Cercyon quisquilius

(Linnaeus, 1761)

Cercyon quisquilius is a small water scavenger beetle in the Hydrophilidae. Native to the Palearctic region, it has been introduced to multiple continents and is now in distribution. The is one of the most widely distributed members of the Cercyon, with established in the Americas, Australia, Africa, and various oceanic islands. It is frequently recorded in and has been used in phylogenetic studies involving .

Cercyon (10.3897-zookeys.681.12522) Figure 3 by Arriaga-Varela E, Seidel M, Deler-Hernández A, Senderov V, Fikáček M (2017) A review of the Cercyon Leach (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Sphaeridiinae) of the Greater Antilles. ZooKeys 681: 39-93. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.681.12522. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Cercyon (10.3897-zookeys.681.12522) Figure 6 by Arriaga-Varela E, Seidel M, Deler-Hernández A, Senderov V, Fikáček M (2017) A review of the Cercyon Leach (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Sphaeridiinae) of the Greater Antilles. ZooKeys 681: 39-93. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.681.12522. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Cercyon (10.3897-zookeys.681.12522) Figure 13 by Arriaga-Varela E, Seidel M, Deler-Hernández A, Senderov V, Fikáček M (2017) A review of the Cercyon Leach (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Sphaeridiinae) of the Greater Antilles. ZooKeys 681: 39-93. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.681.12522. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cercyon quisquilius: /ˈsɛr.si.ɒn kwɪsˈkwɪl.i.əs/

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Images

Distribution

Native to the Palearctic region including Europe, Northern Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East. Introduced and established in North America (including Canada and USA), Central America, South America (Argentina, Chile), the Caribbean (Cuba, Jamaica, Greater Antilles), Australia, Oceania (including Hawaiian Islands), and Southern Asia. Present on Atlantic islands including Azores, Madeira, and Canary Islands.

Human Relevance

The has been introduced to multiple continents through human activity, making it a notable example of a . Its widespread distribution has facilitated its use in phylogenetic and studies comparing Palearctic source with introduced ranges.

Similar Taxa

Cercyon nigricepsAnother in the Greater Antilles, but of probable Oriental origin rather than Palearctic; distinguished by morphological features and geographic source region.
Cercyon praetextatusNative New World with wide distribution in the Americas; not introduced, and distinguishable by native status and morphological differences.

More Details

Adventive status

Cercyon quisquilius is identified as an (introduced) of Palearctic origin in the Greater Antilles and other regions outside its native range. COI barcode sequences from European and Canadian specimens have been used in phylogenetic analyses to identify larvae and confirm species identity.