Page 176 - Atlas Of The World's Strangest Animals

176 ATLAS OF THE WORLD’S STRANGEST ANIMALS

Great Diving Beetle

These iridescent insects may look harmless but, in their own watery world,

they’re tigers! These pint-sized predators have voracious appetites and will
attempt to eat anything they can catch using an in-built aqualung to help them
dive into deep waters in pursuit of their prey.

Larvae
These large larvae look more
like shrimp than beetles,
especially with their ‘tails’
raised in the water to take
in air.

Key Facts ORDER Coleoptera / FAMILY Dytiscidae
GENUS & SPECIES Dytiscus marginalis

Weight Not recorded

Length of larvae Up to 6cm (2.4in)
Length of adult Up to 4cm (1.5in)
Sexual maturity On reaching adult stage
Spawning season Spring and summer

Breeding interval Yearly
Number of eggs 1000
Typical diet Shrimps, tadpoles and small fish

Lifespan Adults: up to 3 years in the wild

(c) 2011 Marshall Cavendish. All Rights Reserved.