Psephenidae

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Common Name

Water-penny Beetle Larvae

Scientific Name

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Psephenidae

Lab Storage

Feeding

Scrapers that feed primarily on algae, especially diatoms, that grow on stones in swift current.

Water Quality Tolerance

Facultative. Somewhat tolerant of metal pollution.

Fact

3-10mm. Distinctive shape makes Psephenidae larvae relatively simple to identify. Their bodies are conspicuously flattened and oval to circular. The head and legs are not visible dorsally. Some species may have spaces between their plates, giving a sawtooth appearance. For more photos, refer to our online gallery: tinyurl.com/w2edy8g

Habitat

Larvae can be found in lotic-erosional habitats. Adults are terrestrial. Psephenidae larvae are effective clingers and usually have to be scraped or picked from rocks with forceps or fingernails.

References

Voshell & Wright. 2002.