- Belostomatidae
- Raptorial
- Lethocerus indicus
- Lethocerus americanus
- Lethocerus deyrollei
- Waterbug
- Lethocerus
- Nepa (bug)
- Belostoma
- Nepomorpha
- Belostomatidae - Wikipedia
- giant water bugs, electric light bugs - Lethocerus, Abedus, …
- Giant Water Bug - U.S. National Park Service
- Giant Water Bugs, Family Belostomatidae - ThoughtCo
- Belostoma - Wikipedia
- Lethocerus - Wikipedia
- Belostomatidae
- Family Belostomatidae - Giant Water Bugs - BugGuide.Net
- Giant Water Bugs (Family Belostomatidae) · iNaturalist
- Home and Garden IPM from Cooperative Extension
belostomatidae
Belostomatidae GudangMovies21 Rebahinxxi LK21
Belostomatidae is a family of freshwater hemipteran insects known as giant water bugs or colloquially as toe-biters, Indian toe-biters, electric-light bugs (because they fly to lights in large numbers), alligator ticks, or alligator fleas (in Florida). They are the largest insects in the order Hemiptera. There are about 170 species found in freshwater habitats worldwide, with more than 110 in the Neotropics, more than 20 in Africa, almost as many in the Nearctic, and far fewer elsewhere. These predators are typically encountered in freshwater ponds, marshes and slow-flowing streams. Most species are at least 2 cm (0.8 in) long, although smaller species, down to 0.9 cm (0.35 in), also exist. The largest are members of the genus Lethocerus, which can exceed 12 cm (4.5 in) and nearly reach the length of some of the largest beetles in the world. Giant water bugs are a popular food in parts of Asia.
The oldest fossil member of this family is Triassonepa from the Late Triassic-aged Cow Branch Formation of Virginia & North Carolina, USA.
Morphology
Belostomatids have a flattened, obovoid to ovoid-elongate body, and usually the legs are flattened. The head features two large compound eyes, but lacks ocelli, contrasting with many hemipterans. Short antennae are tucked in grooves behind the eyes. A short breathing tube can be retracted into its abdomen. Adults cannot breathe under water, so must periodically place the breathing tube at the surface for air (similar to a snorkel).
Their hind tarsi have two apical claws. The frontal legs are modified into raptorial appendages that they use to grab their prey, except in the African Limnogeton, which has "normal" forelegs and is a specialized snail-eater. Once caught, the prey are stabbed with their proboscis and a powerful proteolytic saliva is injected, allowing the Belostomatid to suck out the liquefied remains. Wing pads can be seen from the dorsal view. While the members of the subfamily Lethocerinae can disperse by flying, other species, including Abedus herberti, have a greatly reduced flight apparatus and are flightless. Giant Water Bugs exhibit muscle regression as they develop from nymphs to adults, adapting their musculature for a more energy-efficient predatory lifestyle, which may influence their hunting strategies and ecological interactions.
Subfamilies and genera
BioLib lists three extant subfamilies and a number of fossil taxa:
= Belostomatinae
=Auth. Leach, 1815
Abedus Stål, 1862
Appasus Amyot & Serville, 1843
Belostoma Latreille, 1807
Diplonychus Laporte de Castelnau, 1833 (synonym Sphaerodema Laporte, 1833)
Hydrocyrius Spinola, 1850 (synonym Poissonia Brown, 1948)
Limnogeton Mayr, 1853
Weberiella De Carlo, 1966
Fossil genera
= Horvathiniinae
=Auth. Lauck & Menke, 1961; South America
Horvathinia Montandon, 1911
= Lethocerinae
=Auth. Lauck & Menke, 1961
Benacus Stål, 1861
Kirkaldyia Montandon, 1909
Lethocerus Mayr, 1853
= Fossil taxa
=subfamily Stygeonepinae Popov, 1971 †
Aenictobelostoma Polhemus, 2000 †
Belostomates Schöberlin, 1888 †
Lethopterus Popov, 1989 †
Manocerus Zhang, 1989 †
Scarabaeides Germar, 1839 †
Triassonepa Criscione & Grimaldi, 2017 †
Habits
= Feeding and defense
=Belostomatids are aggressive predators that stalk, capture, and feed on fish, amphibians, as well as aquatic invertebrates such as snails and crustaceans. The largest species have also been found to capture and feed on baby turtles and water snakes. They often lie motionless at the bottom of a body of water, attached to various objects, where they wait for prey to come near. They then strike, injecting a venomous digestive saliva with their rostrum. Although their sting is excruciatingly painful, it is of no medical significance. Occasionally, when encountered by a larger animal or a human, they have been known to "play dead" and most species can emit a fluid from their anus. Due to this, they are assumed dead by humans only to later "come alive" with painful results.
= Breeding
=Belostomatids show paternal care and these aspects have been studied extensively, among others involving the North American Belostoma flumineum and the East Asian Lethocerus (Kirkaldyia) deyrollei. In species of the subfamily Belostomatinae, the eggs are typically laid on the male's wings and carried until they hatch. The male cannot mate during this period. The males invest considerable time and energy in reproduction and females take the role of actively finding males to mate. This role reversal matches the predictions of R. L. Trivers' parental investment theory. In the subfamily Lethocerinae, the eggs are laid on emergent vegetation and guarded by the male.
In Asian cuisine
Belostomatids can be found for sale in markets mainly in Southeast Asia involving the species Lethocerus indicus. In Southeast Asia they are often collected for this purpose using large floating traps on ponds, set with black lights to attract the bugs. Adults fly at night, like many aquatic insects, and are attracted to lights during the breeding season.
References
Further reading
D. R. Lauck (1962). "A monograph of the genus Belostoma (Hemiptera), Part I. Introduction and B. Dentatum and Subspinosum groups". Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of Sciences. 11 (3): 34–81.
D. R. Lauck (1963). "A monograph of the genus Belostoma (Hemiptera), Part II. B. Aurivillianum, Testaceopallidium, Dilatatum, and Discretum groups". Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of Sciences. 11 (4): 82–101.
D. R. Lauck (1964). "A monograph of the genus Belostoma (Hemiptera, Part III. B. Triangulum, Bergi, Minor, Bifoveolatum, and Flumineum groups". Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of Sciences. 11 (5): 102–154.
A. S. Menke (1960). "A taxonomic study of the genus Abedus Stål (Hemiptera, Belostomatidae)". University of California Publications in Entomology. 16 (8): 393–440.
R. L. Smith (1974). "Life history of Abedus herberti in Central Arizona" (PDF). Psyche: A Journal of Entomology. 81 (2): 272–283. doi:10.1155/1974/83959. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-07-18. Retrieved 2009-04-25.
External links
Factsheet from zoo.org
Sex role reversal
Toebiters
Pictures of a Giant Water bug from whatsthatbug.com
Lethocerus, Abedus, Belostoma spp. on the University of Florida / Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Featured Creatures Web site
Giant Water Bug Feeding on Frog
Kata Kunci Pencarian: belostomatidae
belostomatidae
Daftar Isi
Belostomatidae - Wikipedia
Belostomatidae is a family of freshwater hemipteran insects known as giant water bugs or colloquially as toe-biters, Indian toe-biters, electric-light bugs (because they fly to lights in large numbers), alligator ticks, or alligator fleas (in Florida).
giant water bugs, electric light bugs - Lethocerus, Abedus, …
The heteropteran family Belostomatidae contains the giant water bugs. These large, predatory, aquatic insects have the largest body size among the Heteroptera. Adults of some South American species reach 4 inches in length.
Giant Water Bug - U.S. National Park Service
Apr 2, 2020 · These brown, flattened bugs lurk in freshwater habitat around the world, ambushing their prey and sucking it dry. Giant water bugs represent the family Belostomatidae, a member of the “true bug” order, Hemiptera. All true bugs have …
Giant Water Bugs, Family Belostomatidae - ThoughtCo
Nov 18, 2019 · Giant water bugs (family Belostomatidae) are the largest bugs in the order Hemiptera. They also have a reputation for nipping people's toes.
Belostoma - Wikipedia
Belostoma is a genus of insects in the hemipteran family Belostomatidae, known colloquially as giant water bugs. Members of this genus are native to freshwater habitats in the Americas, with the greatest species richness in tropical South America. [1]
Lethocerus - Wikipedia
Lethocerus is a genus of the hemipteran family Belostomatidae, known colloquially as giant water bugs, toe biters and electric light bugs, distributed in tropical, subtropical and temperate areas of the world.
Belostomatidae
Belostomatidae, commonly known as giant water bugs, are a family of freshwater insects known for their substantial size and predatory behavior. These insects are found in a variety of aquatic habitats and are recognized by their flat, oval bodies and raptorial front legs.
Family Belostomatidae - Giant Water Bugs - BugGuide.Net
Oct 9, 2023 · Choate P.M. Giant water bugs, electric light bugs, Lethocerus, Abedus, Belostoma (Insecta: Hemiptera: Belostomatidae)
Giant Water Bugs (Family Belostomatidae) · iNaturalist
Belostomatidae is a family of freshwater hemipteran insects known as giant water bugs or colloquially as toe-biters, Indian toe-biters, electric-light bugs, alligator ticks, or alligator fleas (in Florida).
Home and Garden IPM from Cooperative Extension
These formidable bugs are also known by other common names, including Belostomatids (they belong to the insect family Belostomatidae), Water Roaches, Toe-biters (they can inflict a painful bite), and Electric-light bugs (the adults can fly and are attracted to lights at night so they are often found in parking lots and near other bright lights ...