orange-and-black diving beetle - Neoporus

Moved

Moved from Bidessus.

… Robin McLeod, 23 January, 2007 - 2:02am

dytiscid

This is a Neoporus; it is not a Uvarus (Uvarus are half that size and look nothing like this beetle). There are about 40 species of Neoporus in North America; they are VERY difficult to identify to species!!!!

… J. H. Epler, 22 January, 2007 - 3:33pm

Thanks, J.H.

It seems I was fooled by the cited dimensions and the appearance of the photo labeled Uvarus at U. of Massachusetts, and the photos "d" and "e" labeled Uvarus at U. of Michigan. Are those specimens misidentified?

The situation with Bidessus and Uvarus is confusing at ITIS.
They list Bidessus granarius (Aube) and B. lacustris (Say) as both valid
and list Uvarus granarius (Aube) and U. lacustris (Say) as both valid
so I don't know what's happening there.

I'm also not clear on the status of Neoporus. The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (which claims to follow the classification used in American Beetles) lists Hydroporus species but not Neoporus. And both the Beetles of Florida and Beetles of Canada and Alaska list Neoporus as a subgenus of Hydroporus. Is Neoporus now a full genus?

… Robin McLeod, 23 January, 2007 - 3:07am

Uvarus

Sorry to take so long to respond to your question of 23 Jan - YIKES!
Bidessus granarius is an old name that is not valid; the species was first described by Aube in 1838 as "Hydroporus granarius". B. lacustris is also an incorrect name. Bidessus is a genus confined to Europe and Africa. Many of our species were at one time considered to belong to Bidessus, but that was cleared up decades ago. Don't trust ITIS!!

The beetle "identified" as Uvarus on the U of Mass pager is NOT a Uvarus; it appears to be Neoporus clypealis. The beetles on the U of Michigan page are Neoporus. Good news: the Coptotomus is that genus!

Neoporus was once considered a subgenus of Hydroporus; it is now given full genus status. Many of the subgenera or species groups of the old Hydroporus are now considered full genera: Heterosternuta, Hydrocolus, Sanfilippodytes, Lioporeus, Neoporus, Stictotarsus and good ol' Hydroporus. Stay tuned; there will probably be more changes.

If one really wants to be serious about identifying dytiscid beetles, one MUST obtain: Larson, D.J., Alarie, Y. and Roughley, R.E. 2000. Predaceous Diving Beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) of the Nearctic Region, with emphasis on the fauna of Canada and Alaska. National Research Council of Canada Research Press, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 982 pp. ISBN 0-660-17967-9

Do NOT use Downie and Arnett!!

Also, I'd suggest checking my web page periodically for beetle news, and note some of my other links.

… J. H. Epler, 5 August, 2008 - 2:14pm

Thanks a lot

for that info; very good to know.

… Robin McLeod, 7 August, 2008 - 9:37pm