some side effects of the crude medicine obtained from H, phaleratus can cause abdominal pain and hemorrhagic shock. [9] [10]

Adults and grubs are pests on variety of agricultural crops and ornamentals such as: luffa, cowpea, Canna indica , rose, Gossypium hirsutum , green gram, okra, soy bean, tobacco and paddy. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cantharidin</span> Chemical compound

Cantharidin is an odorless, colorless fatty substance of the terpenoid class, which is secreted by many species of blister beetles. Its main current use in pharmacology is treating molluscum contagiosum and warts topically. It is a burn agent and poisonous in large doses, and has been historically used as aphrodisiacs. In its natural form, cantharidin is secreted by the male blister beetle, and given to the female as a copulatory gift during mating. Afterwards, the female beetle covers her eggs with it as a defense against predators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blister beetle</span> Family of beetles

Blister beetles are beetles of the family Meloidae, so called for their defensive secretion of a blistering agent, cantharidin. About 7,500 species are known worldwide. Many are conspicuous and some are aposematically colored, announcing their toxicity to would-be predators.

<i>Hycleus</i> Genus of beetles

Hycleus is a genus of blister beetle belonging to the Meloidae family found in Africa and Asia. The genus contains over 400 species, which historically have been confused with the genus Mylabris.

<i>Ceroctis capensis</i> Species of beetle

Ceroctis capensis, or spotted blister beetle, is diurnal and endemic to Southern Africa occurring in diverse habitats, and belonging to the Meloidae or Blister beetle family. It secretes a toxic liquid from its leg joints when roughly handled, blistering human skin. This species somewhat resembles Mylabris oculata, a member of the same family.

<i>Hycleus pustulatus</i> Species of beetle

Hycleus pustulatus is a species of blister beetle found in India, Sri Lanka, China and Java.

Mylabris thunbergi is a species of blister beetle found in India, and Sri Lanka.

<i>Eletica testacea</i> Species of beetle

Eletica testacea, is a species of blister beetle found in India, Sri Lanka, Laos and Thailand.

Hycleus balteata, is a species of blister beetle found in India, and Sri Lanka.

Mylabris ceylonica, is a species of blister beetle endemic to Sri Lanka.

Mylabris orientalis, is a species of blister beetle found in India and Sri Lanka.

Hycleus rouxi, is a species of blister beetle found in India, and Sri Lanka.

Sybaris nigrifinis, is a species of blister beetle found in India and Sri Lanka.

Sybaris testaceus, is a species of blister beetle found in India and Sri Lanka.

Sybaris yakkala, is a species of blister beetle endemic to Sri Lanka.

Horia debyi, is a species of blister beetle found in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia.

Horia fabriciana, is a species of blister beetle found in India, Sri Lanka, Israel and Egypt.

Zonitoschema krombeini, is a species of blister beetle endemic to Sri Lanka.

Coelostoma (Holocoelostoma) stultum, is a species of water scavenger beetle widely distributed in Palearctic and Oriental realms from West Pacific towards Indian Ocean, such as China, Taiwan, Andaman Islands, Myanmar, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mascarene Islands, Nicobar Islands, Oman, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Vietnam.

Jauravia limbata, is a species of lady beetle native to India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan.

Jauravia pilosula, is a species of lady beetle native to India, and Sri Lanka.

References

  1. ↑ "The National Red List 2012 of Sri Lanka; Conservation Status of the Fauna and Flora". Ministry of Environment in Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2021-07-25.
  2. ↑ Nakatani, T.; Konishi, T.; Miyahara, K.; Noda, N. (2004). "Three novel cantharidin-related compounds from the Chinese blister beetle, Mylabris phalerata Pall" (pdf). Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin. 52 (7): 807–809. doi: 10.1248/cpb.52.807 . PMID   15256700.
  3. ↑ "The Blister Beetle (Meloidae) of Sri Lanka". Ceylon Journal of Science (Biological Sciences) 13(1&2):203-251. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  4. ↑ Pan, Zhao; Monica, Carosi; Bologna, Marco A. (2014-12-12). "A new Eastern Asian Hycleus and key to the Chinese species of the phaleratus group (Coleoptera, Meloidae, Mylabrini)". ZooKeys (463): 11–19. Bibcode:2014ZooK..463...11P. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.463.8261 . PMC   4294299 . PMID   25589860 . Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  5. ↑ Wu, Yuan-Ming; Li, Jiang; Chen, Xiang-Sheng (2018-03-01). "Draft genomes of two blister beetles Hycleus cichorii and Hycleus phaleratus". GigaScience. 7 (3): 1–7. doi:10.1093/gigascience/giy006. PMC   5905561 . PMID   29444297.
  6. ↑ Till, Jonathan S.; Majmudar, Bhagirath N. (April 1981). "Cantharidin Poisoning". Southern Medical Journal. 74 (4): 444–447. doi:10.1097/00007611-198104000-00019. PMID   7221663. S2CID   29589945 . Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  7. ↑ Deng, Yuan-Yuan; Zhang, Wei; Lei, Xue-Ping; Zhang, Dong-Mei; He, Jun; Wang, Lei; Ye, Wen-Cai (1 August 2017). "Four new cantharidin derivatives from the Chinese blister beetles, Mylabris phalerata". Heterocycles. 94 (8): 1573–1581. doi: 10.3987/COM-17-13722 .
  8. ↑ Zhu, F; Lei, CL; Xue, FS (December 2005). "The morphology and temperature-dependent development of Mylabris phalerata Pallas (Coleoptera: Meloidae)". The Coleopterists Bulletin. 59 (4): 521–527. doi:10.1649/838.1. JSTOR   4010013. S2CID   85904215.
  9. ↑ Huh, JE; Kang, KS; Ahn, KS; Kim, DH; Saiki, I; Kim, SH (12 September 2003). "Mylabris phalerata induces apoptosis by caspase activation following cytochrome c release and Bid cleavage". Life Sciences. 73 (17): 2249–2262. doi:10.1016/s0024-3205(03)00568-x. PMID   12927594.
  10. ↑ Cheng, K. C.; Lee, H. M.; Shum, S. F.; Yip, C. P. (1990). "A fatality due to the use of cantharides from Mylabris phalerata as an abortifacient". Medicine, Science and the Law . 30 (4): 336–340. doi:10.1177/106002809003000410. PMID   2263179. S2CID   73301032.
  11. ↑ "Host range and host preference of blister beetles" (PDF). Madras Agricultural Journal, 2003. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
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