Heteroceridae are small, elongated and slightly flattened beetles, specialised for life at the interface between aquatic and terrestrial environments. They inhabit primarily damp, sandy or muddy banks of rivers, streams, ponds, lakes and brackish waters, where, using their strongly expanded front legs, they dig characteristic shallow, winding tunnels. They spend most of their lives in these tunnels, hiding from predators, reproducing and foraging for food, which consists mainly of organic debris, algae, cyanobacteria, bacteria and other microorganisms. They thus play a significant role in the decomposition of organic matter and the nutrient cycle in riparian sediments. Although they are often abundant, their small size and hidden lifestyle mean that they are easily overlooked in routine faunal surveys. Furthermore, due to their external similarity, reliable identification of individual species is often impossible without a detailed study of the male reproductive organs.

Number of Species:

Family Card

Augyles flavidus

 

Augyles hispidulus

 

Augyles pruinosus

 

Augyles sericans

 

Heterocerus fenestratus

 

Heterocerus flexuosus

 

Heterocerus fossor

 

Heterocerus fusculus

 

Heterocerus marginatus

 

Heterocerus obsoletus

 

Heterocerus parallelus