NRE 516 - Aquatic Entomology

Introduction and General Characteristics / Recent Synonomies / Classification of Coleoptera / List of Taxa Presented / References

Lab Notes for the aquatic Coleoptera - “Beetles”

Introduction and General Characteristics

Coleoptera is the largest of the insect orders. Although largely terrestrial, there are about 5,000 aquatic species in about 15 diverse families, 10 of which have adult and larval stages in aquatic environments. Three families have aquatic larvae but terrestrial adults, and two families have terrestrial larvae but aquatic adults. Most common in lentic habitats, a few families are principally lotic. Coleopterans are both primary consumers and predators. Their habitats are also attractive to fish and birds, thus we usually do not find coleopterans in high densities.

Adults are characterized by heavy scleritization and an elytra (sclerotized forewing that shields the metathoracic wing). Antennae segments normally are short, with a maximum of 10-11 segments. Larval morphology is extremely variable, but generally have sclerotized head capsules, short antennae (2-3 segments), and no hind prolegs.

The two major suborders in Michigan are Adephaga and Polyphaga. The former have larvae with 5 tarsal segments, and generally 2 moveable tarsal claws per leg. Adults are generally smooth and shiny ventrally, air is carried under the elytra, and a tip at the posterior end of the body to take in air. The postcoxal processes generally are well-developed and long. Polyphaga larvae have tarsi with 4 segments, 1 tarsal claw per leg fused to the tarsi. Adults generally have a thick, hydrofuge pile on sterna 1 and 2. Air is stored under the elytra and thorax, and these beetles break the water surface with their head and collect air with their shoulders.

Introduction and General Characteristics / Recent Synonomies / Classification of Coleoptera / List of Taxa Presented / References

Recent Synonomies

Ptilodactylidae = Dascillidae
Heterosternuta = Hydroporus (part)
Lioporeus = Hydroporus (part)
Neoporus = Hydroporus (part)
Sanfilippodytes = Hydroporus (part)
Stictotarsus = Deronectes (part)
Nebrioporus = Deronectes (part)

Introduction and General Characteristics / Recent Synonomies / Classification of Coleoptera / List of Taxa Presented / References

Classification of Families and Subfamilies of Aquatic Coleoptera (modified from Lawrence and Newton 1995)

Introduction and General Characteristics / Recent Synonomies / Classification of Coleoptera / List of Taxa Presented / References

List of Taxa Presented

You must be able to identify in a lab exam the following taxa, larvae to genus, adults to family, either by sight or using a taxonomic resource. Taxa denoted in blue are to be identified by sight, those in black are taxa to be identified using any resource you wish within a set period of time (e.g., 1 minute). (Taxa that are blank will not be presented during an exam).

Introduction and General Characteristics / Recent Synonomies / Classification of Coleoptera / List of Taxa Presented / References

Useful References

• Arnett RN. 1960. The beetles of the United States. Catholic University America press: Washington, D.C.
• Bertrand HPI. 1972. Larves et nymphes des Coléoptères aquatiques du globe. Henri Bertrand, Paris.
• Beutel RG, Haas F. 2000. Phylogenetic relationships of the suborders of Coleoptera (Insecta). Cladistics 16:103-141.
• Brown HP. 1972. Aquatic dryopoid beetles (Coleoptera) of the United States. Biota of Freshwater Ecosystems Identification manual No. 6. Washington, D.C., U.S. EPA.
• Brown HP, White DS. 1978. Notes on separation and identification of North American riffle beetles (Coleoptera: Dryopoidea: Elmidae). Entomological news 89:1-13.
• Finni GR, Skinner BA. 1975. The Elmidae and Dryopidae (Coleoptera: Dryopoidea) of Indiana. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 48:388-395.
• Galewski K. 1986. Generic characters of third stage larvae of hydroporinae (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae) with a key to European genera. Pol. Pismo. Entomol. 55:45-54.
• Hicks BJ, Larson DJ. 2000. Descriptions and recognition of larvae of some northern North American species of Ilybius Erichson (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 54(1): 36-59.
• Holland DG. 1972. A key to the larvae, pupae and adults of the British species of Elminthidae. Freshwater Biological Association Science Publication 26.
• Kavanaugh DH. 1986. A systematic review of amphizoid beetles (Amphizoidae: Coleoptera) and their phylogenetic relationships to other Adephaga. Proceedings of the California Academy of Science 44:67-109.
• Larson DJ. 1975. The predaceous water beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) of Alberta: systematics, natural history and distribution. Quaestionnes Entomologicas 11:245-498.
• Larson DJ, Alarie Y, Roughley RE. 2000. Predaceous diving beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) of the Nearctic region, with emphasis on the fauna of Canada and Alaska. NRC Research Press, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 982 pp.
• Lawrence JF, Newton AF. 1995. Families and subfamilies of Coleoptera (with selected genera, notes, references and data on family-group names), pp. 779-1006 in Biology, phylogeny, and classification of Coleoptera: Papers celebrating the 80th birthday of Roy A. Crowson. J. Pakaluk and S. A. Slipinski (eds.). Museum i Instytut Zoologii PAN: Warszawa, Poland.
• LeSage L, Harper PP. 1976. Description de numphes d'Elmindae néarctiques (Coléoptères). Canadian Journal of Zoology 54:65-73.
• Miller KB. 1998. Revision of the Nearctic Liodessus affinis (Say 1823) species group (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae, Hydroporinae, Bidessini). Entomologica Scandinavica 29(3): 281-314.
• Ruhnau S. 1986. Phylogenetic relations within the Hydradephage (Coleoptera) using larval and pupal characters. Entomologica Basiliense 11:231-271.
• Smetana A. 1988. Review of the family Hydrophilidae of Canada and Alaska (Coleoptera). Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada 142:1-316.
• Stribling J. B. 1986. Revision of Anchytarsus (Coleoptera: Dryopoidea) and a key to the New World Ptilodactylidae. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 79:219-234.
• Testa III, S, Lago PK. 1995. The aquatic Hydrophilidae (Coleoptera) of Mississippi. Department of Information Services, Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University.
• Willson RB. 1967. The Hydrophilidae of Michigan with keys to species of the Great Lakes Region. M.S. Thesis, Michigan State University. 100 pp.
• Wolfe GW, Zimmerman JR. 1984. Sensilla, punctuation, reticulation and body shape in the Hydroporinae (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology 13:373-387.
• Wooldridge DP. 1967. The aquatic Hydrophilidae of Illinois. Illinois State Academy of Sciences 60:422-431.
• Young FN. 1954. The water beetles of Florida. University of Florida Press: Gainesville, Florida.
• Young DK, Stribling JB. 1990. Systematics of the North American Cyphon collaris species complex with the description of a new species (Coleoptera: Scirtidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 92(2):194-204

Page created: March 19, 2001 (EB)
Page last edited: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 (EB)