Thelyphassa lineata
| Thelyphassa lineata | |
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| Species: | lineata
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| Binomial name | |
| Thelyphassa lineata (Fabricius, 1775)
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Thelyphassa lineata, known commonly as the striped lax beetle, is a species of false blister beetle endemic to New Zealand.[1]
Description
[edit]Adults of the species are 15 mm long. The body is a golden-brown colour with two black stripes along either side of the abdomen and a single black stripe along the pronotum.[1][2]
Behaviour & Diet
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The grub of this species live in rotten forest logs. Adults are thought to feed on pollen and nectar.[1][2]
Toxicology
[edit]The striped lax beetle secretes Cantharidin, a burn agent that causes skin blisters on contact.[1] This was first observed in the late 1980s when 74 personnel from the New Zealand Army reported blistered skin after coming into contact with the species.[3]
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thelyphassa lineata.
- ^ a b c d "T.E.R:R.A.I.N - Taranaki Educational Resource: Research, Analysis and Information Network - Beetle (Lax) Striped (Thelyphassa lineata) ". www.terrain.net.nz. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
- ^ a b "Striped lax beetle". Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
- ^ Christmas, T. I.; Nicholls, D.; Holloway, B. A.; Greig, D. (1987-08-26). "Blister beetle dermatosis in New Zealand". The New Zealand Medical Journal. 100 (830): 515–517. ISSN 0028-8446. PMID 3330591.