Lesser silver water beetle  (Hydrochara caraboides)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

This beetle earns the name 'silver' from the bubbles of air that are trapped in the fine hairs on its underside. These hairs form part of an elaborate breathing system, enabling these beetles to live underwater. The beetles' 'true' colour is shiny, polished black. They have well-developed 'palps', sensitive mouthparts, which act as preliminary tasters for food. Unlike the diving beetles, Dytiscidae, the silver water beetles are not particularly adapted for underwater life. They are poor swimmers, without the modified legs of diving beetles, and take air from the surface headfirst, rather than with the tip of the abdomen like many other water beetles.

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