Elmidae, commonly known as riffle beetles, is a family of beetles in the superfamily Byrrhoidea described by John Curtis in 1830. Both adults and larvae are usually aquatic, living under rocks in fast-flowing shallow areas of streams, such as riffles, feeding on algae and biofilms.[1] There are more than 150 genera and 1,500 described species in Elmidae.[2][3][4][5] The oldest record of the group is Cretohypsilara from the Cenomanian aged Burmese amber.[6]
Elmidae Temporal range:
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Ancyronyx schillhammeri | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Suborder: | Polyphaga |
Infraorder: | Elateriformia |
Superfamily: | Byrrhoidea |
Family: | Elmidae Curtis, 1830 |
Subfamilies | |
Diversity | |
at least 150 genera |