Tropisternus sublaevis

LeConte, 1855

Tropisternus sublaevis is a of water scavenger beetle in the Hydrophilidae. The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1855. It is distributed across western and central North America, with records from the United States and Mexico. The species belongs to the subgenus Tropisternus (Tropisternus) and has been subject to some taxonomic confusion, with a later homonym described by Blatchley in 1910.

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

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Tropisternus sublaevis: /ˌtɹoʊpɪˈstɜrnəs səbˈlivɪs/

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

Images

Distribution

Western and central North America. Documented from California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, South Carolina, Texas, and Indiana in the United States, as well as Mexico.

Similar Taxa

Tropisternus blatchleyiTropisternus sublaevis has been treated as a synonym of Tropisternus blatchleyi in some classifications, particularly under the name Tropisternus (Tropisternus) blatchleyi blatchleyi. The relationship between these names requires careful examination of and original descriptions.

More Details

Taxonomic Note

There is conflicting information regarding the authorship and status of this name. Catalogue of Life lists Tropisternus sublaevis Blatchley, 1910 as a synonym of Tropisternus blatchleyi, while GBIF recognizes Tropisternus sublaevis (J.L.LeConte, 1855) as an accepted . This discrepancy likely stems from homonymy or misidentification in early literature. LeConte's 1855 description predates Blatchley's 1910 usage, giving priority to the LeConte authorship if the names prove .

Subgeneric Placement

The is placed in the subgenus Tropisternus (Tropisternus), one of several subgenera recognized within the Tropisternus.