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.
Limbodessus is a genus of beetles in the family Dytiscidae, first described by Félix Guignot in 1939. It contains the following species:
Nirripirti is a genus of beetles in the family Dytiscidae. However the Australian Faunal Directory considers it a synonym of the genus, Paroster, on the basis of work by Leys and Watts, and Toussaint, Hendrich and others.
Paroster is a genus of beetles in the family Dytiscidae, containing the following species:
Limbodessus bennetti is a carnivorous subterranean water beetle. It is the first stygobitic Dytiscidae to be recorded in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Of all species currently described, Limbodessus bennetti is most closely related to stygobitic members of the genus Limbodessus from the Yilgarn region of Western Australia.
Brevisomabathynella cooperi is a species of crustacean. It was first found in Western Australia. It stands out within its family by its pygmoid body and its long head. At the same time, its mouthparts show: a very large labrum with a great number of teeth; its incisor process with four main teeth and three very small other teeth, arranged in two groups; and the distal-inner spines of the farthermost endite of its maxillule being longer than its terminal spines. These distinct characters appear to have developed due to its predatory habits, which in turn are evidenced by the presence of an ostracod prey in the gut of B. cunyuensis, its sister species. This genus closely resembles the genus Notobathynella.
Brevisomabathynella cunyuensis is a species of crustacean. It was first found in Western Australia. It stands out within its family by its pygmoid body and its long head. At the same time, its mouthparts show: a very large labrum with a great number of teeth; its incisor process with four main teeth and three very small other teeth, arranged in two groups; and the distal-inner spines of the farthermost endite of its maxillule being longer than its terminal spines. These distinct characters appear to have developed due to its predatory habits, which in turn are evidenced by the presence of an ostracod prey in its gut. This genus closely resembles the genus Notobathynella.
Michael Douglas Crisp is an emeritus professor in the Research School of Biology at the Australian National University located in Canberra. In 1976 he gained a PhD from the University of Adelaide, studying long-term vegetation changes in arid zones of South Australia. Together with others he has revised various pea-flowered legume genera.
Paul Irwin Forster obtained his doctorate in 2004 with his thesis: The pursuit of plants : studies on the systematics, ecology and chemistry of the vascular flora of Australia and related regions, from the University of Queensland.
Neobidessodes is a genus of predaceous diving beetles in the family Dytiscidae. There are about 10 described species in Neobidessodes. They are found in Australasia. The genus was first described in 2009, and the type species is N. denticulatus.
Carolyn F. Wilkins is an Australian botanist, who currently works for the Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
John Alan (Jack) Elix emeritus professor in chemistry at the Australian National University, is an organic chemist who has contributed in many fields: lichenology, lichen chemotaxonomy, plant physiology and biodiversity and natural product chemistry. He has authored 2282 species names, and 67 genera in the field of mycology.
Limbodessus leysi is a carnivorous subterranean water beetle, in the Bidessini tribe of the Dytiscidae family. It was first described in 2006, and the species epithet honours the entomologist, Remko Leys.
Neobidessodes flavosignatus is a carnivorous subterranean water beetle, in the Bidessini tribe of the Dytiscidae family. It was first described in 1922 by Albrecht Zimmermann as Bidessus flavosignatus. It was assigned to the genus Bidessodes by Watts in 1978, and to the new genus of Neobidessodes in 2009 by Hendrich and others.
Neobidessodes mjobergi is a carnivorous subterranean water beetle, in the Bidessini tribe of the Dytiscidae family. It was first described in 1922 by Albrecht Zimmermann as Bidessus mjobergi, and reassigned to the genus of Neobidessodes in 2009 by Hendrich and others.
Neobidessodes grossus is a carnivorous subterranean water beetle, in the Bidessini tribe of the Dytiscidae family. It was first described in 1922 by Albrecht Zimmermann as Bidessus grossus. It was assigned to the genus Bidessodes by Watts in 1978, and to the new genus of Neobidessodes in 2009 by Hendrich and others.
Neobidessodes bilita is a carnivorous subterranean water beetle, in the Bidessini tribe of the Dytiscidae family. It was first described in 1978 by Chris H.S. Watts as Bidessodes bilita, and reassigned to the genus of Neobidessodes in 2009 by Hendrich and others.
Paroster caecus is blind beetle in the Hydroporini tribe of the subfamily Hydroporinae in the Dytiscidae family. It was first described by Chris Watts in 1982 as Terradessus caecus. It was transferred to the genus, Paroster, in 2016 by Toussaint, Hendrich and others.
Paroster niger is blind beetle in the Hydroporini tribe of the subfamily Hydroporinae in the Dytiscidae family. It was first described by Chris Watts in 1978.
Paroster bulbus is water beetle in the Hydroporini tribe of the subfamily Hydroporinae in the Dytiscidae family. It was first described by Chris Watts and William Humphreys in 2004 as Nirripirti bulbus. It was transferred to the genus, Paroster, in 2008 by Remko Leijs and Chris Watts.
