Re your beetle larvae - Beetle larvae are challenging to identify to
genus-species even for aquatic entomologists. The predacious diving beetle
(fam. Dytiscidae) Coptotomus has long lateral gills on the first 6 abdominal
segments and large maxillary palps and could be your beetle. Similar taxa
would include other dytiscids, several water scavenger beetles
(Hydrophilidae), and even whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). My experience with
beetles in aquaria, is that the adults are easier to keep (and less likely
to bother other inhabitants).
Robert Usinger's "Aquatic Insects of California" has excellent line drawings
of many aquatic beetle larvae as does James G. and Paul R. Needham's "A
Guide to the Study of Fresh-Water Biology." Patrick McCafferty's "Aquatic
Entomology" has beautiful full-color paintings of a dytiscid (Dytiscus) and
wirligig (Dineutus).
-----Original Message-----
From: DasArm_at_aol.com
Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2000 3:09 PM
To: Nanfa_at_aquaria.net
Subject: NANFA-- Wierd Dytiscus Beetle Larvae
I found some water tigers in the vernal pool behind my parent's house that
don't look like the ones I usually see; they're light brown in color, have
these jagged projections coming off of the sides of their torso which makes
them look like hellgrammites, along with a pale fuzz that looks like fungus
and at first glance makes them look almost white (all of the individuals
I've
seen have exhibited this trait). They have wickedly jagged long mandibles
which seem longer than the other, more common type of water tiger.They tend
to stay at the top more, too. I'm not keeping any right now ( no room) but
plan to in the future. I'm wondering if anyone knows what species they are.
The ones I usually see are dark brown to black, with smaller mandibles,no
white fuzz,and no jagged pointy things coming off of the sides of the torso.
/---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes / Association" / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association / nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to / nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to / nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead. / For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org/----------------------------------------------------------------------------- /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes / Association" / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association / nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to / nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to / nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead. / For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org