Divided-eyes
Guides
Gyrinidae
Whirligig Beetles
Whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae) are aquatic beetles that inhabit the surface film of freshwater habitats worldwide. The family comprises approximately 700 extant species in 15 genera. These beetles are instantly recognizable by their habit of swimming rapidly in circles on the water surface when alarmed, a behavior that gives them their common name. They possess divided compound eyes—upper portions adapted for vision above water and lower portions for underwater viewing—a unique adaptation among insects. Members of this family are active predators and scavengers that form conspicuous aggregations or "rafts" on the water surface, which serve defensive functions through enhanced predator detection and possible aposematic signaling.
Ptilophorus wrightii
Engineered wedge-shaped Beetle
Ptilophorus wrightii is a wedge-shaped beetle in the family Ripiphoridae, first described by LeConte in 1868. The species was historically known from the southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas) and Mexico, with first records from Colorado and Oklahoma documented in 2014. The specific epithet honors General W.W. Wright, Chief Engineer of the Union Pacific Railway survey during which the species was collected.
Ululodes macleayanus
Macleay's Owlfly
Ululodes macleayanus is a species of owlfly in the tribe Ululodini, family Ascalaphidae. It is widely distributed across the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and South America. The species is characterized by divided eyes and clubbed antennae. Adults are known for a distinctive cryptic resting posture where the abdomen projects from the perch to resemble a twig.