Bidessini

Sharp, 1880

Genus Guides

Bidessini is a tribe of predaceous diving beetles within the Dytiscidae, comprising at least 40 and over 630 described . Members are small to minute aquatic beetles found across diverse freshwater worldwide, with notable radiations in Australia, South America, and Madagascar. The tribe includes both surface-dwelling (epigean) and subterranean (stygobitic) species, with several genera exhibiting convergent adaptations to groundwater environments.

Uvarus falli by (c) Matthew Pintar, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matthew Pintar. Used under a CC-BY license.

Neobidessus pullus by (c) Matthew Pintar, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matthew Pintar. Used under a CC-BY license.

Neoclypeodytes cinctellus by (c) Even Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Even Dankowicz. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Bidessini: //bɪˈdɛsɪnaɪ//

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Images

Habitat

Members of Bidessini occupy diverse freshwater including small streams, creeks, pools of intermittent rivers, billabongs, peatland pools, and hygropetric habitats. Several contain stygobitic adapted to subterranean groundwater systems, particularly in Australia and South Africa.

Distribution

Bidessini has a distribution with documented on all continents except Antarctica. Notable regional radiations include Australia (with such as Neobidessodes, Limbodessus, and Petrodessus), South America (including the genera Hemibidessus and Miradessus), Madagascar (endemic genus Pachynectes), and South Africa (endemic genus Sharphydrus).

Similar Taxa

HydroporiniBoth are tribes within Hydroporinae; Bidessini can be distinguished by the absence of the primary pore ABc in larvae, which is a synapomorphy of Bidessini.