Errors in Descriptions of Larvae of Thermonectus Dejean (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)

Mature larvae identified as Thermonectus basillaris by culture to adults revealed that larval characters attributed to the species and commonly used in taxonomic literature are incorrect. Species level identifications that are based on published descriptions of T. basillaris and T. nigrofasciatus ornaticollis (as T. ornaticollis) are problematic, even when these are the only two representatives of the genus in a local fauna.