Epicauta
Epicauta is a genus of beetles in the blister beetle family, Meloidae. The genus was first scientifically described in 1834 by Pierre François Marie Auguste Dejean. Epicauta is distributed nearly worldwide, with species native to all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Surveys have found the genus to be particularly diverse in northern Arizona in the United States. Few species occur in the Arctic, with none farther north than the southern edge of the Northwest Territories, Canada.
Adult beetles feed on plants. The larvae are predators on the eggs of grasshoppers. The beetles can significantly damage plants, and many Epicauta are known as agricultural pests around the world, even known to cause crop failures at times. As do other blister beetles, these produce cantharidin, a toxic terpenoid which can kill animals such as horses if they ingest enough of the beetles.
This is one of the largest blister beetle genera, with about 360 described species as of 2011.
Species
Epicauta abadona Skinner, 1904Epicauta abeona Pinto, 1980Epicauta adspersa Epicauta aemula Epicauta aethiops Epicauta afoveata Werner, 1949Epicauta alastor Skinner, 1904Epicauta albida Epicauta albolineata Epicauta albomarginata Mäklin, 1875Epicauta albovittata Gestro, 1878Epicauta alphonsii Horn, 1874Epicauta alpina Werner, 1944Epicauta ambusta Epicauta andersoni Werner, 1944Epicauta annulicornis Chevrolat, 1877Epicauta anthracina Epicauta apache Pinto, 1980Epicauta apicalis Dugès, 1889Epicauta apicipennis Tan, 1958Epicauta aptera Kaszab, 1952Epicauta apure Adams & Selander, 1979Epicauta aragua Adams & Selander, 1979Epicauta ardosia Fairmaire, 1896Epicauta arizonica Werner, 1944Epicauta aspera Werner, 1944Epicauta assamensis Epicauta assimilis Epicauta aterrima Epicauta atkinsoni Kraatz, 1880Epicauta atomaria Epicauta atrata Epicauta atricolor Champion, 1892Epicauta atripilis Champion, 1892Epicauta atrivittata Epicauta atropos Pinto, 1991Epicauta audouini Epicauta auricomans Champion, 1892Epicauta badeni Epicauta balli Werner, 1945Epicauta basimacula Epicauta batesii Horn, 1875Epicauta beccarii Epicauta beckeri Epicauta bella Mäklin, 1875Epicauta bifovieceps Fairmaire, 1897Epicauta bimaculatithorax Pic, 1913Epicauta bisignata Mäklin, 1875Epicauta bispinosa Werner, 1949Epicauta bohemani Mäklin, 1875Epicauta borgmeieri Denier, 1935Epicauta borrei Dugès, 1881Epicauta bosqi Denier, 1935Epicauta brasilera Selander, 1981Epicauta brevipennis Epicauta brevitibialis Kaszab, 1952Epicauta bruchi Borchmann, 1930Epicauta brunnea Werner, 1944Epicauta brunneipennis Epicauta callosa LeConte, 1866Epicauta candidata Champion, 1892Epicauta canescens Epicauta cardui Epicauta carmelita Epicauta castadiva Pinto, 1991Epicauta cavernosa Courbon, 1855Epicauta caviceps Horn, 1873Epicauta cazieri Dillon, 1952Epicauta centenaria Breyer y Trant, 1910Epicauta centralis Burmeister, 1881Epicauta cervina Mäklin, 1875Epicauta chalybea Epicauta cheni Tan, 1958Epicauta chinensis Epicauta cicatrix Werner, 1951Epicauta cinctipennis Epicauta cinerea Forster, 1771Epicauta cinereiventris Champion, 1892Epicauta clericalis Epicauta cognata Epicauta compressicollis Champion, 1892Epicauta conferta Epicauta coromandelensis Epicauta corvina Epicauta corybantica Pinto, 1991Epicauta costata Epicauta costipennis Borchmann, 1930Epicauta courboni Epicauta crassitarsis Maydell, 1935Epicauta cribricollis Fairmaire, 1893Epicauta croceicincta Dugès, 1881Epicauta crucera Selander, 1981Epicauta cryptogramaca Yang & Ren, 2006Epicauta cupraeola Epicauta curticollis Borchmann, 1930Epicauta curvicornis Epicauta curvispina Kaszab, 1952Epicauta cyclops Fairmaire, 1891Epicauta dalihodi Dvorák, 1996Epicauta delicata Mathieu, 1983Epicauta desgodinsi Frivaldszky, 1892Epicauta diana Pinto, 1991Epicauta discolor Epicauta disparilis Epicauta distorta Epicauta diversicornis Haag-Rutenberg, 1880Epicauta diversipubescens Maydell, 1934Epicauta divisa Epicauta dohrni Epicauta dongolensis Epicauta dubia Epicauta dusaunlti Epicauta elegantula Péringuey, 1909Epicauta emarginata Champion, 1892Epicauta emmerichi Pic, 1934Epicauta ennsi Werner, 1957Epicauta enona Péringuey, 1899Epicauta ensiformis Werner, 1944Epicauta erythraea Pic, 1911Epicauta erythrocephala Pallas, 1776 - type speciesEpicauta evanescens Champion, 1892Epicauta excavata Epicauta excavatifrons Maydell, 1934Epicauta excors Epicauta fabricii Epicauta fallax Horn, 1885Epicauta fasciceps Walker, 1871Epicauta femoralis Epicauta ferruginea Say, 1824Epicauta fissilabris Epicauta flabellicornis Epicauta flagellaria Epicauta flavocinerea Epicauta flavogrisea Epicauta flobcina Pinto, 1991Epicauta floridensis Werner, 1944Epicauta floydwerneri Martínez, 1955Epicauta forticornis Haag-Rutenberg, 1880Epicauta fortis Werner, 1944Epicauta franciscana Denier, 1935Epicauta fuliginosa Epicauta fulviceps Mäklin, 1875Epicauta fulvipes Epicauta fumosa Epicauta fumosa Haag-Rutenberg, 1880Epicauta funebris Horn, 1873Epicauta funesta Epicauta gissleri Epicauta gorhami Epicauta grammica Epicauta grandiceps Epicauta griseonigra Fairmaire, 1873Epicauta griseovittata Haag-Rutenberg, 1880Epicauta haagi F. Bates, 1875Epicauta haematocephala Epicauta haroldi Epicauta heterodera Horn, 1891Epicauta hieroglyphica Epicauta himalayica Kaszab, 1960Epicauta hirsutipubescens Epicauta hirticornis Epicauta hirtipes Epicauta horaki Dvorák, 1996Epicauta horni Champion, 1892Epicauta hubbelli Werner, 1973Epicauta humeralis Epicauta hydrocephala Fairmaire, 1893Epicauta hypoleuca Epicauta immaculata Epicauta impressicornis Epicauta impressifrons Van Dyke, 1928Epicauta incompleta Fairmaire, 1896Epicauta inconstans Fischer de Waldheim, 1827Epicauta indiana Kaszab, 1956Epicauta ingrata Fall, 1907Epicauta insignis Horn, 1885Epicauta insularis Epicauta intermedia Haag-Rutenberg, 1880Epicauta interrupta Epicauta jeanneli Pic, 1913Epicauta jeffersi Pinto, 1980Epicauta jimenezi Dugès, 1889Epicauta jucunda Péringuey, 1888Epicauta kansana Werner, 1944Epicauta korytkowskii Kaszab, 1978Epicauta kraussi Epicauta kwangsiensis Tan, 1958Epicauta labialis Epicauta laevicollis Mäklin, 1875Epicauta laevicornis Werner, 1973Epicauta languida Epicauta laticornis Epicauta latitarsis Epicauta lauta Epicauta lemniscata Epicauta leonensis Pic, 1913Epicauta leoni Dugès, 1889Epicauta leopardina Epicauta leucocoma Champion, 1892Epicauta levettei Casey, 1891Epicauta liebecki Werner, 1944Epicauta linearis Epicauta longicollis Epicauta luctifera Epicauta luteolineata Pic, 1933Epicauta maculata Epicauta maculifera Epicauta magnomaculata Martin, 1932Epicauta maklini Epicauta mandibularis Anand, 1977Epicauta mannerheimi Epicauta manovana Pic, 1913Epicauta mashuna Péringuey, 1899Epicauta maura Epicauta megacephala Epicauta megalocephala Epicauta melanocephala Epicauta melanota Epicauta merkeliana Horn, 1891Epicauta mesembryanthemi Péringuey, 1888Epicauta mima Péringuey, 1909Epicauta mimetica Epicauta minutepunctata Borchmann, 1930Epicauta missionum Epicauta modesta Epicauta moesta Péringuey, 1886Epicauta mojiangensis Tan Juanjie, 1993Epicauta monachica Epicauta montana Anand, 1977Epicauta montara Ballmer, 1979Epicauta murina Epicauta nattereri Epicauta neglecta Epicauta nepalensis Epicauta nigra Dugés, 1870Epicauta nigrans Epicauta nigritarsis Epicauta nigromarginata Epicauta nigropunctata Epicauta niveolineata Epicauta normalis Werner, 1944Epicauta notaticollis Péringuey, 1888Epicauta nyassensis Epicauta obesa Epicauta oblita Epicauta obscureovittata Wellman, 1910Epicauta obscuricornis Chevrolet, 1877Epicauta obscurocephala Reitter, 1905Epicauta occidentalis Werner, 1944Epicauta ocellata Dugés, 1869Epicauta ochrea Epicauta oculata Epicauta optata Péringuey, 1892Epicauta oregona Horn, 1875Epicauta ovampoa Péringuey, 1899Epicauta palpalis Kaszab, 1981Epicauta pardalis Epicauta parkeri Werner, 1944Epicauta parvula Epicauta pedalis Epicauta pensylvanica Epicauta philaemata Epicauta phoenix Werner, 1944Epicauta picitarsis Fairmaire, 1885Epicauta picta Epicauta pilma Epicauta pilsbryi Skinner, 1906Epicauta platycera Fairmaire, 1876Epicauta pleuralis FairmaireEpicauta pluvialis Borchmann, 1930Epicauta polingi Werner, 1944Epicauta politicollis Fairmaire, 1893Epicauta probsti Dvorák, 1996Epicauta prolifica Wellman, 1909Epicauta promerotricha Dvorák, 1996Epicauta proscripta Pinto, 1980Epicauta prosopidis Werner, 1973Epicauta pruinosa LeConte, 1866Epicauta punctata Epicauta puncticollis Mannerheim, 1843Epicauta punctipennis Werner, 1944Epicauta punctum Dugés, 1869Epicauta punjabensis Saha, 1979Epicauta purpurea Epicauta purpureiceps Epicauta quadraticollis Fairmaire, 1891Epicauta rehni Maydell, 1934Epicauta reini Epicauta rileyi Horn, 1874Epicauta rubriceps Epicauta rubricollis Epicauta ruficeps Epicauta rufidorsum Epicauta rufifrons Fåhraeus, 1870Epicauta rufipedes Dugés, 1870Epicauta rufipennis Epicauta rufoscutellaris Pic, 1913Epicauta rugicollis Epicauta ruidosana Fall, 1907Epicauta rutilifrons Borchmann, 1930Epicauta sanctoruensis Zaragoza-Caballero & Velasco-de Leon, 2003Epicauta sanguiniceps Epicauta sanguinicollis Epicauta sanguinithorax Haag-Rutenberg, 1880Epicauta schneideri Dvorák, 1996Epicauta segmenta Epicauta seminitida Wellman, 1910Epicauta semitestacea Fairmaire, 1896Epicauta semivittata Fairmaire, 1875Epicauta senilis Werner, 1949Epicauta seriata Ren & Yang, 2007Epicauta sericans LeConte, 1866Epicauta sharpi Marseul, 1875Epicauta sibirica Epicauta singularis Champion, 1892Epicauta sparsicapilla Yang & Ren, 2007Epicauta spilotella Péringuey, 1904Epicauta spinicornis Pic, 1911Epicauta spurcaticollis Fairmaire, 1883Epicauta stigmata Dugès, 1869Epicauta straba Horn, 1891Epicauta strangulata Epicauta strigata Epicauta strigida Marseul, 1879Epicauta strigosa Epicauta stuarti LeConte, 1868Epicauta subatra Dugés, 1889Epicauta subglabra Epicauta sublineata Epicauta subrubra Dugés, 1886Epicauta subvittata Epicauta sulcicollis Mäklin, 1875Epicauta suturalis Epicauta talpa Haag-Rutenberg, 1880Epicauta tamara Adams & Selander, 1979Epicauta tarasca Pinto, 1991Epicauta temexa Adams & Selander, 1979Epicauta tenebrosa Werner, 1949Epicauta tenella Epicauta tenuicollis Epicauta tenuicornis Epicauta tenuilineata Epicauta tenuis Epicauta teresa Mathieu, 1983Epicauta terminata Dugés, 1869Epicauta testaceipes Fairmaire in Révoil, 1882Epicauta tetragramma Haag-Rutenberg, 1880Epicauta texana Werner, 1944Epicauta textilis Epicauta thailandica Dvorák, 1996Epicauta thoracica Epicauta tibialis Epicauta tomentosa Mäklin, 1875Epicauta torsa Epicauta trichrus Epicauta tricostata Epicauta tripartita Champion, 1892Epicauta tristis Epicauta unicalcarata Champion, 1892Epicauta uniforma Werner, 1944Epicauta unilineata Champion, 1891Epicauta valida Epicauta velata Epicauta ventralis Werner, 1945Epicauta vicina Haag-Rutenberg, 1880Epicauta vidua Epicauta villipes Haag-Rutenberg, 1880Epicauta virgulata Epicauta viridipennis Burmeister, 1865Epicauta vittata Epicauta vitticollis Epicauta vittulata Borehmann, 1917Epicauta waterhousei Epicauta weixiensis Tan, 1992Epicauta wellmani Kaszab, 1956Epicauta westermanni Mäklin, 1875Epicauta weyrauchii Kaszab, 1960Epicauta wheeleri Horn, 1873Epicauta willei Denier, 1940Epicauta wittmeri Kaszab, 1978Epicauta xanthocephala Epicauta xanthomeros Epicauta xantusi Kaszab, 1952Epicauta yungana Denier, 1935Epicauta zebra Epicauta zischakai Martínez, 1955