Explanation of Names
Dytiscus verticalis Say, 1823
Size
adult body length 33-38 mm
larva to about 50 mm
Identification
Adult: pronotum with yellow border on lateral margins only; yellow lateral margin of elytra continues as an oblique line across apex; two tibial spurs on hindleg are approximately equal in size
Range
ne NA - northeastern United States and southeastern Canada from Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan
Habitat
permanent or temporary freshwater ponds and pools
Season
adults from March to November
Food
larvae and adults prey on fish larvae, mosquito larvae, other aquatic invertebrates, and sometimes tadpoles and salamanders
Life Cycle
one generation per year; overwinters as an adult in permanent waters
Remarks
North Carolina State U. has 7 specimens in their
collection but none were collected in North Carolina.
Florida State Collection of Arthropods
list of Dytiscidae has no
Dytiscus species.
Oklahoma State University has 2
D. verticalis specimens in
their collection but there is no indication that the specimens were collected in Oklahoma.
See Also
other
Dystiscus species have a yellow band across the anterior - and usually posterior - margin of the pronotum (see
images of 9 species at U. of Alberta)
Cybister fimbriolatus lacks oblique yellow line across apex of elytra, and the outer tibial spur on the hindleg is larger and broader than the inner spur (whereas in
Dytiscus species, both spurs are about equal in size)
Internet References
live adult image and other info (U. of Michigan)
common name reference and other info (enature.com)
distribution in Canada; PDF doc list of provinces (D.J. Larson and R.E. Roughley, Checklist of Beetles of Canada and Alaska)
Contributed by
Robin McLeod on 12 November, 2006 - 10:20am
Additional contributions by
Mike QuinnLast updated 28 July, 2017 - 12:06pm