Lytta sublaevis

(Horn, 1868)

Lytta sublaevis is a of blister beetle in the Meloidae. It is found in North America. The species was described by Horn in 1868 and belongs to the Lytta, which contains numerous species of -producing beetles. Like other members of its genus, it possesses chemical defenses that can cause skin irritation in humans.

Lytta sublaevis by (c) Alan Rockefeller, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alan Rockefeller. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Lytta sublaevis: /ˈlɪtə səˈblɛvɪs/

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Distribution

North America. The has been recorded in the western United States based on museum holdings, with specimens in the Entomology Research Museum at the University of California, Riverside.

Human Relevance

Like all blister beetles in the Lytta, this produces , a potent vesicant compound that can cause blistering of human skin upon contact. The defensive secretion is released when the is crushed or handled roughly.

More Details

Museum Holdings

The Entomology Research Museum at the University of California, Riverside holds 51 specimens of Lytta (Poreospasta) sublaevis (Horn) as of April 2010, indicating it is a documented though not exceptionally common in collections.

Subgeneric Classification

Lytta sublaevis is placed in the subgenus Poreospasta within Lytta, a grouping of North American characterized by particular morphological features of the pronotum and .