The family Sphaeriusidae belongs to the suborder Myxophaga in the order Coleoptera. They are extremely small, tiny aquatic or semi-terrestrial beetles, adapted to moist environments, such as often the edges of watercourses, mud, moss or substrate of wet or marshy places. The body is compact, convex, smooth and dark in colour. The head is visible and with relatively large eyes. The antennae are 11-parted with a 3-parted mallet. The front tibiae may be expanded and the front legs usually bear a tooth on the inner side. Adults and larvae feed on algal biofilms on rocks, roots or substrate in moist environments. The beetles and their larvae breathe atmospheric oxygen. Adults maintain a layer of air, called a plastron, under their bushes that allows them to remain underwater for longer periods of time. They are considered "living fossils" - a group with a long evolutionary history, a low diversification rate, and many species that may not yet have been discovered.

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Family Card

Sphaerius acaroides