Tropisternus lateralis

(Fabricius, 1775)

Lateral-lined Water Beetle

Species Guides

Tropisternus lateralis is a hydrophilid water with a broad distribution across the Americas, ranging from Canada through the United States, Mexico, and South America to the Caribbean. Studies of T. lateralis nimbatus in Texas playas documented from surrounding aquatic during flood periods, drought avoidance through aerial , and secondary production of 1.31 g/m²/0.25 year. Males of the related subspecies T. lateralis limbalis produce -specific stridulatory sounds used in male-male interactions and possibly mate attraction.

Tropisternus lateralis limbalis by (c) Elliott Gordon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Elliott Gordon. Used under a CC-BY license.

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

Tropisternus lateralis nimbatus by Jacy Lucier. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Tropisternus lateralis: /ˌtroʊpɪsˈtɜrnəs læˈtɛrəlɪs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Habitat

Temporary wetlands (playas) on the Southern High Plains of Texas; broader distribution includes aquatic across the Americas. Colonizes playas from surrounding aquatic habitats during flood periods.

Distribution

Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec), United States, Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Galapagos Islands, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Aruba, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Lesser Antilles; introduced to Hawaiian Islands.

Seasonality

Active during flood periods in playas; Texas study documented presence from early June through early September.

Life Cycle

Larval increases over time once established in playas. Drought avoidance through aerial allows persistence in temporary wetland .

Behavior

Males produce stridulatory sounds distinct from congeneric ; acoustic signals used in male-male interactions and possibly mate attraction. Colonizes temporary wetlands from surrounding aquatic .

Ecological Role

Secondary production measured at 1.31 g/m²/0.25 year in Texas playas. Contributes to aquatic Coleoptera diversity in temporary wetland .

More Details

Subspecies variation

Multiple have been described including T. lateralis nimbatus (Texas) and T. lateralis limbalis (western Oregon), showing geographic variation in and acoustic .

Acoustic behavior

Study of T. lateralis limbalis in western Oregon demonstrated that males produce -specific stridulatory sounds distinct from T. ellipticus and T. columbianus, suggesting acoustic signals play a role in species recognition.