Dytiscidae

"Water tiger" redirects here. For the mythical Chinese creature, see shuihu.

Dytiscidae
Temporal range: Late Jurassic–Recent
"Cybister lateralimarginalis"
Cybister lateralimarginalis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Adephaga
Superfamily: Dytiscoidea
Family: Dytiscidae
Leach, 1815
Subfamilies

The Dytiscidae – based on the Greek dytikos (δυτικός), "able to dive" – are the predaceous diving beetles, a family of water beetles. They occur in virtually any freshwater habitat around the world, but a few species live among leaf litter.[1] The adults of most are between 1 and 2.5 cm (0.4–1.0 in) long, though much variation is seen between species. The European Dytiscus latissimus and Brazilian Megadytes ducalis are the largest, reaching up to 4.5 and 4.75 cm (1.8 and 1.9 in) respectively.[1][2] In contrast, the smallest is likely the Australian Limbodessus atypicali of subterranean waters, which only is about 0.9 mm (0.035 in) long.[1] Most are dark brown, blackish, or dark olive in color with golden highlights in some subfamilies. The larvae are commonly known as water tigers due to their voracious appetite.[3] They have short, but sharp mandibles and immediately upon biting, they deliver digestive enzymes into prey to suck their liquefied remains. The family includes more than 4,000 described species in numerous genera.[4]

  1. ^ a b c G.N. Foster; D.T. Bilton (2014). "The Conservation of Predaceous Diving Beetles: Knowns, Unknowns and Anecdotes". In D.A. Yee (ed.). Ecology, Systematics, and the Natural History of Predaceous Diving Beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). Springer. pp. 437–462. ISBN 978-94-017-9109-0.
  2. ^ "Dytiscidae - Hurdan, the answer engine". Archived from the original on 2015-05-21. Retrieved 2015-05-19.
  3. ^ G.C. McGavin (2010). Insects. Dorling Kindersley. pp. 86–87. ISBN 978-1-4053-4997-0.
  4. ^ Nilsson, A.N. (2013). "A World Catalogue of the Family Dytiscidae, or the Diving Beetles (Coleoptera, Adephaga)" (PDF). University of Umeå. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.