Water beetle

Water beetle

A water beetle is a beetle adapted to living in water. several different types are known, most in or on fresh water. The rest marine species tend to live in the intertidal zone.

Many water beetles carry an air bubble underneath their abdomens, which both provides an air supply, and prevents water from getting into the spiracles. Others have the surface of their exoskeleton modified to form a plastron, or "physical gill", which permits direct gas exchange with the water.

Most families of water beetles have larvae that are also aquatic; many have aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults.

Types that are aquatic in all life stages include whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae), Haliplidae, Noteridae, Amphizoidae, Dytiscidae and Hydroscaphidae

Types in which the adults are not necessarily aquatic include Hydrophilidae, Lutrochidae, Dryopidae, Elmidae, Eulichadidae, Heteroceridae, Limnichidae, Psephenidae, Ptilodactylidae and Sphaeriusidae.

ee also

*Aquatic insects


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  • Water beetle — Wa ter bee tle (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of aquatic beetles belonging to {Dytiscus} and allied genera of the family {Dytiscid[ae]}, and to various genera of the family {Hydrophilid[ae]}. These beetles swim with great agility, the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • water beetle — n. any of various beetles that live in freshwater ponds and streams, sometimes having one or two pairs of swimming legs fringed and functioning as oars …   English World dictionary

  • water beetle — any of various aquatic beetles, as a predaceous diving beetle. [1660 70] * * * ▪ insect       any of several thousand species of aquatic beetles (order Coleoptera), including members of the families Haliplidae (crawling water beetles),… …   Universalium

  • water beetle — noun Date: circa 1668 any of numerous oval flattened aquatic beetles (as a diving beetle or whirligig beetle) that swim by means of their fringed hind legs which act together as oars …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • water beetle — wa′ter bee tle n. ent any of various aquatic beetles, as a predaceous diving beetle of the family Dytiscidae • Etymology: 1660–70 …   From formal English to slang

  • water beetle — noun any of numerous aquatic beetles usually having a smooth oval body and flattened hind legs for swimming • Hypernyms: ↑beetle • Member Holonyms: ↑Dytiscidae, ↑family Dytiscidae …   Useful english dictionary

  • water beetle — noun Any of various freshwater aquatic beetles that have a smooth oval body and flattened hind legs adapted for swimming, and that carry an air bubble underneath their abdomens …   Wiktionary

  • water beetle — /ˈwɔtə bitl/ (say wawtuh beetl) noun any of the aquatic beetles of several families, including Dytiscidae (diving beetles), Gyrinidae, Haliplidae, Hygrobiidae, etc …  

  • Lesser silver water beetle — Taxobox name = Lesser silver water beetle status = EN regnum = Animalia phylum = Arthropoda classis = Insecta ordo = Coleoptera familia = Hydrophilidae genus = Hydrochara species = H. caraboides binomial = Hydrochara caraboides binomial authority …   Wikipedia

  • List of water beetle species recorded in Britain — Suborder Adephaga = Note: the family Carabidae (ground beetles), is also part of this suborder; a list of these is at List of ground beetle (Carabidae) species recorded in Britain. Family Gyrinidae * Gyrinus aeratus * Gyrinus caspius * Gyrinus… …   Wikipedia

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