Gymnochthebius seminole

Gymnochthebius seminole
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Family:	Hydraenidae
Genus:	Gymnochthebius
Species:	G. seminole
Binomial name
Gymnochthebius seminole Perkins 1980[1]

Gymnochthebius seminole is a species of tiny beetle in the family Hydraenidae.^[2] It is known only from a single adult male specimen collected in a "sawgrass-mangrove area" along the Snake Bight Trail north of Flamingo in Everglades National Park, Florida on 27 August 1965.^[1][3]

This specimen was 1.20 millimetres (0.047 in) long, with a relatively robust body.^[1] It is most similar to G. oppositus.^[1] The species is named for the Seminole people of Florida.^[1] The species is named for the Seminole masses of Everglade State. Some of the oldest beetle fossils are hydraenids, which date back to the lower Jurassic.^[4]

Gymnochthebius seminole is a species within the family Hydraenidae, commonly known as minute moss beetles,^[5] belonging to the broader order Coleoptera. It falls under the kingdom Animalia and phylum Arthropoda, which includes organisms with exoskeletons and segmented bodies. This beetle is part of the class Insecta, which encompasses all insect species. Its taxonomic classification places it within the genus Gymnochthebius, though it was originally identified under the genus Ochthebius, indicating a taxonomic revision.

The species name is seminole, and the complete scientific name is Gymnochthebius seminole, as described by Perkins in 1980. This name is recognized as a synonym, meaning it may have been reclassified or considered equivalent to another species. The higher classification of the species aligns it with the major taxonomic groups of Animalia, Arthropoda, Insecta, Coleoptera, and Hydraenidae.^[6]

Gymnochthebius seminole is a small aquatic beetle that, like other species in the Hydraenidae family, inhabits in moss or accumulations of moist/wet dead leaves and sticks/twigs along the margins of streams, rivers, sinkholes, pools and ponds; also in littoral zone substrata. They plays a role in the ecosystem through its interactions with other aquatic organisms.^[7]

Gymnochthebius seminole, like many other species in the family Hydraenidae, has an aquatic life stage where both larvae and adults feed by grazing on surfaces in their freshwater habitats. These beetles are mostly found on wet stones, grains of sand, and submerged plant material in streams or ponds. Their diet consists of small particles such as algae, bacteria, protozoans, and detritus.^[5][7]

The larvae play a crucial role in this ecosystem, by catabolism of organic matter by consuming algae and bacteria, they help control the growth of these microorganisms and contribute to nutrient cycling within their environment. Adults continue this grazing behavior, maintaining the balance of biofilms and organic debris in aquatic ecosystems. Their feeding activities support the clarity and quality of water by preventing excessive accumulation of organic materials, thus fostering a healthy habitat for other aquatic organisms.^[7]