Abstract

Tutankhamun Sawiris Al-Fayed

The Meloidae (blister or oil beetles) are widely distributed in the world. They have serious impacts, whether agronomic, veterinary or medical. The present review discussed several aspects in the behavioral ecology of Meloidae. The sexual behavior phases varied among meloid species including searching for mate, approaching and some physical contacts ending in mating. Cantharidin usually be employed as a nuptial gift in the courtship. Courtship may be repeated and the assortative mating may be taken place. Mate-guarding was, also, recorded for certain species. The present work comprehensively reviewed, also, the feeding tactics, defensive measures and cleaning antennae among the non-sexual behavioral patterns of Meloidae. An intensive attention was paid to the phoresy behavior focusing on triungulin structural adaptation for phoresy, scenarios of phoresy and phoresy as dispersal way as well as a taxonomic tool. The uses of sexual and egg-laying behavior in the systematics of Meloidae had been presented.