Matt colored pond beetle
| Matt colored pond beetle | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Helochares obscurus | ||||||||||||
| ( Müller , 1776) |
The matt-colored pond beetle ( Helochares obscurus ) is a beetle from the family of water beetles (Hydrophilidae).
features
Matt-colored pond beetles can grow up to seven millimeters long. The chitin armor is shiny brown, on the wing covers it is covered with many small dots. The body shape is elongated oval. The head stands out clearly from the rest of the body. The antennae are brown, relatively short and thickened like a piston at the end. The buttons on the head are quite long, the legs are colored brown.
Synonyms
- Hydrophilus erythrocephalus Fabricius, 1792
- Hydrophilus variegatus autumn, 1797
- Helochares subcompressus Rey, 1885
- Helochares substriatus J. Sahlberg, 1903
Occurrence
The matt-colored pond beetle is widespread in Europe . It is often found in small stagnant bodies of water, sometimes even in puddles.
Way of life
The beetles swim underwater with smooth movements of their legs that seem like running. The animals fly across the country to seek out new habitats. The pond beetle stores its breath under the wing covers. To take a breath, he sticks his head out of the water and directs the fresh air to the wings via the feelers. The beetles feed on aquatic plants in a purely vegetarian manner. After mating, the females build a cocoon from threads that they produce themselves, in which they lay the eggs. The females carry this cocoon around with them on their abdomen until the larvae hatch. These feed on aquatic plants and small invertebrates . They pupate on land. The finished beetle hatches from the pupa.
credentials
- ↑ a b c d Helochares (Helochares) obscurus (OF Müller 1776). Fauna Europaea, Version 1.3, April 19, 2007 , accessed on July 19, 2007 .