Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) ➔ Class Insecta (Insects) ➔ Order Coleoptera (Beetles) ➔ Family Dytiscidae (Predaceous diving beetles)

Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)

Punktierter Tauchschwimmer Supertramp Beetle

Synonyms and other combinations:

Colymbetes suturalis MacLeay, 1825 | Colymbetes pulverosus Stephens, 1828 | Rhantus (Rhantus) pulverosus |

  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, female  8437
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-09 23:22:30
    Image number: 8437
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-09 23:22:30

  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, female  8438
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-09 23:23:33
    Image number: 8438
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-09 23:23:33

  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, female  8439
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, female, det. Daniel
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-09 23:20:58
    Image number: 8439
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-09 23:20:58
    det. Daniel
  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, female  8440
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, female, det. Daniel
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-10 10:41:39
    Image number: 8440
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-10 10:41:39
    det. Daniel
  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, bottom view  8441
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, bottom view, det. Daniel
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-10 10:35:00
    Image number: 8441
    bottom view
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-10 10:35:00
    det. Daniel
  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, exuvia  8451
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, exuvia
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-16 14:26:39
    Image number: 8451
    exuvia
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-16 14:26:39

  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva and eggs  8449
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva and eggs
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-16 14:54:54
    Image number: 8449
    larva and eggs
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-16 14:54:54

  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva  8450
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-16 14:52:47
    Image number: 8450
    larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-16 14:52:47

  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, exuvia  8461
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, exuvia
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-18 10:46:20
    Image number: 8461
    exuvia
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-18 10:46:20

  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva  8462
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-18 15:26:00
    Image number: 8462
    larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-18 15:26:00

  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva  8463
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-18 15:31:33
    Image number: 8463
    larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-18 15:31:33

  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva  8464
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-19 09:24:26
    Image number: 8464
    larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-19 09:24:26

  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva  8465
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-20 09:11:33
    Image number: 8465
    larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-20 09:11:33

  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva  8469
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-23 09:51:50
    Image number: 8469
    larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-23 09:51:50

  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, dead larva  8471
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, dead larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-24 09:53:30
    Image number: 8471
    dead larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-24 09:53:30

  • Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, bottom view  8470
    Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825)  Punktierter Tauchschwimmer  Supertramp Beetle 
    Rhantus (Rhantus) suturalis, bottom view
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2018-08-24 16:13:29
    Image number: 8470
    bottom view
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2018-08-24 16:13:29


Further vernacular names:
Cosmopolitan Diving Beetle
Classification:
Rhantus suturalis belongs to the subfamily Colymbetinae, tribe Colymbetini.
Distribution:
Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand.
Habitat:
Waters, such as ponds, lakes, streams.
Description:
Length 10.5 - 12.5 mm; underside black; elytra reticulated; pronotum usually with dark central patch, sometimes black hemmed at the back and front edge; antennae completely yellow.
Biology:
With their streamlined body and hind legs ideal for paddling, the predaceous diving beetles are perfectly adapted to life in the water. When hunting underwater, they come up from time to time in order to renew the supply of breathing air stored under the elytra.
An important food source of the imagines and larvae of Rhantus suturalis are larvae of midges.
The beetles are good flyers. As soon as a waterhole dries out, they leave it and search for a new suitable habitat.
Annotation:
Attracted by the light, the beetle flew in at night through the open balcony door and laid a few eggs on damp paper on August 10. After a few days, on August 16th, I found the 1st exuvia and the small larva shown here in the vessel with the eggs. The larva has shed its skin (2nd exuvia of August 18th) and eaten the offered water fleas. It still ate on August 23rd and reached a length of about 9 mm. Unfortunately, the larva was dead the next day. Probably there were problems with the skinning, because the skin on the back was partly torn open.
The contrast of the images of eggs, larva and exuviae has been increased. The eggs are yellowish white and the larva looks a little brighter and more transparent in the original.

References, further reading, links:
  1. de Jong, Y.S.D.M. (ed.) (2013) Fauna Europaea version 2.6.2 Web Service available online at https://fauna-eu.org/
  2. Arved Lompe: Die Käfer Europas - Ein Bestimmungswerk im Internet