COLOR PATTERNS OF DYTISCINE WATER BEETLES (COLEOPTERA, DYTISCIDAE, DYTISCINAE) OF ARROYOS, BILLABONGS AND WADIS

Arid regions of several parts of the world contain stream bed pools, v ariously known as arroyos: billabongs or wadis, which have dytiscine w ater beetles (Dytiscidae: Dytiscinae) of strikingly bold color pattern . These color patterns are homoplastic and it is argued that they serv e to render the beetles less conspicuous to visually hunting predators in environments where cover and retreat are limited. The absense of a stridulatory organ on the protarsus of male Hydaticus jucundus Reiche , a wadi inhabiting species, is reported and discussed.