Aquatic Insects of Michigan

by Ethan Bright, Museum of Zoology Insect Division and School of Natural Resources and Environment
University of Michigan

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    Gyrinidae (Whirligig Beetles) of Michigan

    Introduction

    [under contruction] Gyrinids, or whirligig beetles, are aquatic beetles that are familiar to most everyone by characteristic circular movements on the water surface. Medium-sized adults are shiny and usually brown-bronze to black in color. Larvae and adults are aquatic, with adults being scavengers and larvae predators that use ttheir mandibles to inject poison to subdue prey. Adults overwinter and females oviposit eggs under water.

    Genera are donoted in bold green; species denoted in bold blue have been recorded in Michigan; other species denoted in bold are likely to occur based on their known distribution. You can use the Find function in your web browser to locate families, genera, and species. Synonomous species (indented) are listed below the current valid species (denoted in bold) with its taxonomic status indicated.

     
     

    Gyrinidae Latreille, 1810: 168

    Adult Dineutus sp. (Copyright © 2006 Ethan Bright)
      Dineutus MacLeay, 1825: 30
        Dineutus assimilis (Kirby, 1837: 78 as Cyclinus) - UMMZ, NMNH (web page database); Gustafson & Miller 2015: 123
        Dineutus discolor Aubé, 1838: 784 - NMNH (web page database); Gustafson & Miller 2015: 123
          (syn.) Cyclous labratus Melsheimer, 1846: 9
        Dineutus emarginatus (Say, 1825: 108 as Gyrinus) - UMMZ; see also Hilsehoff 1990: 83, 85; Gustafson & Miller 2015: 124
        Dineutus hornii Roberts, 1895: 282 - UMMZ, NMNH (web page database); Gustafson & Miller 2015: 123
        Dineutus nigrior Roberts, 1895: 280 - UMMZ; Gustafson & Miller 2015: 123

      Gyrinus Geoffroy, 1762: 193
        Gyrinus aeneolus LeConte, 1868: 368, 370 - UMMZ, NMNH (web page database); Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 59-60, 68
        Gyrinus aeratus Stephens, 1835: 395- ON, NY (expect in UP, n. LP) (Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 38-39, 72)
          (syn.) Gyrinus aeneus Thomson, 1860: 116
          (syn.) Gyrinus thomsoni Zaitsev, 1907: 122
          (syn.) Gyrinus edwardsi Sharp, 1914: 131, 137
          (syn.) Gyrinus instabilis Fall, 1931: 155
        Gyrinus affinis Aubé, 1838: 669- UMMZ, NMNH (web page database); Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 30-33, 52
          (syn.) Gyrinus canadensis Régimbart, 1883: 159
        Gyrinus analis Say, 1825: 108 - UMMZ, NMNH (web page database); Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 62-63,67
        Gyrinus aquiris LeConte, 1868: 368, 371 - UMMZ, NMNH (web page database); Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 66, 68-70
        Gyrinus bifarius Fall, 1922: 276, 286 - UMMZ; Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 40-42, 70
          (syn.) Gyrinus punctellus Ochs, 1949: 258
        Gyrinus borealis Aubé, 1838: 692 - Hilsenhoff 1990: 88; Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 45-46, 50; UMMZ
          (syn.) Gyrinus corpulentus Régimbart, 1883: 178
        Gyrinus conifinis LeConte, 1868: 368, 370 - UMMZ, record at Albertson College of Idaho Collection; Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 54-55, 70
        Gyrinus dubius Wallis, 1926: 93 - northern, may occur on Isle Royale (Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 65, 73)
        Gyrinus dichrous LeConte, 1868: 368, 371 - Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 61-62, 71; UMMZ
        Gyrinus fraterunus Couper, 1865: 60 - Mackinaw Co. (Merritt et al. 2002: 155)
        Gyrinus gehringi Chamberlain, 1929: 247- Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 66-67
        Gyrinus gibber LeConte, 1868: 370, 372 - Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 48-49, 51; UMMZ
          (syn.) Gyrinus frosti Fall, 1922: 278, 303
          (syn.) Gyrinus floridensis Ochs, 1929: 123
        Gyrinus impressicollis Kirby, 1837: 79 - Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 36, 72
        Gyrinus latilimbus Fall, 1922: 368, 370 - Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 53-54, 71; UMMZ
        Gyrinus lecontei Fall, 1922: 291 - UMMZ; Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 66-68
        Gyrinus maculiventris LeConte, 1868: 368, 371 - Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 64, 67; UMMZ
        Gyrinus marginellus Fall, 1922: 276, 283 - Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 46, 48, 69; UMMZ
        Gyrinus minutus Fabricius, 1798: 65 - Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 25-27, 30-31 (however, this may be G. cavatus Atton, 1990 - check article in Can Ent. that O & W were unaware of); UMMZ
          (syn.) Gyrinus kirbyi Marsham, 1802: 100
        Gyrinus pectoralis LeConte, 1868: 370, 372 - Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 24, 72; Merritt et al. 2002: 155; UMMZ
        Gyrinus pernitidus LeConte, 1868: 396, 372 - NY, WI (Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 51, 56-57)
        Gyrinus piceolus Blatchely, 1910: 238, 240 - IN (known only from Indiana, but might occur in sw. LP) (Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 49, 51)
        Gyrinus picipes Aubé, 1838: 694 - ON, expect in w. UP, Isle Royale (Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 64-65, 73)
        Gyrinus pugionis Fall, 1922: 277, 296 - Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 46, 50; UMMZ
        Gyrinus sayi Aubé, 1838: 698 - Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 65-66, 73; UMMZ
          (syn.) Gyrinus lugens LeConte, 1868: 396, 372
          (syn.) Gyrinus falli Notman, 1919: 131
        Gyrinus ventralis Kirby, 1837: 80 - Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 49-51; Merritt et al. 2002: 155; UMMZ
          (syn.) Gyrinus hatchi Wallis, 1926: 93
        Gyrinus wallisi Fall, 1922: 278 - MN, ON, expect in UP (Oygur and Wolfe 1990: 36-37, 72)
        Gyrinus woodruffi Fall, 1922: 276, 282 - UMMZ

      References - Taxonomic and Distribution

        Aubé C. 1836–1838. Tome Cinquième (V). Hydrocanthares. Méquignon-Marvis Père et fils, Paris, xi + 415 pp. + 446 pls. [411–464: 1836, 1865–1224: 1837, 1225–1416: 1838.] VIEW.
        Blatchley WS. 1910. An illustrated descriptive catalogue of the Coleoptera or beetles (exclusive of the Rhynchophoral known to occur in Indiana with bibliography and descriptions of new species. Bulletin no. 1 Indiana Department of Geology and Natural Resources. Indianapolis, Indiana, 1386 pp., illus. Reprinted by Nature Publishing Co. in 1910. VIEW .
        Chamberlain KF. 1929. A new species of Gyrinus from Northern New Hampshire. Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 24: 247-249.
        Couper W. 1865. Description of new species of Canadian Coleoptera. Canadian Naturalist 2(2): 60-63.
        Fabricius JC. 1798. Entomologiae Systematica. Supplement. Proft and Storch, Hafniae. [2] + 572 + 52 pp. (PDF)
        Fall HC. 1922. The North American species of Gyrinus (Coleoptera). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 47: 269-306 + pl. 16. VIEW.
        Fall HC. 1931. A new Gyrinus from Alaska with reference to other recently described species (Coleoptera). Pan-Pacific Entomologist 7(4): 154-156. VIEW.
        Geoffroy E-L. 1762. Histoire abregée des insectes qui se trouvent aux environs de Paris, dans laquelle ces animaux sont rangés suivant un ordre méthodique. Chez Durand, Paris, 523 pp. + 510 pl. VIEW.
        Gustafson GT, Miller KB. 2015. The New World whirligig beetles of the genus Dineutus Macleay, 1825 (Coleoptera, Gyrinidae, Gyrininae, Dineutini). ZooKeys 476: 1–135. VIEW.
        Hilsenhoff WL. 1990. Gyrinidae of Wisconsin, with a key to adults of both sexes and notes on distribution and habitat. The Great Lakes Entomologist 23(2):77-91. VIEW.
        Kirby W. 1837. The Insects. in Richardson J, Fauna boreali-americana, or, The zoology of the northern parts of British America: containing descriptions of the objects of natural history collected on the late northern land expeditions, under command of Captain Sir John Franklin, R.N., Part 4. London. xxxix + 249 pp. VIEW
        Latreille PA. 1810. Considérations générales sur l’ordre naturel des animaux composant les classes des crustacés, des arachnides, et des insectes; avec un tableau méthodique de leurs genres, disposés en familles. F. Schoell, Paris. 444 pp. (8vo). VIEW.
        LeConte JL. 1868. The Gyrinidae of America, north of Mexico. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 20: 365–373. VIEW.
        Macleay WS. 1825. Annulosa javanica, or an attempt to illustrate the natural affinities and analogies of the insects collected in Java by Thomas Horsfiled and deposited by him in the museum of the Honourable East-India Company. Kingsbury, Parbury and Allen, London, xii + 50 pp. VIEW.
        Marsham T. 1802. Entomologia Britannica, sistens Insecta Britanniae indigena, secundum methodum Linnaeanum disposita. Londini 1: 1-548. VIEW.
        Melsheimer FE. 1846. Descriptions of new species of Coleoptera of the United States. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 2: 26–43. VIEW.
        Merritt RW, Benbow ME, Hudson PL. 2002. Wetland macroinvertebrates of Prentiss Bay, Lake Huron, Michigan: diversity and function group comparison. The Great Lakes Entomologist 35(2): 149-160. VIEW.
        Notman H. 1919. Coleoptera collected at Mooers, Clinton Co. N.Y. September 9-13, with descriptions of new species. Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 14: 129- 141. VIEW.
        Ochs G. 1929. Notes upon some Gyrinidae in the Carnegie Museum with descriptions of new species. Annals of the Carnegie Museum 19: 123-134. VIEW.
        Ochs G. 1949. A revision of the Gyrinoidea of Central America (Col). Revista de Entomologia (Brazil) 20(1-3): 253–300.
        Oygur S, Wolfe GW. 1991. Classification, distribution, and phylogeny of North American (north of Mexico) species of Gyrinus Müller (Coleoptera, Gyrinidae). Bulletin of the Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 207: 1-97. VIEW.
        Régimbart M. 1883. Essai monographique de la famille des Gyrinidae. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France (6)3: 121–190.
        Roberts CH. 1895. The species of Dineutes of America north of Mexico. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 22: 279–288. VIEW.
        Say T. 1825. Descriptions of new species of coleopterous insects inhabiting the United States. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society New Series, 2: 107-109. VIEW.
        Sharp D. 1914. The British species of Gyrinus. Entomology Monthly Magazine 50: 128-138. VIEW.
        Stephens JF. 1835. Illustrations of British entomology; or a synopsis of indigenous insects: containing their generic and specific distinctions; with an account of their metamorphoses, times of appearance, localities, food, and economy, as far as practicable. Mandibulata 5 (App.): 366- 440. VIEW.
        Thomson CG. 1860. Skandinaviens Coleoptera, synoptiskt bearbetade. Volume II. Lundbergska Boktryckeriet, Lund. 304 pp. VIEW.
        Wallis JB. 1926. The status of G. piceolus Blatchley (Coleoptera). The Canadian Entomologist 56: 50.
        Zaitsev FA. 1907. Aquatic beetle (Haliplidae, Dytiscidae et Gyrinidae) of Petersburg Province. [In Russian]. Annuaire du Mussee Zologique de L'Academie Imperiale des Sciences de St. Petersbourg 11(1906): 1-46.

      Page created: November 01, 2002; Last update June 16, 2020 (EB)