| Common Name |
Water-penny Beetle Larvae |
| Phylum |
Arthropoda |
| Class |
Insecta |
| Order |
Coleoptera |
| Family |
Psephenidae |
| Description |
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. |
| Feeding Information |
Scrapers that feed primarily on algae, especially diatoms, that grow on stones in swift current. |
| Water Quality Tolerance |
Facultative. Somewhat tolerant of metal pollution. |
| References |
Voshell & Wright. 2002. |
