Helvetian Ground Beetle vs Neotropical Backswimmer

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Helvetian Ground Beetle Neotropical Backswimmer
Scientific Name Oreonebria castanea Buenoa antigone
Order Coleoptera Hemiptera
Family Carabidae Notonectidae
Size 8-11 mm 5-9 mm
Habitat Mountains Ponds & Lakes
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Alps, Pyrenees Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Helvetian Ground Beetle

A cold-adapted ground beetle of high-altitude scree and moraines. It is active during short alpine summers near snowmelt areas.

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Did You Know?

It can remain active at temperatures just above freezing.

Neotropical Backswimmer

A small aquatic bug that swims upside-down using its long oar-like hind legs. Its pale ventral surface provides camouflage when viewed from below against the sky.

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Did You Know?

It carries a silvery air bubble on its belly that functions like a physical gill, extracting dissolved oxygen from the water.