Minute Moss Beetles
Hydraenidae
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Coleoptera
- Suborder: Polyphaga
- Superfamily: Staphylinoidea
- Family: Hydraenidae
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Hydraenidae: /hɪˈdriːnɪdeɪ/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
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Summary
Hydraenidae, or minute moss beetles, are very small aquatic beetles found worldwide, known for their unique ability to store air and often found in moist environments. They play a significant ecological role by feeding on microorganisms and organic matter.
Physical Characteristics
Body length 0.5‒3.0 mm; adults can store air beneath the elytra and on the underside of the body; some species possess gills allowing indefinite underwater residence.
Identification Tips
Typically small size, often found crawling on the underside of water surface tension; adults may exhibit stridulation for communication.
Habitat
Moss, accumulations of moist/wet dead leaves and sticks/twigs along the margins of streams, rivers, sinkholes, pools, and ponds; also in littoral zone substrata.
Distribution
Worldwide distribution, with around 210 species in the New World and approximately 1,300 species across at least 42 genera globally.
Diet
Larvae and adults feed on algae, bacteria, protozoans, and detritus, with a diet thought to include spores and other plant matter.
Life Cycle
Larvae may be either fully terrestrial or aquatic in their earliest instars; detailed life cycle information is limited.
Ecosystem Role
Participates in the breakdown of organic matter and contributes to aquatic ecosystem health by feeding on detritus and microorganisms.
Evolution
Some of the oldest beetle fossils are from the Hydraenidae family, dating back to the lower Jurassic.
Similar Taxa
Tags
- beetles
- aquatic insects
- ecosystem
- biodiversity