| Noteridae | |
|---|---|
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| Hydrocanthus micans | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Adephaga |
| Family: | Noteridae C. G. Thomson, 1860 |
Noteridae is afamily ofadephaganwater beetles closely related to theDytiscidae, and formerly classified with them. They are mainly distinguished by the presence of a distinctive "noterid platform" underneath, in the form of a plate between the second and third pair of legs. The family is found worldwide, more commonly in the tropics. They are sometimes referred to asburrowing water beetles.
These beetles are relatively small, ranging from 1 to 6 mm, with smooth oval bodies ranging from light brown to a darker reddish brown. The head is short and somewhat covered by theprothorax.
Both adults and larvae are aquatic, and are commonly found around plants. They have a habit of burrowing through pond and marsh substrate, thus the common name, and are primarily carnivorous, with some scavenging observed.
There are two subfamilies with in total three tribes and 24 genera:[1]
SubfamilyNoterinae C. G. Thomson, 1860
TribeNoterini C. G. Thomson, 1860
SubfamilyNotomicrinae Zimmermann, 1919
TribeNotomicrini Sharp, 1882
TribePhreatodytini Uéno, 1957
