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Subfamily Dytiscinae

Diver #15 - Hydaticus bimarginatus - female

Dytiscus marginicollis? - Dytiscus marginicollis

Dytiscus beetle - Dytiscus dauricus - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Adephaga

Family Dytiscidae (Predaceous Diving Beetles)

Subfamily Dytiscinae

Numbers

~40 spp. in 6 genera of 4 tribes in our area, >250 spp. in 12 genera of 5 tribes total(1)

Size

8-40 mm (Nearctic species)

Identification

Adults:

Eyes unnotched at antennal bases

scutellum visible

male protarsomeres 1-3 modified to form a broad oval palette, often with suckers on the ventral surface (used to grasp the female during mating)

Larvae:

Anterior margin of the clypeus (frontoclypeus) is rounded

anteroventral margin of femur and tibia with a fringe of swimming hairs

abdominal segments 7 and 8 fringed laterally with swimming hairs

Remarks

These beetles store up toxins as a poisonous milk in the prothoracic glands. Predators are sickened and throw up the beetle. Fish that eat this beetle fall into a narcotic state.(2)

Works Cited

1.	A World Catalogue of the Family Dytiscidae, or the Diving Beetles (Coleoptera, Adephaga) Nilsson and Hajek. 2019. Distributed by authors.

2.	Introduction to Ecological Biochemistry J.B. Harborne. 1993. Academic Press Limited.

Contributed by Tim Loh on 8 February, 2009 - 1:12am
Additional contributions by v belov, Marci Hess
Last updated 7 October, 2023 - 11:19am

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