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Last updated 07/14/2008

  California Beetle Project > Species Pages > Amphizoa insolens

Classification

Scientific name: Amphizoa insolens LeConte
    Order Coleoptera
    Superfamily Dytiscoidea
    Family Amphizoidae

Images (click to enlarge)

What it looks like: 10.9-15.0 mm in length. Its body is black and rather robust. The elytra have striae, or shallow punctures that form rows from the anterior to the posterior ends of the body. The beetle overall has a coarse look to it, allowing it to blend in more easily with its surroundings.

Where you'll find it: This beetle can be found from southeastern Alaska to the southern mountain ranges of California. They can live near the coast or as far inland as western Wyoming.

Natural History: These beetles like the edges of cold, fast-running streams, backwater eddies, and even the bases of waterfalls, and are often found crawling on submerged wood. They emit a yellow, foul-smelling defensive chemical when disturbed.

This page was written by Maren Farnum, a 2005 California Beetle Project intern.




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