DYTISCINAE, Leach, 1815

Peck, Stewart B., 2011, The diversity and distributions of the beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) of the northern Leeward Islands, Lesser Antilles (Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, Nevis, Saba, St. Barthélemy, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, and St. Martin-St. Maarten, Insecta Mundi 2011 (159), pp. 1-54 : 15-16

SUBFAMILY DYTISCINAE

TRIBE ACILIINI

Thermonectus basillaris (Harris) 1829: 1 ( Dytiscus ); Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 372 (as Thermonectes ); Blackwelder 1944-1957: 79; Ramos 1946: 32; Wolcott 1950: 233 ; Spangler 1981: 154; Larson et al. 2000: 826; Nilsson 2001: 85; Bass 2003: 279, 2004: 28, 2006a: 13, 2006b: 33; Ivie et al. 2008b: 239; Turnbow and Thomas 2008: 37. = Acilius incisus Aubé 1838: 147 of Guadeloupe, of St. Barthélemy). Distribution. Antigua, Cuba, Bahamas, Barbados, Guadeloupe, Grenada, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Mona, Montserrat, Nevis, Puerto Rico, St. Barthélemy. Canada (southern Ontario), USA (eastern), Mexico to Brazil; widespread New World.

Thermonectus circumscriptus (Latreille) 1809: 223 ( Dytiscus ); Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 372 (as Thermonectes ); Blackwelder 1944-1957: 79; Wolcott 1950: 233 ; Miskimen and Bond 1970: 80; Spangler 1981: 154; Nilsson 2001: 85; Turnbow and Thomas 2008: 37; Pérez-Gelabert 2008: 78. = Hydaticus insularis Laporte 1835: 91 of Guadeloupe. Distribution. Antigua, Bahamas, Cuba, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Mona, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. Thomas. Mexico to Brazil and Argentina; widespread Antilles and Latin America .

Thermonectus margineguttatus (Aubé) 1838: 149 ( Acilius ); Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 373 (as Thermonectes ); Blackwelder 1944-1957: 80; Spangler 1981: 154; Tremouilles 1989: 105; Nilsson 2001: 85; Turnbow and Thomas 2008: 37. Distribution. Antigua, Bahamas, Cuba, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico. Mexico to Brazil and Argentina; widespread Antilles and Latin America .

TRIBE ERETINI

Eretes occidentalis Erichson 1847: 73 ; Larson et al. 2000: 829; Nilsson 2001: 99; Valentine and Ivie 2005: 275. = Eretes sticticus (Linnaeus) 1767: 666 [limited to Old World, Nilsson 2001: 99]; Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 373 of Guadeloupe; Bennett and Alam 1985; 20; Tucker 1952: 340; Miskimen and Bond 1970: 79 of St. Croix; Bass 2006b: 33; Turnbow and Thomas 2008: 35. Distribution. Bahamas, Barbados, Guadeloupe, Guana, Puerto Rico, St. Barthélemy, St. Croix, St. Kitts; the only New World species in the genus, widespread from southern USA south to Peru, including West Indes and Galapagos Islands; widespread New World. Notes. An inhabitant of temporary pools in dry regions; colonizing temporary water bodies; often attracted to lights; larval stages completed in 9-10 days.

TRIBE CYBISTRINI

Megadytes (Bifurcitus) giganteus (Laporte) 1835: 99 ( Dytiscus ); Blackwelder 1944-1957: 80; Miskimen and Bond 1970: 80; Bennett and Alam 1985 20; Nilsson 2001: 94; Bass 2003: 279; Ivie et al. 2008b: 239; Turnbow and Thomas 2008: 36; Pérez-Gelabert 2008: 77. = Cybister lherminieri Laporte 1835: 99 of Guadeloupe; Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 374 ( Megadytes ). = Megadytes levigatus Olivier 1795: 14 , Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 373 of Guadeloupe. = Megadytes fraterna Sharp 1882: 99 , Blackwelder 1944-1957: 80 of Antigua and Guadeloupe; Miskimen and Bond 1970: 80 of St. Croix; Turnbow and Thomas 2008: 36 of Bahamas; Pérez-Gelabert 2008: 77 of Hispaniola. Distribution. Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St. Croix. Mexico to Argentina; widespread Antilles and Latin America . Notes. The larvae are predaceous on tadpoles of the introduced giant toad Rhinella marina (Linnaeus) , formerly known as Bufo marinus Linnaeus. This beetle is apparently a serious limiting factor to population build-up of this agriculturally beneficial but otherwise environmentally undesirable amphibian which has been introduced to several islands in the Caribbean.