Dytiscidae
Guides
Graphoderus
Graphoderus is a genus of predaceous diving beetles in the family Dytiscidae, comprising 12 extant species and 2 extinct species known from fossils. The genus is native to the Holarctic region, with species distributed across Europe, North America, and parts of Asia. Several species are of conservation concern, particularly G. bilineatus, which is listed in Annexes II and IV of the European Habitats Directive and has experienced significant population declines across its range.
Graphoderus perplexus
predacious diving beetle
Graphoderus perplexus is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, described by Sharp in 1882. It is distributed across the Holarctic region, occurring in both North America and the Palearctic. Like other members of its genus, it is an aquatic predator inhabiting freshwater environments. The species is part of the tribe Aciliini, which includes other medium to large diving beetles.
Heterosternuta cocheconis
Heterosternuta cocheconis is a small predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. The species was described by Fall in 1917. It has been recorded in eastern North America, including the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Québec. As a member of the subfamily Hydroporinae, it inhabits aquatic environments.
Heterosternuta diversicornis
Heterosternuta diversicornis is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, first described by Sharp in 1882. It belongs to the subfamily Hydroporinae, a diverse group of small to medium-sized diving beetles. The species is known from North America and has been documented through 79 iNaturalist observations as of the source date.
Heterosternuta wickhami
Hydroporus diving beetle
Heterosternuta wickhami is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. The species was originally described as Hydroporus wickhami by Zaitzev in 1908. It has been documented in wadeable streams and is known from North America, with first records for Missouri reported from aquatic macroinvertebrate community samples collected between 2002 and 2018.
Hornectes quadrimaculatus
Hornectes quadrimaculatus is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, subfamily Hydroporinae. Originally described as Hydroporus quadrimaculatus by Horn in 1883, it was later transferred to the genus Hornectes. The species epithet "quadrimaculatus" (four-spotted) refers to its characteristic elytral maculation. It belongs to the tribe Hydroporini within the speciose subfamily Hydroporinae, which contains many small to medium-sized diving beetles.
Hydaticini
Hydaticini is a tribe of diving beetles (family Dytiscidae, subfamily Dytiscinae) established by Sharp in 1880. Members of this tribe are aquatic predators found in freshwater habitats. The tribe includes the genus Hydaticus, with species documented from the Neotropics including the Amazon basin and Brazilian highlands.
Hydaticus
Hydaticus is a genus of predatory diving beetles in the family Dytiscidae, comprising approximately 150 described species and 12 subspecies arranged in two subgenera: Hydaticus and Prodaticus. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution spanning the Palearctic, Afrotropical, Nearctic, and Oriental regions. Members are aquatic predators found in freshwater habitats including streams, pools, and lentic environments.
Hydrocolus
Hydrocolus is a genus of small predaceous diving beetles in the family Dytiscidae, subfamily Hydroporinae. The genus was erected in 2000 to accommodate several species previously placed in related genera, particularly Hydroporus. It contains approximately twelve described species distributed primarily in North America, with some species known from northern Europe. Species are associated with lentic and lotic freshwater habitats.
Hydrocolus deflatus
Hydrocolus deflatus is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, first described by Fall in 1923. It belongs to the genus Hydrocolus, a group of small to medium-sized diving beetles within the subfamily Hydroporinae. The species is documented from North America. Like other members of Dytiscidae, it is adapted to aquatic habitats.
Hydrocolus paugus
Hydrocolus paugus is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, first described by Fall in 1923. Originally described as Hydroporus paugus, it was later transferred to the genus Hydrocolus. It is a member of the subfamily Hydroporinae, which contains small to medium-sized diving beetles. The species is known from limited collection records in western North America.
Hydrocolus persimilis
Hydrocolus persimilis is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It is known from North America, with records from Labrador and New Brunswick in Canada. As a member of the Hydroporinae subfamily, it inhabits aquatic environments where it functions as an active predator.
Hydrodytinae
Hydrodytinae is a subfamily of predaceous diving beetles in the family Dytiscidae, established by K. B. Miller in 2001. It contains at least two genera and four described species. The genus Hydrodytes occurs in North America and the Neotropics, while Microhydrodytes is restricted to the Neotropics. This subfamily represents a relatively recently recognized lineage within the diverse diving beetle fauna.
Hydroporinae
Hydroporinae is a large subfamily of predaceous diving beetles (family Dytiscidae) containing at least 2,200 described species. Members are primarily aquatic, inhabiting diverse freshwater habitats from lentic pools to lotic streams across all continents except Antarctica. The subfamily exhibits remarkable diversity in body size, with some species among the smallest diving beetles known. Many species are habitat specialists, including stygobiont forms adapted to subterranean waters.
Hydroporini
Hydroporini is a tribe of predaceous diving beetles in the family Dytiscidae, containing at least 730 described species. Members are primarily aquatic, inhabiting freshwater environments including streams, rivers, and groundwater systems. The tribe exhibits a broad geographic distribution spanning Australia, New Guinea, Europe, and other regions, with notable diversity hotspots in south-western Australia.
Hydroporus
Hydroporus is a genus of small diving beetles (family Dytiscidae) with approximately 180 described species worldwide. The genus exhibits substantial morphological diversity organized into multiple species groups, including the longiusculus-group, longulus-group, memnonius-group, and nigellus-group. Members occur across the Palearctic, Nearctic, Near East, and North Africa. Several species complexes within the genus show convergent adaptations to specialized habitats, including semi-subterranean environments.
Hydroporus columbianus
Hydroporus columbianus is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, first described by Fall in 1923. It belongs to the subfamily Hydroporinae, a diverse group of small to medium-sized diving beetles. The species is known from western North America, with records from Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. Like other members of the genus, it is an aquatic predator.
Hydroporus despectus
Belittled Water Beetle
Hydroporus despectus is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, described by Sharp in 1882. It occurs in North America with records from Canada (Alberta, British Columbia) and presumably the United States. As a member of the genus Hydroporus, it inhabits aquatic environments and functions as a predator. The common name "Belittled Water Beetle" has been assigned to this species.
Hydroporus lapponum
Hydroporus lapponum is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. The species has a broad Holarctic distribution, occurring across North America and the Palearctic region. It belongs to the genus Hydroporus, a large and diverse group of small diving beetles. The species was first described by Gyllenhal in 1808.
Hydroporus longiusculus
Hydroporus longiusculus is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It is one of two species comprising the longiusculus-group within the genus Hydroporus. The species has undergone taxonomic revision, with three former species (H. hirtellus, H. perplexus, H. utahensis) synonymized under it. It is found in the Nearctic region.
Hydroporus niger
predaceous diving beetle
Hydroporus niger is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1823. It is found in North America, with records from Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland) and the United States. The genus Hydroporus is one of the most species-rich genera of diving beetles, containing numerous small to medium-sized aquatic predators.
Hydroporus occidentalis
Hydroporus occidentalis is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, described by Sharp in 1882. The species is known from North America, with records from the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. As a member of the genus Hydroporus, it is a small to medium-sized diving beetle adapted to aquatic habitats.
Hydroporus subpubescens
Hydroporus subpubescens is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, described by LeConte in 1852. The species was transferred from the subpubescens-group to the nigellus-group based on extreme morphological similarity to H. tenebrosus, resulting in the elimination of the subpubescens-group as a formal grouping. It is known from North America.
Hydroporus tenebrosus
Hydroporus tenebrosus is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, first described by LeConte in 1850. It belongs to the genus Hydroporus, a diverse group of small to medium-sized diving beetles. The species has been used as a morphological reference in taxonomic revisions due to its extreme similarity to H. subpubescens. As a member of the Dytiscidae, it is presumed to be an aquatic predator, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented in the accessible literature.
Hydrovatus
Hydrovatus is a genus of diving beetles in the family Dytiscidae, subfamily Hydroporinae, and tribe Hydrovatini. The genus comprises approximately 214 species globally, with documented presence across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Members are aquatic beetles inhabiting lentic and slow-moving lotic freshwater environments. The genus was established by Motschulsky in 1853.
Hydrovatus brevipes
Hydrovatus brevipes is a predaceous diving beetle (family Dytiscidae) described by Sharp in 1882. It belongs to the tribe Hydrovatini within the subfamily Hydroporinae. The species is documented from North America, though specific details regarding its ecology, habitat preferences, and life history remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Hygrotini
Hygrotini is a tribe of small diving beetles in the subfamily Hydroporinae. The tribe contains approximately 137 species, most of which inhabit freshwater environments. Multiple lineages have independently evolved tolerance to saline and hypersaline conditions, with some species surviving in concentrations more than double that of seawater.
Hygrotus dissimilis
Hygrotus dissimilis is a species of diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, subfamily Hydroporinae. It was described by Gemminger and Harold in 1868. The species is placed in the genus Hygrotus, a group of small to medium-sized predatory beetles associated with aquatic habitats. As with many diving beetles, specific ecological and behavioral details for this species remain limited in published literature.
Hygrotus falli
Hygrotus falli is a diving beetle species in the family Dytiscidae, originally described by Wallis in 1924 under the basionym Coelambus falli. The species belongs to a genus of small to medium-sized predatory diving beetles commonly found in freshwater habitats. As with other members of Dytiscidae, it is likely adapted to aquatic life with modified hind legs for swimming, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented in available sources.
Hygrotus nubilus
Hygrotus nubilus is a diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1855. Like other members of the genus, this species is associated with freshwater aquatic habitats. The genus Hygrotus is widely distributed across North America and includes numerous species of small to medium-sized diving beetles.
Hygrotus patruelis
Hygrotus patruelis is a species of diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1855. It belongs to the genus Hygrotus, a group of small to medium-sized predaceous diving beetles commonly found in aquatic habitats. The species is recorded from North America. Like other dytiscids, it is adapted to underwater life with specialized respiratory structures.
Hygrotus picatus
Hygrotus picatus is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It is native to North America and belongs to a genus of small to medium-sized diving beetles commonly found in freshwater habitats. The species was first described by William Kirby in 1837. Like other members of Dytiscidae, it is adapted to aquatic life with streamlined bodies and modified hind legs for swimming.
Hygrotus punctilineatus
Hygrotus punctilineatus is a small diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, subfamily Hydroporinae. It is one of many North American species in the genus Hygrotus, which are generally associated with lentic freshwater habitats. The species was described by Fall in 1919 based on specimens from North America. Like other members of Hygrotus, it is presumed to be an aquatic predator in standing water bodies, though specific ecological studies are limited.
Hygrotus salinarius
Hygrotus salinarius is a small diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, originally described as Coelambus salinarius by Wallis in 1924. The species is native to North America and belongs to a genus commonly associated with saline or alkaline wetlands. Like other members of Dytiscidae, it is an aquatic predator as both larva and adult. Specific ecological details remain poorly documented in published literature.
Hygrotus sayi
Say's Diving Beetle
Hygrotus sayi is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It is found in North America, with confirmed records from Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. The species is commonly known as Say's Diving Beetle.
Hygrotus sellatus
Hygrotus sellatus is a small diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, described by LeConte in 1866. The species is known from North America, with limited observational records. As a member of the subfamily Hydroporinae, it inhabits freshwater aquatic environments.
Hygrotus turbidus
Hygrotus turbidus is a species of diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It belongs to the subfamily Hydroporinae, a group of small to medium-sized predaceous diving beetles. The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1855 and is known from North America. Like other members of the genus Hygrotus, it is likely associated with freshwater aquatic habitats.
Ilybiosoma seriatum
Dot-lined Predaceous Diving Beetle
Ilybiosoma seriatum is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, known by the common name Dot-lined Predaceous Diving Beetle. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1823. It is found in North America, with records from Canada and the United States.
Ilybius hypomelas
Ilybius hypomelas is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, first described by Mannerheim in 1843. This species is part of a genus of small to medium-sized diving beetles commonly found in freshwater habitats. It is known from North America, with specific records from western Canadian provinces including Alberta and British Columbia. As a member of Dytiscidae, it is adapted for aquatic predation.
Ilybius larsoni
Ilybius larsoni is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, described by Fery & Nilsson in 1993. The species is known from eastern North America, with confirmed records from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in Canada. As a member of the genus Ilybius, it is adapted to aquatic environments where it preys on other small organisms.
Ilybius oblitus
Ilybius oblitus is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, first described by Sharp in 1882. It occurs in North America, with confirmed records from Ontario, Canada. The species has been documented to tolerate low temperatures, though it remains susceptible to freezing. Observations of this species are sparse, with limited biological data available.
Ilybius opacus
Ilybius opacus is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, distributed across North America and the Palearctic region. It is one of numerous species in the genus Ilybius, a group of medium-sized diving beetles typically associated with freshwater habitats. The species was described by Aubé in 1837 and remains a valid, accepted taxon in current classifications.
Ilybius quadrimaculatus
Ilybius quadrimaculatus is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, first described by Aubé in 1838. The species occurs in North America, with records from Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. As a member of the subfamily Agabinae, it inhabits freshwater aquatic environments where it functions as an active predator.
Ilybius vancouverensis
Ilybius vancouverensis is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, first described by Leech in 1937. It was originally placed in the genus Agabus before being transferred to Ilybius. The species is known from the Pacific Northwest of North America, with records from British Columbia, Canada and Alaska, United States. Like other members of the genus, it is an aquatic predator inhabiting freshwater environments.
Laccophilus
Laccophilus is a genus of small diving beetles in the family Dytiscidae, distributed across temperate and tropical regions worldwide. These beetles inhabit freshwater environments and are characterized by their compact, oval bodies and relatively short antennae. The genus contains numerous species, though many remain poorly documented. Members are active swimmers and predators in aquatic ecosystems.
Laccophilus fasciatus terminalis
Laccophilus fasciatus terminalis is a subspecies of diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, described by Sharp in 1882. As a member of the genus Laccophilus, it belongs to a group of small predatory aquatic beetles commonly known as crawling water beetles. The subspecies designation indicates geographic or morphological variation within the widespread species Laccophilus fasciatus. Like other laccophilines, it inhabits freshwater environments where it preys on small invertebrates.
Laccophilus gentilis
Laccophilus gentilis is a small predatory diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, described by LeConte in 1863. It belongs to the subfamily Laccophilinae, a group of small, often brightly marked diving beetles commonly found in vegetated freshwater habitats. The species occurs in North America and Middle America. Like other members of its genus, it is an aquatic predator that likely inhabits ponds, marshes, and slow-moving waters with abundant vegetation.
Laccophilus horni
Laccophilus horni is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It occurs in North America and the Neotropics. As a member of the genus Laccophilus, it is a small diving beetle adapted to aquatic environments. Specific ecological details for this species remain limited in published sources.
Laccophilus maculosus
dingy diver
Laccophilus maculosus, commonly known as the dingy diver, is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. The species is distributed across Central America and North America. It belongs to a genus of small to medium-sized diving beetles that inhabit freshwater environments.
Laccophilus maculosus decipiens
Laccophilus maculosus decipiens is a subspecies of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It belongs to the genus Laccophilus, a diverse group of small to medium-sized diving beetles commonly found in freshwater habitats. The subspecies was described by LeConte in 1852 and occurs in North America and Middle America. Like other members of its genus, it is adapted to aquatic life with modified hind legs for swimming.