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Alice Springs Beetles > Alice Springs Beetles Index

Known commonly as the Padded Diving Beetle (Eretes australis), the adult male have what is described as padded feet, that is used to hold onto the female when mating.

The species Eretes australis (subfamily Dytiscinae) is one of the most common and widespread water beetles in Australia, that is found in both permanent or temporary aquatic habitats. A diving beetle, the adult are strong fliers, and will be attracted to lights at night, especially around backyard swimming pools. The Eretes australis pictured here was rescued from a local swimming pool in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

Eretes australis (subfamily Dytiscinae), Alice Springs NT
Eretes australis (subfamily Dytiscinae), Alice Springs NT
Eretes australis (subfamily Dytiscinae), Alice Springs NT
Eretes australis (subfamily Dytiscinae), Alice Springs NT
Eretes australis (subfamily Dytiscinae), Alice Springs NT
Eretes australis (subfamily Dytiscinae), Alice Springs NT

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Subclass: Pterygota
  • Order: Coleoptera
  • Suborder: Adephaga
  • Superfamily: Dytiscoidea
  • Family: Dytiscidae
  • Subfamily: Dytiscinae
  • Genus: Eretes
  • Species: Eretes australis

Footnote & References

  1. Padded Diving Beetle (Eretes australis), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/533293-Eretes-australis
  2. Eretes Castelnau, 1833, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Eretes
  3. Dytiscidae, Water Beetles or Predacious Diving Beetles, CSIRO, https://www.ento.csiro.au/education/insects/coleoptera_families/dytiscidae.html
  4. Padded Diving Beetle (Eretes australis), Ellura – Beetles, Roaches & True Bugs, https://www.ellura.info/Insect/Beetle/DSC01203E-Padded-Diving-Beetle-Eretes-australis.html

Alice Springs Beetles IndexBisallardiana sp Blaps polychresta Bolboceratidae Calosoma oceanicum Calosoma schayeri Carphurus (Soft-winged Flower Beetle) Cassidini Chalcophorotaenia Chlorobapta frontalis Coccinella transversalis (Transverse Ladybird) Colpochila Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (Mealybug Destroyer Beetle) Cybister tripunctatus (Three-punctured Diving Beetle) Dicranolaius bellulus (Red and Blue Beetle) Enochrus (Water Scavenger Beetle) Eretes australis (Padded Diving Beetle) Fungus Weevil (Dendropemon subfasciatus) Hydrophilus brevispina Lepidiota Merimna atrata Neospades sp Pachydissus (Longhorn Beetles) Paropsisterna laesa (Eucalyptus Leaf Beetle) Phoracantha punctata (Longhorn Beetle) Phorticosomus sp Phoracantha recurva (Eucalyptus Longhorn Beetle) Prioninae subfamily Protaetia fusca (Mottled Flower Scarab) Pterohelaeus sp (Blue Pie-dish Beetles) Scarabaeinae (Dung Beetles)

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