The family Georissidae comprises very small beetles that are primarily associated with damp and muddy habitats near water. They are among the least well-known groups of beetles, a fact linked not only to their minute size but also to their secretive lifestyle. Adults are tiny, usually 1–2 mm long, heavily sclerotised, dark in colour and with a strikingly oval body. A typical feature is the bumpy and heavily sculpted surface of the body, onto which the beetles actively apply a thin layer of mud or sand. This provides perfect camouflage against both predators and observers. Members of the family are most commonly found on exposed banks of streams, rivers, pools or ponds, where they move about on damp sand and fine mud. The larvae are predatory, whilst the adults are saprophagous, feeding on decomposing organic matter in the mud.

Number of Species:

Family Card

Georissus crenulatus

 

Georissus laesicollis