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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Adephaga » Predaceous Diving Beetles (Dytiscidae)

Family Dytiscidae - Predaceous Diving Beetles

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Remarks · See Also · Works Cited

Male, sunburst diving beetle? - Thermonectus marmoratus - 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

see Dytiscus

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

Tribe Hydroporini

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

Tribe Colymbetini

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

Hydrophilidae

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.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Robin McLeod, Phillip Harpootlian, Mike Quinn, Tim Moyer, Robert Lord Zimlich, t.loh, v belov, KenW, dvoribird, mpintar
Last updated 6 June, 2023 - 7:02pm

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