water beetles ID

[papillon]

I would be grateful if someone could identify these small water beetles caught in Somaliland last July.
Thnks
Papillon

Attachments:

[Borja Gómez]

Hello

Not much help I guess, but they are from the family Gyrinidae. Go further it's going to be complicated, at leats for a non specialist, just with photo and without family catalog and appropiate papers related, and proper microscopical analysis.

Regards

[prillbug4]

I checked Bold Systems, but found that they don't have very many species listed, and none from Somaliland. So, it was a dead-end. The best you can do is do a literature search.
Jeff Prill

[papillon]

Thanks to both Borja and Jeff for helping.
I have contacted Max Barclay at the British Museum and this might goive some results.
papillon

[Borja Gómez]

Hello

Good luck! Most of the families of water beetles are tough to id.

Regards

[nomad]

I believe your water beetles are as Borja Gomez suggests a species of Whirligig, family Gyrinidae, see my photograph of a British species that I took this year.