AQUATIC HEMIPTERA

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AQUATIC HEMIPTERA

• CHAPTER 15

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HEMIPTERA CHARACTERISTICS

• PIERCING MOUTHPARTS MOST AQUATIC SPECIES ARE
  PIERCING CARNIVORES
• MANY TERRESTRIAL FAMILIES, ONLY 15 AQUATIC OR
  SEMIAQUATIC FAMILIES
• FRONT WING HEMELYTRON
• WINGS FOLD AND LIE FLAT OVER ABDOMEN WINGS CROSS
  BEHIND SCUTELLUM
• ANTENNAE HIDDEN, OR WITH 4-5 SEGMENTS

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HEMIPTERA CHARACTERISTICS

• HEMIMETABOLOUS
• MOST OVERWINTER AS ADULTS, LAY EGGS IN SPRING,
  AND MAY PRODUCE ADDITIONAL COHORTS IN SUMMER
  (BIVOLTINE, MULTIVOLTINE)
• SOME HAVE SIPHONS, OTHERS PLASTRONS
• SOME ARE NEUSTONIC

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HEMIPTERA DIVERSITY

• 4000 AQUATIC SPECIES IN WORLD
• 425 NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES PLACED IN 70 GENERA
• ALL AQUATICS ARE IN SUBORDER HETEROPTERA

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FAMILY BELOSTOMATIDAE

• KNOWN AS GIANT WATER BUGS
• BODY SIZE USUALLY AT LEAST 1 INCH
• BODY FLATTENED
• HIND LEGS NATATORIAL, FORELEGS RAPTORIAL
• ANTENNAE SHORT, HIDDEN UNDER MARGINS OF HEAD

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FAMILY BELOSTOMATIDAE

• BEAK WELL DEVELOPED FOR PREDATION, SHORT, THICK
• RESPIRATORY SIPHONS SHORT, RETRACTIBLE UNDER
  WINGS
• WING MEMBRANE SMALL TO ABSENT
• MANY DEPOSIT EGGS ON BACKS OF MALES

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MAJOR GENERA BELOSTOMA, LETHOCERUS
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FAMILY CORIXIDAE

• KNOWN AS WATER BOATMEN
• SMALL, 3-11 MM LONG
• ANTENNAE SHORT, HIDDEN
• BEAK SHORT, BROAD FEED ON ALGAE, DETRITUS, SOME
  ARE PREDATORS
• HIND LEGS NATATORIAL,MID LEGS LONG, FORELEGS
  SHORT, MODIFIED INTO PALAE
• WINGS FLAT OVER BODY

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FAMILY CORIXIDAE

• EXCELLENT SWIMMERS
• SURFACE WITH TAIL TO GATHER AIR BUBBLE AIR
  STORED ON VENTER OF BODY
• MALES HAVE ASYMMETRICAL STERNA
• MANY STRIDULATE BY RUBBING FORE FEMUR AGAINST
  HEAD

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COMMON GENERA HESPEROCORIXA, SIGARA, CORISELLA
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CORIXIDAE
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FAMILY NOTONECTIDAE

• KNOWN AS BACKSWIMMERS
• SWIM UPSIDE DOWN
• BEAK LONG, MULTISEGMENTED
• BODY TORPEDO SHAPED 5-16 MM LONG
• WINGS SOMEWHAT ROOF-LIKE IN POSITION
• HIND LEGS NATATORIAL, FORELEGS WEAKLY RAPTORIAL

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FAMILY NOTONECTIDAE

• PREDACEOUS, FEED ON INSECTS, SNAILS, TADPOLES,
  SMALL FISH, ETC.
• SURFACE FOR AIR WITH TAIL, STORE AIR UNDER WINGS
• GOOD SWIMMERS, BUT OFTEN WITH JERKY MOTION

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COMMON GENERA NOTONECTA, BUENOA
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NOTONECTIDAE
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FAMILY NAUCORIDAE

• KNOWN AS CREEPING WATER BUGS
• BEAK WELL DEVELOPED, 3-SEGMENTS
• ANTENNAE SMALL, HIDDEN
• BODY FLAT, OLIVE TO BROWN 6-16 MM LONG AND
  RELATIVELY WIDE
• FORE FEMORA VERY WIDE, RAPTORIAL, 1 FORE TARSAL
  CLAW

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FAMILY NAUCORIDAE

• HIND LEGS WEAKLY NATATORIAL FRINGED BUT NOT
  FLATTENED
• VENTER OF ABDOMEN DENSELY COVERED WITH HAIR
  FORMING PLASTRON FOR AIR STORAGE
• PREDACEOUS, FEED ON INSECTS AND OTHER SMALL
  AQUATIC ANIMALS

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ONE EASTERN GENUS PELOCORIS
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NAUCORIDAE
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FAMILY NEPIDAE

• KNOWN AS WATER SCORPIONS
• BEAK SHORT, PREDATORS, FEED ON INSECTS (SIT
  WAIT STYLE)
• ANTENNAE SHORT, HIDDEN
• BODY LONG, 15-45 MM, OFTEN STICK-LIKE
• ABDOMEN WITH LONG SIPHON

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FAMILY NEPIDAE

• MID AND HIND LEGS LONG, SLENDER FORELEGS
  RAPTORIAL
• POOR SWIMMERS

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COMMON GENUS RANATRA
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NEPIDAE
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FAMILY PLEIDAE

• KNOWN AS PYGMY BACKSWIMMERS
• SMALL, lt 4 MM LONG
• LEGS SHORT, BODY CONVEX
• BEAK SHORT
• HIND LEGS FRINGED, POOR SWIMMERS
• UNCOMMON, TWO GENERA
• NEOPLEA, PARAPLEA

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PLEIDAE
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FAMILY GELASTOCORIDAE

• KNOWN AS TOAD BUGS
• SEMI-AQUATIC SHORE DWELLING
• COMMON ON SANDBARS, MUDFLATS
• CRYPTIC COLORATION, TOAD-LIKE APPEARANCE
• ANTENNAE SHORT, HIDDEN
• BEAK SHORT, PREDACEOUS
• POOR SWIMMERS, ON SURFACE

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COMMON GENUS GELASTOCORIS
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FAMILY GERRIDAE

• KNOWN AS WATER STRIDERS
• MID AND HIND LEGS LONG HIND FEMORA EXTEND BEYOND
  ABDOMEN
• FORE FEMORA SHORT
• TARSI WITH ANTEAPICAL CLAWS
• ANTENNAE CONSPICUOUS
• BEAK LONG, SLENDER
• PREDATORS ON AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL INSECTS

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FAMILY GERRIDAE

• NEUSTONIC, SKATE ON SURFACE FILM
• BODIES USUALLY LONG, SLENDER, 3-20 MM
• ADULTS WITH OR WITHOUT WINGS
• BODIES DENSELY HAIRY CONTRIBUTE TO BUOYANCY

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COMMON GENERA GERRIS, METROBATES, LIMNOGONUS
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FAMILY VELIIDAE

• KNOWN AS BROAD SHOULDERED OR SHORT LEGGED
  STRIDERS
• BEAKS LONG, SLENDER
• ANTENNAE CONSPICUOUS
• FORELEGS SHORT, HIND FEMORA NOT REACHING BEYOND
  ABDOMEN
• TARSI WITH ANTEAPICAL CLAWS
• NEUSTONIC
• MID TARSI OFTEN WITH SETAL PLUME

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COMMON GENERA RHAGOVELIA, MICROVELIA
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VELIIDAE
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FAMILY HYDROMETRIDAE

• KNOWN AS WATER MEASURERS
• BODY VERY SLENDER, USUALLY lt 11 MM LONG
• HEAD VERY LONG, EYES AT MIDLENGTH
• ANTENNAE LONG CONSPICUOUS
• ALL LEGS LONG, SLENDER
• WALK OR SKATE SLOWLY ON SURFACE
• PREDATOR/SCAVENGERS ON SURFACE INSECTS

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ONLY GENUS HYDROMETRA
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HYDROMETRIDAE