Tritoma

{{for|the plant genus|Kniphofia}} {{short description|Genus of beetles}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Tritoma.bipustulata.-.calwer.46.02.jpg |image_caption = ''Tritoma bipustulata'' | taxon = Tritoma | authority = Fabricius, 1775<ref>{{cite journal|title=Opinion 1754. Histoire abrégée des insectes qui se trouvent aux environs de Paris (Geoffroy, 1762): some generic names conserved (Crustacea, Insecta)|author=International Commission On Zoological Nomenclature|journal=Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature|volume= 51|issue=1|pages=58–70|year=1994|url=http://biostor.org/reference/5362}}</ref> }} thumb|''Tritoma sanguinipennis''

'''''Tritoma''''' is a genus of beetles in the family Erotylidae, the pleasing fungus beetles. It is distributed worldwide, mainly in the Old World.<ref name=good>Goodrich, M. A. and C. A. Springer. (1999). [http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1061&context=tnas&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fscholar.google.com%2Fscholar%3Fstart%3D10%26q%3Dgenus%2Btritoma%26hl%3Den%26as_sdt%3D0%2C5#search=%22genus%20tritoma%22 The pleasing fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) of Nebraska.] ''Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences'' 25 53-71.</ref> There are over 100 species.<ref name=good/>

Some species consume euagaric mushrooms, staying concealed amidst the gills as they feed.<ref name=rob/> Some feed on mushrooms growing from dead trees, as well as mycorrhizae on living roots.<ref>Skelly, P. E. [http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in248 Pleasing Fungus Beetles, ''Pseudischyrus'', ''Tritoma'', ''Megalodacne'', ''Ischyrus'' spp. (Insecta: Coleoptera: Erotylidae).] EENY-091. Entomology and Nematology. Florida Cooperative Extension Service. University of Florida IFAS. 1999.</ref> One of the most common pleasing fungus beetles in Europe, ''T. bipustulata'', is a black beetle with red spots which engages in autohaemorrhaging as a defensive behavior.<ref>Drilling, K. and K. Dettner. (2010). [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00049-010-0054-2#page-1 First insights into the chemical defensive system of the erotylid beetle, ''Tritoma bipustulata''.] ''Chemoecology'' 20(4), 243-53.</ref>

Molecular analysis suggests that ''Tritoma'' is paraphyletic, and might be best treated as two separate genera.<ref name=rob>Robertson, J. A., et al. (2004). [http://www.ent.uga.edu/mchugh/Reprints/Robertson,%20McHugh%20and%20Whiting%202004.pdf A molecular phylogenetic analysis of the pleasing fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae): evolution of colour patterns, gregariousness and mycophagy.] ''Systematic Entomology'' 29(2) 173–87.</ref>

==Selected species== {{Div col|colwidth=29em}} * ''Tritoma angulata'' <small>Say, 1826</small><span style="color:gray">^{i c g b}</span> * ''Tritoma atriventris'' <small>LeConte, 1847</small><span style="color:gray">^{i c g b}</span> * ''Tritoma aulica'' <small>(Horn, 1871)</small><span style="color:gray">^{i c g}</span> * ''Tritoma biguttata'' <small>(Say, 1825)</small><span style="color:gray">^{i c g b}</span> * ''Tritoma bipustulata'' <small>Fabricius, 1775</small><span style="color:gray">^g</span> * ''Tritoma erythrocephala'' <small>Lacordaire, 1842</small><span style="color:gray">^{i c g b}</span> * ''Tritoma fasciata'' <small>Chujo, 1941</small><span style="color:gray">^g</span> * ''Tritoma gressitti'' <small>(Chujo, 1968)</small><span style="color:gray">^g</span> * ''Tritoma humeralis'' <small>Fabricius, 1801</small><span style="color:gray">^{i c g b}</span> * ''Tritoma kanekoi'' <small>Araki, 1943</small><span style="color:gray">^g</span> * ''Tritoma metasobrina'' <small>Chujo, 1941</small><span style="color:gray">^g</span> * ''Tritoma mimetica'' <small>(Crotch, 1873)</small><span style="color:gray">^{i c g b}</span> * ''Tritoma pulchra'' <small>Say, 1826</small><span style="color:gray">^{i c g b}</span> (handsome tritoma) * ''Tritoma sanguinipennis'' <small>(Say, 1825)</small><span style="color:gray">^{i c g b}</span> (red-winged tritoma) * ''Tritoma shirakii'' <small>Chujo, 1936</small><span style="color:gray">^g</span> * ''Tritoma subbasalis'' <small>(Reitter, 1896)</small><span style="color:gray">^g</span> * ''Tritoma sungkangensis'' <small>Nakane, 1966</small><span style="color:gray">^g</span> * ''Tritoma taiwana'' <small>Chujo, 1936</small><span style="color:gray">^g</span> * ''Tritoma takasagona'' <small>Chujo, 1941</small><span style="color:gray">^g</span> * ''Tritoma tenebrosa'' <small>Fall, 1912</small><span style="color:gray">^{i c g b}</span> (darkling tritoma) * ''Tritoma unicolor'' <small>Say, 1826</small><span style="color:gray">^{i c g b}</span> * ''Tritoma yamazii'' <small>Chujo, 1941</small><span style="color:gray">^g</span> * ''Tritoma yiei'' <small>Nakane, 1966</small><span style="color:gray">^g</span> {{Div col end}} <small>Data sources: i = ITIS,<ref name=itis/> c = Catalogue of Life,<ref name=catlife/> g = GBIF,<ref name=gbif/> b = Bugguide.net<ref name=bugref/></small>

==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=itis> {{Cite web| title=''Tritoma'' Report | url=https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=696488 | website=Integrated Taxonomic Information System | accessdate=2018-04-25 }}</ref> <ref name=catlife> {{Cite web| title=Browse ''Tritoma'' | url=http://www.catalogueoflife.org/col/browse/tree/id/ba3fff0cde2608e42c7c2f1ed1bd134b | website=Catalogue of Life | accessdate=2018-04-25 }}</ref> <ref name=gbif> {{Cite web| title=''Tritoma'' | url=https://www.gbif.org/species/1042604 | website=GBIF | accessdate=2018-04-25 }}</ref> <ref name=bugref> {{Cite web| title=''Tritoma'' Genus Information | url=https://bugguide.net/node/view/41953 | website=BugGuide.net | accessdate=2018-04-25 }}</ref> }}

==External links== * {{Commons-inline}} * {{Wikispecies-inline}}

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Category:Erotylidae Category:Cucujoidea genera

{{Erotylidae-stub}}