font settings

Font Size: Large | Normal | Small
Font Face: Verdana | Geneva | Georgia

Dytiscidae

(Family)

Overview

[ Back to top ]

Dytiscidae ? based on the Greek dytikos (d?t????), "able to dive" ? are the predaceous diving beetles, a family of water beetles. They are about 25 mm (one inch) long on average, though there is much variation between species. Dytiscus latissimus, the largest[], can grow up to 45 mm long. Most are dark brown, blackish or dark olive in color with golden highlights in some subfamilies. They have short, but sharp mandibles. Immediately upon biting they deliver digestive enzymes. The larvae are commonly known as water tigers. The family has not been comprehensively cataloged since 1920, but is estimated to include about 4,000 species in over 160 genera.

Larvae and development

[ Back to top ]
A predaceous diving beetle larva ("water tiger")

When still in larval form, the beetles vary in size from about 1 to 5 cm (half an inch to two inches). The larvae's bodies are shaped like crescents, with the tail long and covered with thin hairs. Six legs protrude from along the thorax, which also sports the same thin hairs. The head is flat and square, with a pair of long, large pincers. When hunting, they cling to grasses or pieces of wood along the bottom, and hold perfectly still until prey passes by, then they lunge, trapping their soon-to-be-food between their front legs and biting down with its pincers. Their usual prey includes tadpoles and glassworms, among dozens of other smaller water-dwelling creatures.

As soon as the beetles come to the stage in life in which they mature to adulthood, the larva crawl from the water on the sturdy legs, and bury themselve s in the mud for pupation. After about a week, or longer in some species, they emerge from the mud as adults.

Edibility

[ Back to top ]

Adult Dytiscidae, particular of the genus Cybister, are edible. In Mexico, C. explanatus are eaten roasted and salted to accompany tacos. In Japan, C. japonicus is used as food. In the Guangdong Province of China, the latter species as well as C. bengalensis, C. guerini, C. limbatus, C. sugillatus, C. tripunctatus and probably also the well-known Great Diving Beetle Dytiscus marginalis are bred for human consumption, though as they are cumbersome to raise due to the carnivorous habit and have a fairly bland (though apparently not offensive) taste and little meat, this is decreasing. Dytiscidae are reportedly also eaten in Taiwan, Thailand, and New Guinea.[1]

Large but slow o n land and not particularly fierce as adults, they are also eaten with relish by many mid-sized birds, mammals and other larger predators. The larvae are usually safer, due to their camouflage and ability to escape by water jet; they can be quite hard to catch and may become apex predators in small ponds.

Systematics

[ Back to top ]

The following taxonomic sequence gives the subfamilies, their associated tribes, and some notable genera. Note that the Colymbetinae are heavily split up in many treatments, and their monophyly if widely delimited is in doubt.

Subfamily Aubehydrinae

Subfamily Copelatinae

Subfamily Agabetinae

Subfamily Laccophilinae

Subfamily Hydroporinae

Various Dytiscidae, larvae and details.
Hydroporus pubescens (Hydroporinae: Hydroporini)

Subfamily Colymbetinae

Agabus congener of the Agabini, sometimes considered a subfamily

Subfamily Dytiscinae

Cybister japonicus (Dytiscinae: Cybistrini)

Footnotes

[ Back to top ]
  1. ^ De Foliart (2002), J?ch (2003), CSIRO (2004)
>Dytiscidae ? based on the Greek dytikos (d?t????), "able to dive" ? are the predaceous diving beetles, a family of water beetles. They are about 25 mm (one inch) long on average, though there is much variation between species. Dytiscus latissimus, the largest[], can grow up to 45 mm long. Most are dark brown, blackish or dark olive in color with golden highlights in some subfamilies. They have short, but sharp mandibles. Immediately upon biting they deliver digestive enzymes. The larvae are commonly known as water tigers. The family has not been comprehensively cataloged since 1920, but is estimated to include about 4,000 species in over 160 genera.

Larvae and development

[ Back to top ]
A predaceous diving beetle larva ("water tiger")

When still in larval form, the beetles vary in size from about 1 to 5 cm (half an inch to two inches). The larvae's bodies are shaped like crescents, with the tail long and covered with thin hairs. Six legs protrude from along the thorax, which also sports the same thin hairs. The head is flat and square, with a pair of long, large pincers. When hunting, they cling to grasses or pieces of wood along the bottom, and hold perfectly still until prey passes by, then they lunge, trapping their soon-to-be-food between their front legs and biting down with its pincers. Their usual prey includes tadpoles and glassworms, among dozens of other smaller water-dwelling creatures.

As soon as the beetles come to the stage in life in which they mature to adulthood, the larva crawl from the water on the sturdy legs, and bury themselves in the mud for pupation. After abo ut a week, or longer in some species, they emerge from the mud as adults.

Edibility

[ Back to top ]

Adult Dytiscidae, particular of the genus Cybister, are edible. In Mexico, C. explanatus are eaten roasted and salted to accompany tacos. In Japan, C. japonicus is used as food. In the Guangdong Province of China, the latter species as well as C. bengalensis, C. guerini, C. limbatus, C. sugillatus, C. tripunctatus and probably also the well-known Great Diving Beetle Dytiscus marginalis are bred for human consumption, though as they are cumbersome to raise due to the carnivorous habit and have a fairly bland (though apparently not offensive) taste and little meat, this is decreasing. Dytiscidae are reportedly also eaten in Taiwan, Thailand, and New Guinea.[1]

Large but slow on land and not particularly fierce a s adults, they are also eaten with relish by many mid-sized birds, mammals and other larger predators. The larvae are usually safer, due to their camouflage and ability to escape by water jet; they can be quite hard to catch and may become apex predators in small ponds.

Systematics

[ Back to top ]

The following taxonomic sequence gives the subfamilies, their associated tribes, and some notable genera. Note that the Colymbetinae are heavily split up in many treatments, and their monophyly if widely delimited is in doubt.

Subfamily Aubehydrinae

Subfamily Copelatinae

Subfamily Agabetinae

Subfamily Laccophilinae

Subfamily H ydroporinae

Various Dytiscidae, larvae and details.
Hydroporus pubescens (Hydroporinae: Hydroporini)

Subfamily Colymbetinae

Agabus congener of the Agabini, sometimes considered a subfamily
  • Tribe Agabini (sometimes considered a subfamily Agabinae)
    • Agabinus
    • Agabus
    • Agametrus
    • Andonectes
    • Gaurodites
    • Hydrotrupes
    • Ilybiosoma
    • Platambus
  • Tribe Coptotomini (sometimes considered a subfamily Coptotominae)
    • Coptotomus
  • Tribe Matini (sometimes considered a subfamily Matinae)
    • Allomatus
    • Batrachomatus
    • Matus
  • Tribe Colymbetini
    • Carabdytes[verification needed]
    • Colymbetes
    • Hoperius
    • Ilybius
    • Rhantus

Subfamily Dytiscinae

Cybister japonicus (Dytiscinae: Cybistrini)
  • Tribe Dytiscini
    • Dytiscus
    • Hyderodes
  • Tribe Hydaticini
    • Hydaticus
  • Tribe Aciliini
    • Acilius
    • Graphoderus
    • Sandracottus
    • Thermonectus
  • Tribe Eretini
    • Eretes
  • Tribe Cybistrini
    • Austrodytes
    • Cybister
    • Megadytes
    • Onychohydrus
    • Sternhydrus

Footnotes

[ Back to top ]
  1. ^ De Foliart (2002), J?ch (2003), CSIRO (2004)

References

[ Back t o top ]
  • Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research organization (CSIRO) (2004): Water for a Healthy Country - Family Dytiscidae. Version of 2004-JUL-02. Retrieved 2008-AUG-04
  • De Foliart, Gene R. (2002): Chapter 26 - Eastern Asia: China, Japan, and other countries. In: The Human Use of Insects as a Food Resource: A Bibliographic Account in Progress.
  • J?ch, Manfred A. (2003): Fried water beetles Cantonese style. American Entomologist 49(1): 34-37. PDF fulltext
  • Larson, D.J., Alarie, Y., and Roughley, R.E. (2000): Predaceous Diving Beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) of the Nearctic Region, with emphasis on the fauna of Canada and Alaska. NRC Research Press, Ottawa. ISBN 978-0-660-17967-4.

External links

[ Back to top ]

Taxonomy

[ Back to top ]

The Family Dytiscidae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Genera

[ Back to top ]

Acilius

The gens Acilia was a Roman family, or gens, which flourished from the middle of the 3rd century BC until at least the 5th century, a period of seven hundred years. It was probably of plebeian origin, and the first two stirpes to appear were certainly plebeian. The first member of the gens to achieve prominence was Gaius Acilius Glabrio, who was quaestor in 203 and tribune of the plebs in 197 BC. [more]

Acillius

[more]

Africophilus

[more]

Agabetes

[more]

Agabinus

[more]

Agabus

Saint Agabus (Greek: ) or Saint Agabo was an early follower of Christianity mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as a prophet. He is traditionally remembered as one of the Seventy Disciples described in Luke 10:1-24. [more]

Agametrus

[more]

Allodessus

[more]

Allopachria

[more]

Anisomeria

[more]

Anodocheilus

[more]

Antiporus

[more]

Barretthydrus

[more]

Batrachomatus

[more]

Bidessodes

[more]

Bidessonotus

[more]

Bidessus

[more]

Brachyvatus

[more]

Canthyporus

[more]

Carabdytes

[more]

Carabhydrus

[more]

Carrhydrus

[more]

Celina

Celina can refer to: [more]

Chostonectes

[more]

Clypeodytes

[more]

Coelambus

Hygrotus is a genus of in family Dytiscidae. It contains two subgenera (Coelambus and Hygrotus) and about 70 species, including: [more]

Coelhydrus

[more]

Colymbetes

Colymbetes is a genus of beetle native to the Palearctic, including Europe, the Nearctic, the Near East and North Africa. [more]

Comaldessus

[more]

Copelatus

Copelatus is a large genus of small diving beetles. There are some 470 described species in the genus, found worldwide, but they are most diverse in tropical South America, Africa and South-East Asia. [more]

Coptotomus

[more]

Crinodessus

Cybister

[more]

Darwinhydrus

[more]

Deronectes

Deronectes is a genus of in family Dytiscidae. It contains the following species: [more]

Derovatellus

[more]

Desmopachria

[more]

Deuteronectus

[more]

Dytiscus

Dytiscus (great diver) (based on Greek d?t????, "able to dive") is a Holarctic genus of predaceous diving beetles that usually live in wetlands and ponds. There are 26 species in this genus distributed in Europe, Asia, North Africa and North and Central America. They are predators that can reduce mosquito larvae. [more]

Eretes

[more]

Gaurodytes

Gibbidessus

[more]

Graphoderes

Graphoderus

Graphoderus is a genus of in family Dytiscidae native to the Palearctic, including Europe, and the Near East. [more]

Graptobytes

Graptodytes

Graptodytes is a genus of in family Dytiscidae. It contains the following species: [more]

Guignotus

[more]

Gypinus

Haideoporus

[more]

Herophydrus

Heterosternuta

[more]

Hoperius

[more]

Hydaticus

[more]

Hyderodes

[more]

Hydrocolus

[more]

Hydrodytes

Hydroglyphus

Hydropeplus

[more]

Hydroporus

[more]

Hydrotarsus

Hydrotarsus is a genus of in family Dytiscidae. Many include it in Hydroporus today. [more]

Hydrotrupes

[more]

Hydrovatus

[more]

Hygrotus

Hygrotus is a genus of in family Dytiscidae. It contains two subgenera (Coelambus and Hygrotus) and about 70 species, including: [more]

Hyphoporus

[more]

Hyphydrus

[more]

Iberoporus

Iiybius

Ilybiosoma

[more]

Ilybius

[more]

Laccodytes

[more]

Lacconectus

[more]

Laccophilus

[more]

Laccornis

[more]

Lancetes

[more]

Leiodytes

[more]

Leuronectes

Limbodessus

[more]

Liodessus

[more]

Lioporeus

[more]

Macrovatellus

[more]

Matus

[more]

Megadytes

Megadytes is a mainly genus of large diving beetles in family Dytiscidae. It contains the following species: [more]

Megaporus

[more]

Meladema

Meladema is a genus of in family Dytiscidae. It contains the following species (among others): [more]

Melanodytes

Metaporus

Methles

Microdytes

Morimotoa

Nartus

[more]

Nebrioporus

[more]

Necterosoma

Neobidessus

[more]

Neoclypeodytes

[more]

Neonectes

Neoporus

Neoscutopterus

[more]

Neptosternus

Notaticus

Onychohydrus

[more]

Oreodyres

Oreodytes

[more]

Pachydrus

[more]

Paroster

Philodytes

[more]

Platambus

[more]

Porhydrus

[more]

Potamonectes

[more]

Primospes

[more]

Pseuduvarus

[more]

Rhantus

Rhantus is a genus of beetle in family Dytiscidae. [more]

Rhithrodytes

Rhithrodytes is a genus of in family Dytiscidae. It contains the following species: [more]

Sandracottus

Chandragupta Maurya (Sanskrit: Hindi: ??????????? ?????), (born c. 340 BCE, ruled c. 320 BCE, ? 298 BCE) was the founder of the Maurya Empire. He succeeded in conquering most of the Indian subcontinent and is considered the first unifier of India as well as its first genuine emperor. In foreign Greek and Latin accounts, Chandragupta is known as Sandrokyptos (Sa?d????pt??), Sandrokottos (Sa?d????tt??) or Androcottus. [more]

Sanfilippodytes

Scarodytes

[more]

Siettitia

[more]

Sternopriscus

Stictonectes

[more]

Stictotarsus

[more]

Suphrodytes

Thermonectus

[more]

Tyndallhydrus

[more]

Uvarus

[more]

Yola

Yola may mean: [more]

Yolina

[more]

More info about the Genus Yolina may be found here.

References

[ Back to top ]

External links

[ Back to top ]

Footnotes

[ Back to top ]
  1. ^ De Foliart (2002), Jäch (2003), CSIRO (2004)

Sources

[ Back to top ]
Last Revised: August 24, 2012
2012/08/24 13:30:53