Family Elmidae - Riffle Beetles

Classification · Explanation of Names · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Canterbury River elmid - Macronychus glabratus

Comal Springs Riffle Beetle - Heterelmis comalensis

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)

Superfamily Byrrhoidea (Pill, Water and Toe-winged Beetles)

Family Elmidae (Riffle Beetles)

Explanation of Names

Family name based on genus Elmis Latreille, 1802.

A reference to Saint Elmo, patron saint of sailors, for their aquatic associations? Seems unlikely to be connected to the tree, Elm (Ulmus). The usual sources, such as The Century Dictionary (1), do not give an etymology.

Print References

The Century Dictionary, entries for Elmis, Elmidae (1)

American Beetles, Vol. 2, Chapter 43 (2)

Internet References

Australian Faunal Directory--good discussion of nomenclature

Aquatic dryopoid beetles (Coleoptera) of the United States. EPA Water Pollution Control Research Series 600D76001 , Brown, H.P. 1976

Works Cited

1.	The Century Dictionary: an encyclopedic lexicon of the English language

2.	American Beetles, Volume II: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea By Arnett, R.H., Jr., M. C. Thomas, P. E. Skelley and J. H. Frank. (eds.)

Contributed by Phillip Harpootlian on 25 July, 2005 - 10:48am
Additional contributions by cotinis, Tim Moyer
Last updated 16 August, 2008 - 8:52am

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