Summary ⁷

The whirligig beetles are a family (Gyrinidae) of water beetles that usually swim on the surface of the water if undisturbed, though they swim actively underwater when threatened. They get their common name from their habit of swimming rapidly in circles when alarmed, and are also notable for their divided eyes which are believed to enable them to see both above and below water. The family includes some 700 extant species worldwide, in 15 genera, plus...

Characteristics ⁸

Gyrinids are highly modified for life at the air-water interface. Their compound eyes are divided in two:

Right side of Gyrinus sp.

  When the beetles are swimming on the surface of the water, the dorsal portion of the eye is in air, and the ventral portion in water.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) hobiecat, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by hobiecat
2. (c) Udo Schmidt, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3573/3559446642_034522879e.jpg
3. (c) Biopix, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.biopix.com/photos/Gyrinus-natator-00006.JPG
4. (c) Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/specimen_images/entomology/large/MCZ-ENT00006104_Gyrinus_lugens_hal.jpg
5. (c) Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/specimen_images/entomology/large/MCZ-ENT00006104_Gyrinus_lugens_hef.jpg
6. (c) Valter Jacinto, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1260/4726864826_1fdf421c84.jpg
7. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyrinidae
8. (c) <a href="http://david.bembidion.org">David R. Maddison</a>, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/10109496

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

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