HYDROPHILUS ATERRIMUS ESCHSCHOLTZ, 1822(INSECTA: COLEOPTERA: HYDROPHILIDAE) IN BELARUS

Abstract

Hydrophilus aterrimus Eschscholtz, 1822 is a rheophilic species. In Belarus it prefers shallow water bodies
(old river-beds, fens, ponds, reservoirs, large puddles, often floodplains) with warm water, overgrown with
macrophytes, also lives in rivers, lakes and reclamation canals. The species lives throughout Belarus, it is also
known from the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, the national parks “Braslavskie Ozera”, “Belovezhskaya Pushcha”
and “Pripyatsky”.

Populations of H. aterrimus tend to decrease in Europe. At the beginning of the XXIst century a similar trend
began to be observed on the territory of Belarus. In this connection, H. aterrimus was included as a species that
needs attention (least concern (LC)) on the List of Species Requiring Additional Study and Attention for Preventive
Protection in the Red Data Book of Belarus. The reasons for reduction in the number of population of H. aterrimus
are not clear yet. Сonsequently, this species needs additional study of its biology and ecological preferences in
order to more accurately determine its protection category.

In the article diagnostic features of Hydrophilus aterrimus and H. piceus (Linnaeus, 1758) are recorded. The
second species was previously excluded from the composition of the fauna of Belarus. However, the possibility of
the appearance of H. piceus in the west or south of Belarus cannot be ruled out due to global warming.

Fig. 16. Ref.: 24 titles.