Description of the preimaginal stages of three species of the genus Tropisternus Solier, subgenus Strepitornus Hansen (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae).

TORRES, P.L.M.; MICHAT, M.C.; ARCHANGELSKY, M.

Zootaxa

Magnolia Press

Lugar: Nueva Zelanda; Año: 2008 vol. 1702 p. 1 - 25

1175-5326

The morphology of immature stages of the genus Tropisternus Solier is investigated on the basis of the description ofimmatures of the subgenus Strepitornus Hansen. The egg cases, all three larval instars and pupae of T. collaris (Fabricius),T. parananus Sharp and T. scutellaris Castelnau are described with an emphasis on the chaetotaxy and morphometryof selected structures. Comparisons with other species of Tropisternus known as larvae are included. The larvalinstars can be separated by means of morphometric relationships and chaetotaxy of the cephalic appendages and legs.Most morphometric measures among the species described here have overlapped ranges, suggesting that the larval morphologyof the examined taxa is very similar.