Comal Springs riffle beetle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Comal Springs riffle beetle |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: |
Elmidae
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| Genus: |
Heterelmis
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| Species: |
H. comalensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Heterelmis comalensis Bosse, Tuff, and Brown, 1988
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The Heterelmis comalensis is a very rare type of beetle. It's also known as the Comal Springs riffle beetle. This tiny beetle lives only in Texas, United States. You can find it in just two special springs there. Because it's so rare, it's on a special list of endangered species in the United States. This means it needs our help to survive!
Meet the Comal Springs Riffle Beetle
This unique beetle was first officially described in 1988. It's super small, only about 2 millimeters (that's less than an inch!) long. Even though it's an insect, this beetle has wings that don't work. So, it can't fly at all!
Where Does This Beetle Live?
The Comal Springs riffle beetle makes its home in two specific places:
- Comal Springs in Comal County, Texas
- San Marcos Springs in Hays County, Texas
These beetles like to live in shallow water. They hide among the gravel at the bottom of the springs and in fast-moving parts of the water called riffles. They share their home with other water creatures, like another beetle called Microcylloepus pusillus.
Why Is This Beetle Endangered?
The biggest danger to the Comal Springs riffle beetle is the Edwards Aquifer. An aquifer is like a huge underground water storage area. The Edwards Aquifer provides water to the springs where these beetles live. People use a lot of water from this aquifer, and when the water levels drop, the beetles lose their home.
Scientists and conservationists are working to protect these special beetles. Some beetles are kept safely at the San Marcos National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center. They are even trying to help baby beetles (called larvae) grow there. This helps make sure these rare beetles don't disappear forever.
