Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Family Dytiscidae - Predaceous Diving Beetles

Diver #2 - Ilybius biguttulus Agabus punctulatus Aubé - Agabus punctulatus - male Diving Beetle Larva 3 - Dytiscus Laccophilus Larva - Laccophilus Small Diving Beetle Celina - Celina hubbelli Male, sunburst diving beetle? - Thermonectus marmoratus - male Agabus semipunctatus - male
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Adephaga
Family Dytiscidae (Predaceous Diving Beetles)
Other Common Names
Larvae are commonly known as "water tigers"
Explanation of Names
Dytiscidae Leach 1815
Numbers
>510 spp. in 66 genera of 10 subgamilies in our area, ~4,500 spp. in ~190 genera of 11 subgamilies total(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)
Size
1.2-40 mm
Identification
Adults with long hairs on hind tibiae and other modifications for swimming; move their hind legs together like oars, like Backswimmers do. Other aquatic beetles (e.g., Hydrophilidae) move their legs alternately(6)
For further identification see(4)(7)(2)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)
Family DYSTICIDAE (Adapted from(4))
Subfamily COPELATINAE
Copelatus Erichson 1832

Subfamily HYDRODYTINAE
Hydrodytes Miller 2001

Subfamily LACCOPHILINAE
Agabetes Crotch 1873

Laccophilus Leach 1817

Laccodytes Regimbart 1895

Subfamily HYDROPORINAE
Tribe Methlini
Celina Aubé 1837

Tribe Hydrovatini
Hydrovatus Motschulsky 1853

Tribe Vatellini
Derovatellus Fall 1932

Vatellus Aubé 1837

Tribe Bidessini
Comaldessus Spangler & Barr 1995

Uvarus Guignot 1939

Brachyvatus Zimmerman 1919

Anodocheilus Babington 1841

Bidessonotus Regimbart 1895

Crinodessus Miller 1997

Neoclypeodytes Young 1967

Neobidessus Young 1967

Liodessus Guignot 1939

Tribe Laccornini
Laccornis Gozis 1914

Tribe Hyphydrini
Desmopachria Babington 1841

Boreonectes Angus 2010

Clarkhydrus Fery & Ribera 2018

Coelambus Thomson 1860

*Ereboporus Miller, Gibson & Alarie 2009
Haedeoporus Young and Longley 1976

Heterosternuta Strand 1935

Hydrocolus Roughley & Larson 2000

Hydroporus Clairville 1806

Hygrotus Stephens 1839

Lioporeus Guignot 1950

Neoporus Guignot 1931

Oreodytes Seidlitz 1887

Sanfilippodytes Franciscolo 1979

Nebrioporus Regimbart 1906

Stygoporus Larson & LaBonte 1994

Tribe Pachydrini
Pachydrus Sharp 1882

Subfamily MATINAE
Matus Aubé 1836

Subfamily COLYMBETINAE
Colymbetes Clairville 1806

Hoperius Fall 1927

Neoscutopterus Balfour-Browne 1943

Rhantus Dejean 1883

Subfamily AGABINAE
Agabinus Crotch 1873

Agabus Leach 1817

Hydrotrupes Sharp 1882

Ilybiosoma Crotch 1873

Ilybius Erichson 1832

Platambus Thomson 1859

Subfamily COPTOTOMINAE
Coptotomus Say 1885

Subfamily CYBISTRINAE
Tribe Cybistrini
Megadytes Sharp 1882

Cybister Curtis 1827

Subfamily DYTISCINAE
Tribe Dytiscini
Dytiscus Linnaeus 1758

Tribe Acilini
Acilius Leach 1817

Thermonectus Dejean 1837

Graphoderus Dejean 1833

Tribe Hydaticini
Hydaticus Leach 1817

Tribe Eretini
Eretes Laporte 1833
Range
worldwide and throughout NA
Remarks
phylogeny based on larval characters proposed in(15)
See Also
Works Cited
1.Diving beetles of the world: systematics and biology of the Dytiscidae
Miller K.B., Bergsten J. 2016. JHU Press. 336 pp.
2.American Beetles, Volume I: Archostemata, Myxophaga, Adephaga, Polyphaga: Staphyliniformia
Arnett, R.H., Jr., and M. C. Thomas. (eds.). 2000. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL.
3.Order Coleoptera Linnaeus, 1758. In: Zhang Z.-Q. (ed.) Animal biodiversity: An outline of higher-level classification...
Ślipiński S.A., Leschen R.A.B., Lawrence J.F. 2011. Zootaxa 3148: 203–208.
4.Predaceous Diving Beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) of the Nearctic Region, with emphasis on the fauna of Canada and Alaska
D.J. Larson, Y. Alarie, and R.E. Roughley. 2001. NRC 43253.
5.A World Catalogue of the Family Dytiscidae, or the Diving Beetles (Coleoptera, Adephaga)
Nilsson and Hajek. 2019. Distributed by authors.
6.Introduction to North American Beetles
Charles S. Papp. 1984. Entomography Pubns.
7.Aquatic Insects of North America
R. W. Merritt, K. W. Cummins, M.B. Berg. 2008. Kendall/Hunt.
8.Freshwater macroinvertebrates of Northeastern North America
Peckarsky, B. L., P. Fraissinet, M. A. Penton, and D. J. Conklin, Jr. 1990. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.
9.Staines C.L. () Family Dytiscidae (Predaceous Diving Beetles) - Biodiversity of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
10.Water Beetles of South Carolina
Janet Ciegler. 2003. Clemson University.
11.Identification manual for the water beetles of Florida
John H. Epler. 1996. FL Dept. Environ. Protection, Tallahassee, FL. 257 pp.
12.Bright E. (2002-2011) Aquatic Insects of Michigan
13.Clifford H.F. (1991) Aquatic invertebrates of Alberta
14.World Catalogue of Insects. Vol. 3: Dytiscidae (Coleoptera).
Nilsson, A.N. 2004. Apollo Books, Stenstrup.
15.Higher-level phylogeny of diving beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) based on larval characters
Michat M.C., Alarie Y., Miller K.B. 2017. Syst. Entomol. 10.1111/syen.12243: 1-34.