Subgenus Helochares (s. str.) Mulsant, 1844

Enhydrus Dahl, 1823: 34 (nom. nud.).

Enhydrus MacLeay, 1825: 35 .

Helophilus Mulsant, 1844: 132 .

Helochares Mulsant, 1844: 197 .

Pylophilus Motschulsky, 1845: 32

(type species: Hydrophilus griseus Fabricius, 1787).

Peloxenus Motschulsky, 1845: 549

(type species: Hydrophilus griseus Fabricius, 1787).

Helophygas Motschulsky, 1853: 11 .

Stagnicola Montrouzier, 1860: 246

(type species: Stagnicola foveicollis Montrouzier, 1860). — Bedel 1881: 311 (synonymization).

Neohydrobius Blackburn, 1898: 221

(type species: Philhydrus burrundiensis Blackburn, 1890 by monotypy). — d’Orchymont 1919c: 228 (synonymization).

Diagnosis

The following character combination can be used to separate Helochares (s. str.) from other subgenera of Helochares: (1) maxillary palps at least as long as width of head (shorter than width of head in subgenus Helocharimorphus); (2) second maxillary palpomeres clearly curved inwards, apical segment at most as long as penultimate segment; (3) mesoventrite bulging medially, without strongly raised process (subgenus Sindolus with strongly raised process); (4) elytra without striae or serial punctures and without scutellary stria, but with rows of systematic punctures (subgenera Hydrobaticus and Batochares with 8–10 striae or series of punctures and short scutellary stria); (5) elytra without sutural striae; and (6) posterior margin of last visible abdominal sternite with apical emargination fringed with stiff yellowish setae (subgenus Batochares without apical emargination).

For keys to the subgenera of Helochares Mulsant, see Hebauer (1996) and d’Orchymont (1919b).