Ilybius

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Ilybius: /ɪˈlɪbi.əs/

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Summary

Ilybius is a genus of predatory aquatic beetles, part of the family Dytiscidae, with a presence in the Holarctic and Oriental regions. They are characterized by their size and role as predators in freshwater ecosystems, with various species exhibiting different reproductive strategies based on geographic location.

Physical Characteristics

5.3-14.5 mm in length; large predatory aquatic beetles.

Identification Tips

Look for species in the former erichsoni and opacus groups for North American representatives.

Habitat

Mostly found in standing water with abundant emergent vegetation year-round; most often seen in spring and summer.

Distribution

Widespread in the Holarctic and Oriental regions; absent from the Gulf States in North America.

Diet

Predatory, feeding primarily on other aquatic organisms.

Life Cycle

Univoltine (larvae overwinter, pupate in spring, adults mate and lay eggs in summer) or semivoltine (adults overwinter and lay eggs the following summer); semivoltine predominates in the north.

Reproduction

Adults mate in the summer and lay eggs in standing freshwater.

Predators

Unknown; can secrete hormones that may affect mammalian predators, though the purpose is not fully understood.

Ecosystem Role

As predatory beetles, they help regulate the populations of aquatic organisms and contribute to the aquatic food web.

Collecting Methods

• Light trapping
• Dip netting in freshwater habitats

Preservation Methods

• Ethanol preservation for molecular studies
• Dry preservation for museum collections

Evolution

Large genus with ~70 recognized species, indicating a diverse evolutionary history within predatory beetles.

Similar Taxa

• Dytiscus
• Agabus

Tags

• beetles
• aquatic
• predators
• coleoptera