EUROPA - UNDERWATER FAUNA AND FLORA: Water beetle

EUROPA – UNDERWATER FAUNA AND FLORA

Water beetle (Graphoderus bilineatus)

The water beetle Graphoderus bilineatus is a member of the Dytiscidae family. It grows to a length of between 14 and 16 mm and can be distinguished from the other members of the Graphoderus genus by its dorsally flattened body and the very broad yellow transverse band on the pronotum. Both as a larva and as an adult it lives in water, in most cases in large, standing freshwater bodies with gently sloping banks and good conservation status. It only leaves the water for a short time to pupate and transform to the adult stage.

It is found across a large part of Europe but is generally rare and populations are patchy. Because of its rarity and the endangered status of its habitats, it is recognised as a species of European conservation importance. It is also extremely rare in Slovenia. The handful of recorded sightings to date are limited to the north-eastern part of the country, most recently the Mura basin.

Borut Mavrič, Marine Biology Station, National Institute of Biology