Hydraenidae
Guides
Gymnochthebius fossatus
Gymnochthebius fossatus is a species of minute moss beetle in the family Hydraenidae, first described by LeConte in 1855. It is one of the smallest beetles in North America, with adults typically measuring less than 2 mm in length. The species has a broad geographic distribution spanning the Caribbean Sea, Central America, North America, and South America. As a member of Hydraenidae, it belongs to a family of beetles commonly known as moss beetles or minute moss beetles, which are primarily associated with moist microhabitats.
Hydraena americana
Hydraena americana is a species of minute moss beetle in the family Hydraenidae, described by Manfred Jäch in 1993. It belongs to the subgenus Holcohydraena. The species is known from eastern North America, with records from Canada and the northeastern United States. Like other members of its genus, it is an aquatic beetle inhabiting small freshwater habitats.
Hydraena marginicollis
Hydraena marginicollis is a species of minute aquatic beetle in the family Hydraenidae. It is the namesake of the marginicollis group and marginicollis subgroup within the genus Hydraena. The species was described by Kiesenwetter in 1849. Distribution records indicate presence in the southeastern United States and the Bahamas.
Hydraena pacifica
Hydraena pacifica is a species of minute aquatic beetle in the family Hydraenidae, first described by Perkins in 1980. The species belongs to the genus Hydraena, commonly known as long-palped water beetles, characterized by their enlarged maxillary palps. It is distributed across western North America from Canada through the western United States. The species epithet 'pacifica' refers to its occurrence in the Pacific region of North America.
Hydraena pensylvanica
Hydraena pensylvanica is a species of minute aquatic beetle in the family Hydraenidae, first described by Kiesenwetter in 1849. Despite its specific epithet suggesting a Pennsylvania origin, this species occurs across eastern North America. Like other members of the genus Hydraena, it inhabits shallow freshwater habitats. The species is poorly documented in recent literature, with only a handful of observations recorded on community science platforms.
Limnebius
minute moss beetles
Limnebius is a genus of minute moss beetles in the family Hydraenidae, containing over 160 described species. The genus exhibits uniform external morphology but highly variable male genitalia, ranging from curved rod shapes in the subgenus Bilimneus to complex structures with up to seven longitudinal folds or appendages in Limnebius s.str. Species occur across multiple continents including Europe, Africa, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. The genus has been extensively studied for its morphological diversification and patterns of sexual dimorphism.
Neochthebius vandykei
minute moss beetle
Neochthebius vandykei is a species of minute moss beetle in the family Hydraenidae. It was described by Knisch in 1924. The species is found in western North America, with records from British Columbia, Canada and California, USA. Like other members of Hydraenidae, it is a small beetle associated with moist habitats.
Ochthebius
minute moss beetles
Ochthebius is a large genus of minute moss beetles in the family Hydraenidae, comprising at least 460 described species. These tiny beetles are predominantly associated with aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats, particularly supratidal rockpools, coastal marshes, and freshwater spray zones. Many species exhibit narrow habitat preferences and restricted distributions, with numerous endemic taxa. The genus shows significant diversity in the Mediterranean region, Africa, and other parts of the world, and includes several cryptic species complexes.
Ochthebius puncticollis
minute moss beetle
Ochthebius puncticollis is a species of minute moss beetle in the family Hydraenidae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1852. This small beetle is known from arid and semi-arid regions of southwestern North America, with records from Arizona, California, and Utah in the United States, as well as Mexico. Like other members of its genus, it is associated with moist microhabitats in otherwise dry environments, typically inhabiting the margins of streams, springs, and seeps where moss and algae grow.