| Mesodineutes amurensis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Gyrinidae |
| Subfamily: | Gyrininae |
| Tribe: | Dineutini |
| Genus: | † Mesodineutes Ponomarenko, 1977 |
| Species: | †M. amurensis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Mesodineutes amurensis Ponomarenko, 1977 | |
Mesodineutes amurensis is an extinct species of fossil beetle in the family Gyrinidae, the only species in the genus Mesodineutes. [1]
The whirligig beetles are water beetles, comprising the family Gyrinidae that usually swim on the surface of the water if undisturbed, though they swim underwater when threatened. They get their common name from their habit of swimming rapidly in circles when alarmed, and are also notable for their divided eyes which are believed to enable them to see both above and below water. The family includes some 700 extant species worldwide, in 15 genera, plus a few fossil species. Most species are very similar in general appearance, though they vary in size from perhaps 3 mm to 18 mm in length. They tend to be flattened and rounded in cross section, in plain view as seen from above, and in longitudinal section. In fact their shape is a good first approximation to an ellipsoid, with legs and other appendages fitting closely into a streamlined surface. Whirligig beetles belong to the beetle suborder Adephaga, which also includes ground beetles and diving beetles.
The Adephaga are a suborder of beetles, and with more than 40,000 recorded species in 10 families, the second-largest of the four beetle suborders. Members of this suborder are collectively known as adephagans. The largest family is Carabidae which comprises most of the suborder with over 40,000 species. Adephaga also includes a variety of aquatic beetles, such as predaceous diving beetles and whirligig beetles.
Enhydrus is a genus of beetles in the family Gyrinidae, containing the following species:
Anagyrinus atavus is an extinct species of fossil beetle in the family Gyrinidae, the only species in the genus Anagyrinus. It is known from the Hettangian aged Insektenmergel Formation of Switzerland
Gyrinoides limbatus is an extinct species of beetle in the family Gyrinidae, the only species in the genus Gyrinoides.
Gyrinopsis antiquus is an extinct species of fossil beetle in the family Gyrinidae, the only species in the genus Gyrinopsis.
Gyrinulopsis nanus is an extinct species of fossil beetle from the Ciechocinek Formation of the Lower Toarcian of Germany in the family Gyrinidae, the only species in the genus Gyrinulopsis.
Metagyrinus is a genus of beetles in the family Gyrinidae, containing the following species:
Heterogyrus milloti is a species of beetle in the family Gyrinidae, the only species in the genus Heterogyrus. It is endemic to Madagascar, and forms a basal lineage within the family, estimated to have diverged from all other gyrinids 200 million years ago. It is suggested to be closely related to the fossil genera Mesogyrus, Cretotortor and Baissogyrus which constitute the subfamily Heterogyrinae.
Angarogyrus is an extinct genus of fossil beetles in the family Gyrinidae, containing the following species:
Baissogyrus savilovi is an extinct species of fossil beetle in the family Gyrinidae, the only species in the genus Baissogyrus. It is named after the Baissa locality of the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Zaza Formation, in Buryatia, Russia, where it was found.
Cretotortor is an extinct genus of fossil beetles in the family Gyrinidae, containing the following species:
Mesogyrus is an extinct genus of fossil beetles in the family Gyrinidae, containing the following species:
Miodineutes is an extinct genus of fossil beetles in the family Gyrinidae, containing the following species:
Spanglerogyrus albiventris is a species of beetle in the family Gyrinidae, the only species in the genus Spanglerogyrus. It is native to North America, and was described in 1979 from specimens found in southern Alabama. It is the only living member of the subfamily Spanglerogyrinae, the earliest diverging extant lineage of the gyrinids which also includes Angarogyrus from the Jurassic and Cretaceous of Asia.
Copelatus restrictus is a species of diving beetle. It is part of the genus Copelatus in the subfamily Copelatinae of the family Dytiscidae. It was described by Sharp in 1882.
Gyrinus gehringi is a species of whirligig beetle in the family Gyrinidae. It is found in North America.
Gyrininae is a subfamily of ground and water beetles in the family Gyrinidae. There are at least 740 described extant species in Gyrininae.
Gyrinus aeratus is a species of whirligig beetle in the family Gyrinidae. It is found in North America and Europe.
Gyrinus minutus is a species of whirligig beetle in the family Gyrinidae. It is found in North America and Europe.
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