Adult beetles

THE XERCES SOCIETY FOR INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION

Aquatic Invertebrates in Pacific Northwest Freshwater Wetlands
An Identification Guide and Educational Resource

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Identify taxa

Jointed legsSix legs

Coleoptera

Adult beetles

	Gyrinidae (whirligig beetles) Each eye is divided into two separate but touching eyes, or two completely separate eyes. Short, clubbed antennae.

	Elmidae (riffle beetles) Body not streamlined but small (<10mm) and robust with long legs. Antennae long; segments fairly similar in size and shape. Hind legs lack swimming hairs.

	Dryopidae (long-toed water beetles) Similar to elmids, but the outside segments of the antennae are short, expanded and comb-like.

	Haliplidae (crawling water beetles) A pair of large plates cover the hind legs and anterior segments of the abdomen. Hind legs may have swimming hairs. Convex body, <2 mm.

	Scirtidae (marsh beetles) Adults are terrestrial.

	Ptiliidae (featherwing beetles)

	Noteridae (burrowing water beetles) Tibia of the front leg extends as a large hook past where the smaller segments of the leg continue. The segments of the antennae are similar in size. The scutellum is never visible.

	Dytiscidae (predaceous diving beetles) Very diverse; distal segments of antennae are similar in size to the preceding segments. Scutellum may be visible. The tibia of the front leg doesn't have a spur.

	Hydrophilidae (water scavenger beetles) Very diverse in size, shape, and color pattern. Labial palps may be long and easily mistaken for antennae. Antennae are sometimes small and under the head, but the last 3 segments are swollen and larger than the others. The tibia of front leg doesn't have a spur.

	Microsporidae (minute bog beetles) Tiny egg-shaped beetle, about 1mm thick. Thin plates from the underside of the thorax cover much of the underside of the first couple abdominal segments (similar to Haliplidae)
	Coleopterans unlikely to be found in a wetland

Resources

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