Subaquatic
Guides
Longitarsus
flea beetles
Longitarsus is the largest genus of flea beetles (Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae), comprising over 700 species with a cosmopolitan distribution. Species exhibit diverse ecological strategies, including subaquatic lifestyles with pupation inside hydrophyte stems, and terrestrial herbivory on various plant families. Many species show wing polymorphism, with populations containing fully winged, reduced-winged, or vestigial-winged individuals. Host plant associations are generally phylogenetically conserved at the clade level, though Boraginaceae-associated species represent an exception.
Neohydronomus affinis
Waterlettuce Weevil
Neohydronomus affinis is a subaquatic weevil native to South and Central America that has been deployed as a biological control agent against the invasive aquatic plant waterlettuce (Pistia stratiotes). First introduced to Florida in 1987, it has successfully established populations in peninsular Florida and Louisiana. The weevil's exoskeleton is covered in white scales and lacks water-resistant features, an unusual trait for an insect living in aquatic environments.