Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Water Scavenger and Clown Beetles (Hydrophiloidea) » Water Scavenger Beetles (Hydrophilidae) » Hydrochara

Genus Hydrochara

Water Scavenger Beetle - Hydrochara soror

Water Scavenger Beetle - Hydrochara obtusata

Unknown Predatious Aquatic Insect Larvae - Hydrochara

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

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

Superfamily Hydrophiloidea (Water Scavenger and Clown Beetles)

Family Hydrophilidae (Water Scavenger Beetles)

Genus Hydrochara

Explanation of Names

Author of genus is Berthold, 1827. From Greek hydro, water, plus Greek chara (χαρα), joy, happiness (Internet searches).

Numbers

Nearctica.com lists 8 species.

Size

12-19 mm

Identification

Medium-sized water scavengers with spine (prosternal process) on underside. Compare Hydrobiomorpha, larger Hydrophilus, and smaller Tropisternus. On underside, spine extending rearward from keel does not project past hind coxae. Male more oval shaped, female more obtuse. See print references.

Species-level identification is challenging, and there have been some fairly recent changes in taxonomy. (For example, several species have been split out from Hydrochara obtusata.) See Ciegler (1) and comments on images in this genus.

Range

Includes eastern North America. Genus is also found in Old World.

Habitat

Ponds, streams, ditches, salt marshes. May be collected (overwintering?) from under stones and logs near streams. Come to lights during the summer.

Season

February-November (H. soror, South Carolina)

Food

Scavenger on dead plant (and animal?) material, or predatory, presumably. Larvae predatory?

Life Cycle

Attracted to lights.

See Also

Hydrobiomorpha, Hydrophilus

Compare also large predaceous diving beetles, such as Dytiscus, Cybister

Print References

Ciegler, Water Beetles of South Carolina, pp. 119-120, fig. 6.61. (1)

Dillon, p. 166, plate XVII--H. obtusata (2)

Brimley, p. 133 (3)

Internet References

Hydrophilidae of Mississippi--illustration

Insects of Cedar Creek--H. obtusata

North Carolina State University Entomology lists H. obtusata (125 pinned), and H. soror (15 pinned) for that state. Ciegler (above) discusses ideas on taxonomy, H. obtusata restricted to northern US.

Hydrophilidae of Michigan--lists five species

Works Cited

1.	Water Beetles of South Carolina By Janet Ciegler

2.	A Manual of Common Beetles of Eastern North America By Dillon, Elizabeth S., and Dillon, Lawrence

3.	Insects of North Carolina By C.S. Brimley

Contributed by Cotinis on 8 January, 2005 - 1:45pm
Last updated 22 December, 2007 - 9:55am

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