CHECKLIST OF THE WATER BEETLES OF FLORIDA
(last revised 4 October 2021)
This checklist registers species known to occur in Florida, based on literature citations and material examined by the author.  It also includes taxa which may occur in Florida; many of these taxa occur on the U.S. Southeastern Coastal Plain but have not been positively identified from Florida.  Note also that some literature records may be considered doubtful; some species recorded in earlier literature but misidentified are not listed.  Only important synonyms pertaining to Florida water beetles are listed. In general, only aquatic or semi-aquatic species are listed. The families, genera and species are listed in alphabetic order. Undescribed taxa are assigned letter or number designators. For more information see my 2010 water beetle identification manual.

KEY: [] = synonym;   * = may occur in Florida;  § = recorded from Florida, but identification doubtful, not confirmed or incorrect.

To see a listing of all recently added taxa, click here.

To jump directly to the family of your choice, click on one of  the choices below:

Dryopidae
Dytiscidae
Elmidae
Gyrinidae
Haliplidae
Helophoridae
Hydraenidae

Hydrochidae
Hydrophilidae

Noteridae
Psephenidae
Ptilodactylidae
Scirtidae

DRYOPIDAE
Helichus Erichson, 1847
    * basalis LeConte, 1852
    fastigiatus (Say, 1824)
    lithophilus (Germar, 1824)
Pelonomus Erichson, 1847
    obscurus LeConte, 1852

DYTISCIDAE
Acilius  Leach, 1817
    confusus Bergsten, 2006
    fraternus (Harris, 1828)
    mediatus (Say, 1823)
Agabetes  Crotch, 1873
    acuductus (Harris, 1828)
Agabus  Leach, 1817
    punctatus  Melsheimer, 1844
    xyztrus Larson, 2000 [split from aeruginosus Aubé, 1838]
Anodocheilus
 
Babington, 1841
    exiguus (Aubé, 1838)
Bidessonotus  Régimbart, 1895
    inconspicuus (LeConte, 1855)
    longovalis (Blatchley, 1919)
    pulicarius (Aubé, 1838)
Brachyvatus Zimmermann, 1919
    apicatus (Clark, 1862) [= seminulum LeConte, 1878]
Celina  Aubé, 1837
    angustata Aubé, 1838
    contiger Guignot, 1947
    grossula LeConte, 1863
    hubbelli Young, 1979
    imitatrix Young, 1979
    palustris Young, 1979
    slossoni Mutchler, 1918
Coelambus Thomson, 1860
   
berneri (Young & Wolfe, 1984)
    nubilus
(LeConte, 1815)
Copelatus
 
Erichson, 1832
    blatchleyi Young, 1953
    caelatipennis princeps Young, 1963
    chevrolati chevrolati Aubé, 1838
    chevrolati renovatus Guignot, 1952
    cubaensis Schaeffer, 1908
    glyphicus (Say, 1823)
   
punctulatus Aubé, 1838
Coptotomus Say, 1830
    interrogatus (Fabricius, 1801)
    longulus lenticus Hilsenhoff, 1980
    loticus Hilsenhoff, 1980
    venustus (Say, 1823)
Cybister  Curtis, 1827
    fimbriolatus fimbriolatus (Say, 1823)
    fimbriolatus crotchi  Wilke, 1920
    occidentalis Aubé, 1838
Derovatellus Sharp, 1882
    floridanus Fall, 1932
Desmopachria Babington, 1841
    aspera Young, 1981
    cenchramis Young, 1981
    granum (LeConte, 1855)
    leechi Young, 1981
    mutchleri Blatchley, 1919
    seminola Young, 1951
    striola Sharp, 1887
Dytiscus Linnaeus, 1758
    carolinus Aubé, 1838
Eretes  Laporte, 1833
    explicitus Miller, 2002
Graphoderus Dejean, 1833
    liberus (Say, 1825)
* Hoperius Fall, 1927
    * planatus Fall, 1927
Hydaticus Leach, 1817
    (Hydaticus) cinctipennis Aubé, 1838
    (Prodaticus) bimarginatus (Say, 1830)
  
* (P.) rimosus (Aubé, 1838)
Hydrocolus
Roughley & Larson, 2000

    deflatus (Fall, 1923) [= ruficeps Aubé, 1838 in Young 1954]
    filiolus (Fall, 1923) ?
    oblitus (Aubé, 1838)
Hydrodytes  Miller, 2001
    dodgei (Young, 1989)
Hydroporus Clairville, 1806
    brevicornis Fall, 1917
    § dichrous Melsheimer, 1844
    falli Blatchley, 1925
    floridanus (Young, 1940)
    § niger Say, 1823
    pseudoniger Nilsson & Fery, 2006 [nom. nov. for ruficeps Aubé, 1838]
    rufilabris Sharp, 1882
    signatus youngi Gordon, 1981
Hydrovatus Motschulsky, 1853
    inexpectatus Young, 1963
    peninsularis Young, 1953
    platycornis Young, 1963
    pustulatus (Melsheimer, 1844)
Hygrotus Stephens, 1828
   marginipennis (Blatchley, 1912)
Ilybius Erichson, 1832
    incarinatus Zimmermann, 1928
    oblitus Sharp, 1882

Laccomimus Toledo & Michat, 2015 [replaces Laccodytes Régimbart, 1895]
    pumilio (LeConte, 1878)
Laccophilus Leach, 1815
    fasciatus rufus Melsheimer, 1844
    gentilis gentilis LeConte, 1863
    proximus Say,  1823
    vacaensis Young, 1953
Laccornis Gozis,  1914
    * difformis (LeConte, 1855)
    * nemorosus Wolfe & Roughley, 1990
    * schusteri Wolfe & Spangler, 1985
Liodessus Guignot,  1939
    § cantralli (Young, 1953)
    crotchi Nilsson, 2001 [nom. nov. for fuscatus Crotch, 1873]
    flavicollis
(LeConte, 1855)

    hobbsi Young, 1950
    noviaffinis Miller, 1998 [replaces affinis (Say, 1823) in SE US]
Lioporeus Guignot, 1950 [= Falloporus Wolfe & Matta, 1981]
    pilatei (Fall, 1917)
    triangularis (Fall, 1917)
Matus Aubé, 1836
    bicarinatus (Say, 1823)
    leechi Young, 1953
    ovatus blatchleyi Leech, 1941
Meridiorhantus Balke, Hájek & Hendrich, 2017
  
calidus (Fabricius, 1792)
 *
Megadytes Sharp
, 1882
    fraternus Sharp, 1882
Neobidessus Young, 1967
    pullus floridanus (Fall, 1917)
    pullus pullus (LeConte, 1855)
Neoporus Guignot, 1931
    asidytus (Young, 1984)
    aulicus (Aubé, 1838)
    baelus (Young, 1984)
    blanchardi (Sherman, 1913)
    carolinus (Fall, 1917)
    cimicoides (Sharp, 1882)
    clypealis (Sharp, 1882)
    dilatatus (Fall, 1917) [= spurius (LeConte, 1855)? in Young 1954]
    dixianus (Fall, 1917)
    effeminatus (Fall, 1923)
    gaudens (Fall, 1923)
    hebes (Fall, 1923)
    helocrinus (Young, 1967)
    hybridus (Aubé, 1838)
    * latocavus (Wolfe, 1984)
    lobatus (Sharp, 1882)
    lynceus (Sharp, 1882) complex
    mellitus (LeConte, 1855)
    * lecontei Nilsson, 2001 [=mixtus (LeConte, 1855)]
    * psammodytes (Young, 1978)
    rheocrinus (Young, 1967)
    shermani (Fall, 1917)
    striatopunctatus (Melsheimer, 1844)
    uniformis (Blatchley, 1925)
    venustus (LeConte, 1855)
    vittatipennis (Gemminger & von Harold, 1868)
Pachydrus Sharp, 1882
    princeps (Blatchley, 1914)
Platambus Thompson, 1859
   astrictovittatus (Larson & Wolfe, 1998) [= Agabus sp. A Epler]
   johannis
(Fall, 1922)
   stagninus
(Say, 1823)
Thermonectus Dejean, 1833
   basillaris (Harris, 1829)
   nigrofasciatus ornaticollis (Aubé, 1838)
Uvarus Guignot, 1939
   falli (Young, 1940)
   granarius (Aubé, 1838)
   inflatus (Young, 1950)
   lacustris (Say, 1823)
   rogersi (Young, 1941)
   sinofelihelianthus Epler, 2020 [= Uvarus sp. 1 Epler]

ELMIDAE
Ancyronyx Erichson, 1847
    variegatus (Germar, 1824)
Dubiraphia Sanderson, 1954
    vittata (Melsheimer, 1844)
Gonielmis Sanderson, 1954
    dietrichi (Musgrave, 1933)
Macronychus Müller, 1806
    glabratus Say, 1825
Microcylloepus Hinton, 1935
    pusillus (LeConte, 1852)
Optioservus Sanderson, 1954 [includes Promoresia]
    * elegans (LeConte, 1852)
    ovalis
(LeConte, 1863)

    tardellus (Fall, 1925)
   * trivittatus (Brown, 1930)

Oulimnius  des Gozis, 1886
     latiusculus (LeConte, 1866)
     nitidulus (LeConte, 1866)
Stenelmis Dufour, 1835
    antennalis Sanderson, 1938
    convexula Sanderson, 1938
    crenata (Say, 1824)
    decorata Sanderson, 1938
    fuscata Blatchley, 1925
    grossa Sanderson, 1938
    hungerfordi Sanderson, 1938
    lignicola Schmude & Brown, 1992
    mera Sanderson, 1938
    morsei  White, 1982
    musgravei Sanderson
, 1938
    sinuata LeConte, 1852
    xylonastis Schmude & Barr, 1992
    sp. C Epler
    sp. D Epler

GYRINIDAE
Dineutus MacLeay, 1825
    americanus (Linnaeus, 1788)
    angustus LeConte, 1878
    assimilis Kirby, 1937
    carolinus LeConte, 1868
    ciliatus (Forsberg, 1821)
    discolor Aubé, 1838
    emarginatus (Say, 1823)
    nigrior Roberts, 1895
    § productus Roberts, 1895
    serrulatus LeConte, 1868 [= analis Régimbart, 1882]
    shorti Gustafson & Sites, 2015
Gyretes
Brull
é, 1834
    iricolor Young, 1947
     * sinuatus LeConte, 1851
Gyrinus Müller,  1764
    analis Say, 1825
    elevatus LeConte, 1868
    gibber LeConte, 1868 [= frosti Fall, 1922; floridensis Ochs, 1929]
    marginellus  Fall, 1922
    pachysomus Fall
, 1922
    parcus Say, 1834
    rockinghamensis LeConte, 1868
    woodruffi Fall, 1922
Spanglerogyrus  Folkerts, 1979
    albiventris Folkerts, 1979

HALIPLIDAE
Haliplus Latreille, 1802
    annulatus Roberts, 1913
    confluentus Roberts, 1913
    fasciatus Aubé, 1838
    havaniensis Wehncke, 1880
    * leopardus Roberts, 1913
    mutchleri Wallis, 1933
    * pantherinus Aubé, 1838
    pseudofasciatus Wallis, 1933
    punctatus Aubé, 1838
    triopsis Say, 1823
Peltodytes Régimbart, 1878
    bradleyi Young, 1961
    dietrichi Young, 1961
    dunavani Young, 1961
    floridensis Matheson, 1912
    muticus (LeConte, 1863)
    oppositus Roberts,  1913
    sexmaculatus Roberts, 1913

HELOPHORIDAE
Helophorus Fabricius, 1775
    * linearis LeConte, 1855
    lineatus Say, 1823
    * marginicollis Smetana, 1985

HYDRAENIDAE
Gymnochthebius d'Orchymont, 1943
    fossatus (LeConte, 1855)
    seminole Perkins, 1980
Hydraena Kugelann, 1794
    marginicollis Kiesenwetter, 1849
    spangleri Perkins, 1980
    youngi Perkins, 1980
Ochthebius Leach, 1815
    attritus LeConte, 1878

HYDROCHIDAE
Hydrochus Leach,  1817
    callosus LeConte,  1855
    excavatus LeConte,  1855
    falsus Hellman, 2016 [= sp. 1 Epler]
    inaequalis LeConte
, 1855
    jaechi Makhan, 1995 [= sp. 8 Epler]
    jiawanae Makhan 1996 [= sp. 2 Epler]
    minimus Blatchley
, 1919
    pajnii Makhan, 2000 [= sp. 5 Epler]
    rufipes Melsheimer
, 1844
    rugosus Mulsant, 1844 [= hanoewanti Makhan, 1994]
    schereri Makhan, 1995 [= sp. 6 Epler]
    simplex LeConte
, 1855 [= equicarinatus Blatchley, 1928]
    sp. 3 Epler
    sp. 4 Epler
    sp. 7 Epler

HYDROPHILIDAE
* Anacaena Thomson, 1859
    * limbata (Fabricius, 1792)
Berosus Leach, 1817
    aculeatus LeConte, 1815
    arnetti Van Tassell, 1990
    corrini Wooldridge,  1964
    exiguus (Say, 1825)
    infuscatus LeConte, 1855
    ordinatus LeConte, 1855
    pantherinus LeConte, 1855
    peregrinus (Herbst, 1797)
    pugnax LeConte, 1863
    sayi Hansen, 1999 [nom. nov.  for striatus (Say, 1825)]
    youngi Wooldridge, 1964
Cercyon Leach, 1817
    crocatus Smetana, 1978
    floridanus Horn, 1890  
    herceus
Smetana, 1978  
   
mendax Smetana, 1978
    nigriceps
(Marsham, 1802) [= atricapillus Marsham, 1802] 
    praetextatus
(Say, 1825)

    quisquilius (Linnaeus, 1761)
    variegatus Sharp, 1882
    versicolor Smetana, 1978
Chaetarthria Stephens, 1835
    pallida (LeConte, 1861)
Crenitulus Winters, 1926
   
suturalis (LeConte, 1866)
Cymbiodyta Bedel, 1881 (includes Helocombus Horn, 1890)
    bifidus (LeConte, 1855)
    chamberlaini
Smetana, 1974 [= blanchardi Horn ? in Young 1954]

    * minima Notman, 1919
    vindicata Fall,  1924
Derallus Sharp, 1882
    altus (LeConte, 1855)
Enochrus Thomson, 1859
    blatchleyi (Fall, 1924)
    cinctus (Say, 1824)
    consors (LeConte, 1863)
    consortus Green, 1946
    fimbriatus (Melsheimer, 1844) [=
perplexus LeConte, 1855]
    grossi  Short, 2003
    hamiltoni
(Horn, 1890)

    interruptus Gundersen, 1977
    ochraceus (Melsheimer, 1844)
    * pseudochraceus Gundersen, 1977
    pygmaeus nebulosus (Say, 1824)
    pygmaeus pygmaeus (Fabricius, 1792)
    reflexipennis (Zimmermann, 1869)
    sayi Gundersen, 1977
    sublongus (Fall, 1926)
Helobata Bergroth, 1888
    larvalis (Horn, 1873) [ = striata Brullé, 1841]
Helochares Mulsant, 1844
    maculicollis Mulsant, 1844
Hydrobiomorpha Blackburn, 1888
    casta (Say, 1835)
Hydrochara Berthold, 1827
    brevipalpis Smetana, 1980
    occulta (d'Orchymont, 1933)
    soror Smetana, 1980
    spangleri Smetana, 1980
Hydrophilus Geoffroy, 1762 [includes Dibolocelus Bedel, 1891]
    ensifer  Brullé, 1837 [= ater Olivier, 1792]
    insularis Castelnau, 1840
    ovatus (Gemminger & Harold, 1868)
    § smaragdinus Brullé, 1837
    triangularis Say, 1823
Novochares Girón & Short, 2021
    sallaei (Sharp, 1882)
Laccobius
Erichson, 1837
    reflexipenis  Cheary, 1971
Limnohydrobius Reitter, 1909
    tumidus (LeConte, 1855)
Paracymus Thomson
, 1867
    confusus Wooldridge, 1966
    degener (Horn, 1890)
    dispersus Wooldridge, 1966
    lodingi (Fall, 1910)
    nanus (Fall, 1910)
    reductus (Fall, 1910)
    * seclusus Wooldridge, 1978
    subcupreus (Say, 1825)
Phaenonotum Sharp,  1882
    exstriatum (Say, 1835)
    minus Smetana, 1978
Sperchopsis LeConte, 1861
    tessellata (Ziegler, 1844)
Tropisternus Solier, 1834
    blatchleyi blatchleyi d'Orchymont, 1922
    collaris (Fabricius, 1775)
    lateralis nimbatus (Say, 1823)
    natator d'Orchymont, 1938
    quadristriatus Horn, 1871

NOTERIDAE
Hydrocanthus Say, 1823
    atripennis Say, 1830
    oblongus Sharp, 1882
    regius Young, 1953
Mesonoterus Sharp, 1882
    addendus (Blatchley, 1920)
Notomicrus Sharp, 1882
    nanulus (LeConte, 1863)
    sharpi J. Balfour-Browne, 1939
Suphis Aubé, 1836
    inflatus (LeConte, 1863)
Suphisellus Crotch, 1873 (includes Pronoterus Sharp, 1882)
    bicolor bicolor (Say, 1830)
    * b. punctipennis (Sharp, 1882)
    gibbulus (Aubé, 1838)
    insularis (Sharp, 1882) [= floridanus Blatchley, 1914]
    parsonsi Young, 1952
    puncticollis Crotch, 1873
    semipunctatus (LeConte, 1882)

PSEPHENIDAE
Ectopria LeConte, 1853
    thoracica (Ziegler, 1845)

PTILODACTYLIDAE
Anchytarsus Guérin-Méneville, 1843
    bicolor (Melsheimer, 1846)

SCIRTIDAE
Contacyphon Gozis, 1886  [nec Cyphon Paykull, 1799]
    americanus (Pic, 1913)
    cooperi (Shaeffer, 1931)
    nebulosus (LeConte, 1853)
    § neopadi (Klausnitzer, 1976)  [record from Peck & Thomas (1998) for C. padi (L.) probably refers to C. neopadi ]
    perplexus
(Blatchley
, 1914)
    punctatus (LeConte, 1853)
    variabilis (Thunberg, 1875)
    sp. 1 Epler
    sp. 2 Epler
    sp. 3 Epler
Ora Clark, 1865
    discoidea Champion, 1897
    hyacintha Blatchley
, 1914
    texana Champion, 1897
    troberti Guérin-Méneville, 1861
Prionocyphon Redtenbacher, 1858
    discoideus (Say, 1825)
    limbatus LeConte, 1866
Sacodes LeConte, 1853
    pulchella Guérin-Méneville, 1843
    * thoracica (Guérin-Méneville, 1843)
Sarabandus Leech, 1955
    robustus  (LeConte)
Scirtes Illiger, 1807

    goliai  Epler, 2012 [= sp. 1 Epler]
    oblongus
Guérin-Méneville, 1861
    orbiculatus (Fabricius, 1801)
    tibialis Guérin-Méneville, 1843 [= ovalis Blatchley, 1924; piceolus Blatchley, 1924]
 

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