Pyrotini
Guides
Pyrota
Pyrota is a genus of blister beetles in the family Meloidae, comprising at least 30 described species. The genus is characterized by complex and highly distinctive courtship behavior involving prolonged physical contact between sexes. Males alternate between mounting above females for dorsal acts (palpation, dorsal antennation, rocking) and positioning behind them for posterior acts (leg grasp, palpal insertion beneath elytra, lifting female body, posterior antennation, abdominal curvature and stroke, genital hold). Adults exhibit little aggressive behavior and copulate in a linear position for extended periods with abdominal pumping by the male. Some species show extreme size dimorphism between mating individuals.
Pyrota akhurstiana
Pyrota akhurstiana is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, tribe Pyrotini. The species was described by Horn in 1891 and is known from North America. Like other members of the genus Pyrota, it likely exhibits aposematic coloration and possesses the chemical defense compound cantharidin characteristic of meloid beetles.
Pyrota invita
Pyrota invita is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, described by George Henry Horn in 1885. The species is found in North America and belongs to the tribe Pyrotini, a group characterized by aposematic coloration and the production of cantharidin, a toxic defensive compound. As with other Pyrota species, it exhibits the typical meloid body plan with soft, flexible elytra and thread-like antennae.
Pyrota limbalis
Pyrota limbalis is a species of blister beetle (family Meloidae) in the tribe Pyrotini. Like other members of the genus, it belongs to a group of meloid beetles characterized by aposematic coloration and association with flowers. The species name 'limbalis' refers to marginal features, likely of the elytra or pronotum. It is one of approximately 30 described species in the genus Pyrota, which occurs primarily in the Americas.
Pyrota mutata
Pyrota mutata is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, tribe Pyrotini. The species was historically known as Pyrota germari, but this synonymy has been rejected and P. mutata is now the accepted name. As a member of the blister beetle family, it possesses the characteristic chemical defense system based on cantharidin. The genus Pyrota is distributed in the Americas, with species recorded from both North and South America.
Pyrota nigrovittata
Side-spoted Pyrota
Pyrota nigrovittata is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, described by Selander. The species epithet refers to the black longitudinal stripes (nigro- = black, vittata = banded/striped) characteristic of many Pyrota species. As a member of the tribe Pyrotini, it shares the general morphology of the genus: soft-bodied, elongate beetles with thread-like antennae and often striking color patterns that may serve aposematic functions. The genus Pyrota exhibits notable size variability among individuals, with some species showing extreme sexual size dimorphism during mating aggregations.
Pyrota obliquefascia
Pyrota obliquefascia is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, tribe Pyrotini. The genus Pyrota includes approximately 30 species distributed primarily in North and Central America, with many species exhibiting bright aposematic coloration. Members of this genus are known for extreme size variability between sexes and the production of cantharidin, a toxic defensive compound. The specific epithet 'obliquefascia' refers to an oblique band or stripe pattern on the elytra.
Pyrota perversa
Pyrota perversa is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, native to North America. Like other members of the genus Pyrota, it likely exhibits aposematic coloration and possesses chemical defenses based on cantharidin, a toxic compound characteristic of the family. The species was described by Dillon in 1952. Specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented in published sources.
Pyrota plagiata
Pyrota plagiata is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, tribe Pyrotini. The species was described by Haag-Rutenberg in 1880. It occurs in Central America and North America. Like other Pyrota species, it likely exhibits aposematic coloration typical of the genus. Museum records indicate substantial specimen holdings (106 specimens at the Entomology Research Museum, UC Riverside), suggesting it is not uncommon within its range.
Pyrota riherdi
Pyrota riherdi is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, tribe Pyrotini. It was described by Dillon in 1952. The genus Pyrota comprises approximately 40 species distributed primarily in North and Central America, with most species occurring in arid and semi-arid regions. Members of this genus are characterized by their often striking color patterns, typically involving orange or reddish elytra with contrasting dark markings. Like other meloid beetles, Pyrota species are known for their production of cantharidin, a toxic defensive compound.
Pyrota sinuata
Pyrota sinuata is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by Olivier in 1795. Like other members of the genus Pyrota, it is found in North America. The genus Pyrota is characterized by distinctive color patterns often involving orange, black, and white markings, and species within this genus are known to feed on flowers of Asteraceae. As with all meloid beetles, P. sinuata produces cantharidin, a toxic defensive compound that deters predators.
Pyrota trochanterica
Arizona Trochanter Blister Beetle
Pyrota trochanterica is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, native to the southwestern United States. The species exhibits two recognized subspecies: the nominate P. t. trochanterica and P. t. werneri. Like other members of the genus Pyrota, it possesses aposematic coloration warning of its chemical defenses. The species is known to aggregate on flowers, particularly yellow-flowered shrubs, where mating occurs.