The family Elmidae is divided into two subfamilies: Elminae and Larainae. The Elminae are far more abundant and diverse than the Larainae, with about 100 genera and over 1,000 species worldwide, of which 26 genera and about 100 species occur in the United States. This subfamily is represented in every American state but Hawaii and in every bordering province of canada and state of mexico.
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polypleaga
Superfamily: Dryopiidea
Family: Elmidae
The Larainae, however, have only about 20 genera and 110 species world wide, with only two genera and no more than four species in the United States. Adult Laraines are usually found near or at the water’s edge, sometimes partially submerged. When disturbed, they may fly rapidly. Some tropical species occur in swarms around cataracts or waterfall spray zones. (Big black adults of Potamophilopsare conspicuous flying about in the spray of the world-famous Iguassu Falls shared by Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay.) The bodies...
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References
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Brown, H.P. (2004). Riffle Beetles (Coleoptera: Elmidae). In: Encyclopedia of Entomology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48380-7_3680
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