龍蝨科（Dytiscidae），亦作龍虱科，為水甲蟲的一種，隸屬於鞘翅目之下的肉食亞目。生活在田野、水溝、小溪等水體中，是一種掠食性水生昆蟲。其學名源於希臘文 _δυτικός_（_dytikos_），意思就是「肉食性的潛水甲蟲」。本科物種幾乎見於全世界所有淡水棲境，但亦有部分於落葉堆中棲息。成蟲體長一般在 1 和 2.5 cm（0.4－1.0 英寸）之間，儘管物種間的差異會比較大。當中見於歐洲的 _Dytiscus latissimus_ 及巴西的 _Megadytes ducalis_ 有最大的體型，可分別長至 4.5 cm（1.8 英寸）到 4.75 cm（1.9 英寸）。與之相反，擁有最小體型的物種應當為棲息於澳大利亞地下水中的 _Limbodessus atypicali_，只有約 0.9 mm（0.035 英寸）長。
大多數物種的顏色都在深棕色、黑色或深橄欖綠，某些亞科的物種會在其邊沿帶有金黃色的條狀斑紋。



食用

本科物種的成蟲，特別是 _Cybister_ 屬的物種，均為可食用昆蟲。在美國內華達州洪堡乾湖的一個山洞內，還在當地史前人類遺下的糞化石內發現有 _Cybister explanatus_ 被食用的殘骸。在墨西哥，他們在吃 _C. explanatus_ 時會以墨西哥夾餅夾著來吃。在日本多個地區（例如：長野縣）有以日本龍蝨（_Cybister japonicus_）為食的習慣；在中華人民共和國廣東省，除了日本龍蝨以外，亦會食用 _C. bengalensis_、_C. guerini_、_C. limbatus_、_C. sugillatus_、_C. tripunctatus_ 等物種。_D. marginalis_ 很可能也包括在內，但這個物種的肉很少。也有報告指在台灣、泰國及新幾內亞亦有食用本科物種的習慣。

大但在陸地上很慢，成年後也不是特別兇猛，它們也被許多中型鳥類、哺乳動物和其他大型捕食者津津樂道地吃掉。幼蟲通常比較安全，由於它們的保護色和通過水柱逃跑的能力；它們可能相當難抓，可能成為小池塘的頂級掠食者。



系統分類

本科包括下列各屬：


* _Acilius_ Leach, 1817

* _Aethionectes_ Sharp, 1882

* _Africodytes_ Biström, 1988

* _Africophilus_ Guignot, 1948

* _Agabetes_ Crotch, 1873

* 豆龍蝨屬 _Agabus_ Leach, 1817

* _Agametrus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Agaporomorphus_ Zimmermann, 1921

* _Aglymbus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Agnoshydrus_ Biström, Nilsson & Wewalka, 1997

* _Allodessus_ Guignot, 1953

* _Allomatus_ Mouchamps, 1964

* 彩斑龍蝨屬 _Allopachria_ Zimmermann, 1924

* _Amarodytes_ Régimbart, 1900

* _Andex_ Sharp, 1882

* _Andonectes_ Guéorguiev, 1971

* _Anginopachria_ Wewalka, Balke & Hendrich, 2001

* _Anisomeria (beetle)_ Brinck, 1943

* _Anodocheilus_ Babington, 1841

* _Antiporus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Australphilus_ Watts, 1978

* _Austrodytes_ Watts, 1978

* _Barretthydrus_ Lea, 1927

* _Batrachomatus_ Clark, 1863

* _Bidessodes_ Régimbart, 1900

* _Bidessonotus_ Régimbart, 1895

* _Bidessus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Borneodessus_ Balke, Hendrich, Mazzoldi & Biström, 2002

* _Brachyvatus_ Zimmermann, 1919

* _Bunites_ Spangler, 1972

* _Calicovatellus_ K.B.Miller & Lubkin, 2001

* _Canthyporus_ Zimmermann, 1919

* _Capelatus prykei_ Turner & Bilton, 2015

* _Carabdytes_ Balke, Hendrich & Wewalka, 1992

* _Carabhydrus_ Watts, 1978

* _Celina (beetle)_ Aubé, 1837

* _Chostonectes_ Sharp, 1882

* _Clypeodytes_ Régimbart, 1894

* _Coelhydrus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Colymbetes_ Clairville, 1806

* _Comaldessus_ Spangler & Barr, 1995

* _Copelatus_ Erichson, 1832

* _Coptotomus_ Say, 1830

* _Cretodytes_ Ponomarenko, 1977

* _Crinodessus_ K.B.Miller, 1997

* _Cybister_ Curtis, 1827

* _Darwinhydrus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Deronectes_ Sharp, 1882

* _Derovatellus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Desmopachria_ Babington, 1841

* _Dimitshydrus_ Uéno, 1996

* _Dytiscus_ Linnaeus, 1758

* _Eretes_ Laporte, 1833

* _Geodessus_ Brancucci, 1979

* _Gibbidessus_ Watts, 1978

* _Glareadessus_ Wewalka & Biström, 1998

* _Graphoderus_ Dejean, 1833

* _Graptodytes_ Seidlitz, 1887

* _Haideoporus_ Young & Longley, 1976

* _Hemibidessus_ Zimmermann, 1921

* _Heroceras_ Guignot, 1950

* _Herophydrus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Heterhydrus_ Fairmaire, 1869

* _Heterosternuta_ Strand, 1935

* _Hoperius_ Fall, 1927

* _Hovahydrus_ Biström, 1982

* _Huxelhydrus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Hydaticus_ Leach, 1817

* _Hyderodes_ Hope, 1838

* _Hydrocolus_ Roughley & Larson, 2000

* _Hydrodessus_ J.Balfour-Browne, 1953

* _Hydrodytes_ K.B.Miller, 2001

* _Hydroglyphus_ Motschulsky, 1853

* _Hydronebrius_ Jakovlev, 1897

* _Hydropeplus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Hydroporus_ Clairville, 1806

* _Hydrotrupes_ Sharp, 1882

* _Hydrovatus_ Motschulsky, 1853

* _Hygrotus_ Stephens, 1828

* _Hyphoporus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Hyphovatus_ Wewalka & Biström, 1994

* _Hyphydrus_ Illiger, 1802

* _Hypodessus_ Guignot, 1939

* _Iberoporus_ Castro & Delgado, 2001

* _Ilybiosoma_ Crotch, 1873

* _Ilybius_ Erichson, 1832

* _Japanolaccophilus_ Satô, 1972

* _Kintingka_ Watts & Humphreys, 1999

* _Kuschelydrus_ Ordish, 1976

* _Laccodytes_ Régimbart, 1895

* _Lacconectus_ Motschulsky, 1855

* _Laccophilus_ Leach, 1815

* _Laccoporus_ J.Balfour-Browne, 1939

* _Laccornellus_ Roughley & Wolfe, 1987

* _Laccornis_ Gozis, 1914

* _Laccosternus_ Brancucci, 1983

* _Lancetes_ Sharp, 1882

* _Leiodytes_ Guignot, 1936

* _Leuronectes_ Sharp, 1882

* _Limbodessus_ Guignot, 1939

* _Liodessus_ Guignot, 1939

* _Lioporeus_ Guignot, 1950

* _Liopterus_ Dejean, 1833

* _Matus (genus)_ Aubé, 1836

* _Megadytes_ Sharp, 1882

* _Megaporus_ Brinck, 1943

* _Meladema_ Laporte, 1835

* _Melanodytes_ Seidlitz, 1887

* _Metaporus_ Guignot, 1945

* _Methles_ Sharp, 1882

* _Microdessus_ Young, 1967

* _Microdytes_ J.Balfour-Browne, 1946

* _Microhydrodytes_ K.B.Miller, 2002

* _Miodytiscus_ Wickham, 1911

* _Morimotoa_ Uéno, 1957

* _Napodytes_ Steiner, 1981

* _Nebrioporus_ Régimbart, 1906

* _Necterosoma_ W.J. Macleay, 1871

* _Neobidessus_ Young, 1967

* _Neoclypeodytes_ Young, 1967

* _Neoporus_ Guignot, 1931

* _Neoscutopterus_ J.Balfour-Browne, 1943

* _Neptosternus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Nirripirti_ Watts & Humphreys, 2001

* _Notaticus_ Zimmermann, 1928

* _Onychohydrus_ Schaum & White, 1847

* _Oreodytes_ Seidlitz, 1887

* _Pachydrus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Pachynectes_ Régimbart, 1903

* _Palaeodytes_ Ponomarenko, 1987

* _Papuadessus_ Balke, 2001

* _Papuadytes_ Balke, 1998

* _Paroster_ Sharp, 1882

* _Peschetius_ Guignot, 1942

* _Philaccolilus_ Guignot, 1937

* _Philaccolus_ Guignot, 1937

* _Philodytes_ J.Balfour-Browne, 1939

* _Phreatodessus_ Ordish, 1976

* _Platambus_ Thomson, 1859

* _Platydytes_ Biström, 1988

* _Platynectes_ Régimbart, 1879

* _Porhydrus_ Guignot, 1945

* _Primospes_ Sharp, 1882

* _Procoelambus_ Théobald, 1937

* _Prodaticus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Pseuduvarus_ Biström, 1988

* _Pteroporus_ Guignot, 1933

* _Queda (genus)_ Sharp, 1882

* _Regimbartina_ Chatanay, 1911

* _Rhantaticus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Rhantus_ Dejean, 1833

* _Rhithrodytes_ Bameul, 1989

* _Rugosus_ García, 2001

* _Sandracottus (genus)_ Sharp, 1882

* _Sanfilippodytes_ Franciscolo, 1979

* _Scarodytes_ Gozis, 1914

* _Schistomerus_ Palmer, 1957

* _Sekaliporus_ Watts, 1997

* _Senilites_ Brinck, 1948

* _Sharphydrus_ Omer-Cooper, 1958

* _Siamoporus_ Spangler, 1996

* _Siettitia_ Abeille de Perrin, 1904

* _Sinodytes_ Spangler, 1996

* _Spencerhydrus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Sternhydrus_ Brinck, 1945

* _Sternopriscus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Stictonectes_ Brinck, 1943

* _Stictotarsus_ Zimmermann, 1919

* _Stygoporus_ Larson & LaBonte, 1994

* _Suphrodytes_ Gozis, 1914

* _Tepuidessus_ Spangler, 1981

* _Terradessus_ Watts, 1982

* _Thermonectus_ Dejean, 1833

* _Tikoloshanes_ Omer-Cooper, 1956

* _Tiporus_ Watts, 1985

* _Trichonectes_ Guignot, 1941

* _Trogloguignotus_ Sanfilippo, 1958

* _Tyndallhydrus_ Sharp, 1882

* _Typhlodessus_ Brancucci, 1985

* _Uvarus_ Guignot, 1939

* _Vatellus_ Aubé, 1837

* _Yola (genus)_ Gozis, 1886

* _Yolina_ Guignot, 1936



參考文獻


* 聯邦科學與工業研究組織 (CSIRO) (2004): Water for a Healthy Country - Family Dytiscidae （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館）. Version of 2004-JUL-02. Retrieved 2008-AUG-04

* De Foliart, Gene R. (2002): Chapter 26 - Eastern Asia: China, Japan, and other countries. _In: The Human Use of Insects as a Food Resource: A Bibliographic Account in Progress_.

* Jäch, Manfred A. (2003): Fried water beetles Cantonese style. _American Entomologist_ 49(1): 34-37. PDF fulltext

* Larson, D.J., Alarie, Y., and Roughley, R.E. (2000): Predaceous Diving Beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) of the Nearctic Region, with emphasis on the fauna of Canada and Alaska. NRC Research Press, Ottawa. ISBN 978-0-660-17967-4.



外部連結


* 維基物種上的相關資訊：龍蝨科

* YouTube 上的 Video of the dangerous mandibles of a Dytiscidae larva（英文）

* 聯邦科學與工業研究組織「家庭龍蝨」 （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館）