The Scirtidae are an inconspicuous but evolutionarily very interesting family of beetles, belonging to one of the oldest evolutionary lineages within the suborder Polyphaga. The body of adults is soft, oval to oblong-oval, usually finely hairy and only slightly sclerotised. The colouration is typically yellowish, brown to black, sometimes with contrasting spots. Adults are terrestrial, mostly short-lived, and are found on riparian vegetation, woody plants and herbs near both still and flowing water, where they feed on pollen. However, many of them do not feed at all. A characteristic feature of many species is hind legs adapted for jumping. The larvae are characterised by unusually long, multi-segmented antennae and a complex filtering apparatus in the mouthparts. Scirtidae larvae are strictly aquatic and live in both still and flowing waters, in peat bogs, small pools, dendrotelms (water-filled tree hollows), phytotelms or even in damp wood. Here, they feed primarily by scraping off detritus, algae and organic sediments. Owing to their specific requirements regarding water purity and the integrity of their habitats, many species serve as important bioindicators of the condition of wetland habitats.

Number of Species:

Family Card

Contacyphon coarctatus

 

Contacyphon kongsbergensis

 

Contacyphon laevipennis

 

Contacyphon ochraceus

 

Contacyphon padi

 

Contacyphon palustris

 

Contacyphon pubescens

 

Contacyphon punctipennis

 

Contacyphon ruficeps

 

Contacyphon variabilis

 

Elodes elongatus

 

Elodes johni

 

Elodes minutus

 

Elodes pseudominutus

 

Elodes tricuspis

 

Hydrocyphon deflexicollis

 

Microcara testacea

 

Odeles gredleri

 

Odeles hausmanni

 

Odeles marginata

 

Prionocyphon serricornis

 

Scirtes hemisphaericus

 

Scirtes orbicularis