| Dytiscus latissimus | |
|---|---|
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| Dytiscus latissimus male and female, at National Museum (Prague) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Dytiscidae |
| Genus: | Dytiscus |
| Species: | D. latissimus |
| Binomial name | |
| Dytiscus latissimus | |
Dytiscus latissimus is a large species of aquatic beetle in family Dytiscidae. It is native to Europe and considered threatened. [1]
One of the largest representatives of the predaceous diving beetles of the family Dytiscidae (its maximum size only exceeded by the Brazilian Megadytes ducalis ), [2] D. latissimus can reach a length around 38–44 mm (1.5–1.7 in). This beetle is similar in structure to the better-known and widespread D. marginalis , but it is clearly larger and especially wider. The species is usually easy to recognize by the extensions on both sides of the shield. The elytra and the pronotum are dark brown with yellow sides. The head is black, while the legs are yellow. The male's wing cases are shiny, while those of the female are finely grooved. This voracious predator hunts a wide variety of prey, including other insects, tadpoles, and small fish. Before they dive, they collect air bubbles in their wing cases which go through the spiracles.
This species can be found in northern and central European countries. The species is listed on Annex II and Annex IV of the European Union Habitats Directive; the latter gives it strict protection within the EU member countries.
It is an aquatic species and it inhabits in dense vegetation, mainly of Carex and Equisetum , at the edges of lakes or in nonflowing waters and deep ponds. They key parameter of the habitat is the abundance of case-making caddis flies, which serve as the primary food for D. latissimus larvae.
The species was extirpated from much of its previous area, including most of Central Europe. The main reason is the rise of intensive use of water bodies for fish production. [3] There is a successful breeding program for this species in Latvia, which gives hope for potential reintroduction into formerly inhabited areas, should they become habitable for the species in the future. [4]
Dytiscus is a Holarctic genus of predaceous diving beetles that usually live in wetlands and ponds. There are 26 species in this genus distributed in Europe, Asia, North Africa and North and Central America. They are predators that can reduce mosquito larvae.
The Dytiscidae – based on the Greek dytikos (δυτικός), "able to dive" – are the predaceous diving beetles, a family of water beetles. They occur in virtually any freshwater habitat around the world, but a few species live among leaf litter. The adults of most are between 1 and 2.5 cm (0.4–1.0 in) long, though much variation is seen between species. The European Dytiscus latissimus and Brazilian Megadytes ducalis are the largest, reaching up to 4.5 cm (1.8 in) and 4.75 cm (1.9 in) respectively. In contrast, the smallest is likely the Australian Limbodessus atypicali of subterranean waters, which only is about 0.9 mm (0.035 in) long. Most are dark brown, blackish, or dark olive in color with golden highlights in some subfamilies. The larvae are commonly known as water tigers due to their voracious appetite. They have short, but sharp mandibles and immediately upon biting, they deliver digestive enzymes into prey to suck their liquefied remains. The family includes more than 4,000 described species in numerous genera.
Megadytes ducalis is a species of water beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It is the largest species in the family. Until recently, the species was only known from a single specimen that was collected in the 19th century from Brazil, but more specimens, also collected in the 19th century from Brazil, were discovered in 2019. Although listed as extinct by the IUCN, the limited studies conducted on water beetles in Brazil means that it might still survive.
Megadytes is a genus of diving beetles in the family Dytiscidae. They are found in slow-moving or static freshwater habitats throughout most of the Neotropics, ranging from Florida and Mexico, through the West Indies and Central America, to South America as far south as central Argentina. The adult beetles measure about 1.65–4.75 cm (0.6–1.9 in) long depending on the exact species and the largest is also the largest in the family.
Carabdytes alutaceus is an endangered species of beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It is endemic to New Caledonia, in the southwest Pacific Ocean.
Meridiorhantus orbignyi is an extinct species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. This species was formerly a member of the genus Rhantus.
Agabus is a large genus of predatory aquatic beetles in the family Dytiscidae, proposed in 1817 by William Elford Leach and named after Agabus, an early follower of Christianity. The adult beetles are moderate-sized, 5 to 14 mm long. The genus is primarily Holarctic in distribution, with only a few species known from the Afrotropical and Neotropical realms. Three species of Agabus, namely A. clypealis, A. discicollis and A. hozgargantae are endangered according to the IUCN Red List. The division into subgenera is not widely accepted. However, a number of species groups are recognized after the works of David J. Larson and Anders N. Nilsson. The genus is probably polyphyletic or paraphyletic. In a recent study of mitochondrial DNA, Agabus was found paraphyletic with respect to several of the species groups of Platambus, a closely related genus in the tribe Agabini. Lately the taxonomy of the genus has been revised, and some groups of species were transferred from Agabussensu stricto to other genera in the tribe Agabini.
Thermonectus marmoratus is a relatively colorful North American species of diving beetle known by the common names sunburst diving beetle and yellow-spotted diving beetle. The behavior of this diving beetle has been compared to a scuba diver, since it carries with it a bubble of air as it dives down into the water. Its aquatic larval stage was the first ever recorded use of bifocals in the animal world. The beetle uses in its principal eyes two retinas and two distinct focal planes that are substantially separated, in the manner of bifocals to switch their vision from up-close to distance, for easy and efficient capture of their prey.
Thermonectus is a genus of beetle in family Dytiscidae. This genus is native to the New World, and mainly from warm temperate to tropical in distribution, but one species, T. basillaris occurs as far north as southern Ontario, Canada. They inhabit a wide range of freshwater habitats with static water and are often common. They are generally about 0.8–1.5 cm (0.3–0.6 in) long and a few species from desert pools in North America have a distinct yellow-spotted pattern on a black background.
Cybister, is a genus of beetle in family Dytiscidae. They are found in much of the world, including all continents except Antarctica. As of 2021 there are 96 species and 9 additional subspecies among four subgenera in the genus.
Hygrobia is a genus of aquatic beetles native to Europe, North Africa, China and Australia. It is the only genus in the family Hygrobiidae, also known as the Paelobiidae. These are known commonly as squeak beetles or screech-beetles.
Acilius sulcatus is a species of water beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It is fairly large, with color variation shown throughout its range. Typically it is yellow and black.
Eretes sticticus, the western erete, is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It is found in Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas from the southern United States to Peru. This species preys specifically on mosquito larvae in ponds and pools. They can kill up to all the instar larvae of the mosquito depending on size and density of the prey.
Cybistrini is a tribe of predaceous diving beetles in the family Dytiscidae. There are 7 genera and 128 described extant species in Cybistrini. The same set is also called Cybistrinae by authors viewing it as a subfamily of Dytiscidae.
Dytiscus habilis is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It is found in North America from Oklahoma to Arizona south throughout Mexico to Guatemala; it is the only Dytiscus species found in the Neotropics.
Dytiscus semisulcatus, the brown-bellied great diving beetle , is an aquatic diving beetle native to Europe and northern Asia, and is particularly common in England. It is a large dark red-brown or black beetle, that can fly and lives near water.
Hydaticus vittatus, is a species of predaceous diving beetle found in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Cybister tripunctatus, is a species of predaceous diving beetle found in India, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Italy, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Europe.
Herophydrus musicus, is a species of predaceous diving beetle found in Asia and Europe.
Laccophilus anticatus, is a species of predaceous diving beetle found in South and South East Asia.
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