Belostoma

Last updated

Belostoma
NIE 1905 Fishkiller.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Family: Belostomatidae
Tribe: Belostomatini
Genus: Belostoma
Latreille, 1807

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] Most species in the family Belostomatidae have historically been included in Belostoma, but several of these have been moved to other genera (although Belostoma remains a genus with many members). [1] [2] 9 species are claimed to be found in Northern America, but the genus Belostoma is actually divided into 16 subgroups containing about 70 species. [3] [4]

Contents

Habits

The morphology and the behavior of giant water bugs of the genus Belostoma is very similar to those of the genus Lethocerus and Abedus, which all belong to the family of the Belostomatidae. They also show breeding habits similar to those of the family of the Belostomatidae. They show paternal care. The males are carrying the eggs cemented on theirs backs, that are placed there by the females. The males carry them until the nymphs hatch. [5]

Bugs of the genus Belostoma prefer lentic habitats with submerged or emergent vegetation and for overwintering the adults fly to ponds and slow-moving waters. During the springtime and the early summer they often fly to electric light-sources, thus they are also called "electric-light-bugs". [6] The life circle contains one generation a year. The length of the bodies is between 15 and 41,5mm. [7]

Nymphs and adults are predators eating fish, amphians, snails, and invertebrates. Sometimes small turtles and snakes also may be their prey. They stalk their prey by hanging head downwards under the water surface, striking using the rostrum and injecting digestive saliva. The sting of these bugs may be very painful but it is harmless, but because of that fact these bugs are also called "toe-biters". [5] [7] Encountered by larger animals they often play dead. Giant water bugs sometimes are eaten by crocodilia such as young alligators. [8]

Species

The following species belong to the genus Belostoma: i c g b

Data sources: i = ITIS, [9] c = Catalogue of Life, [10] g = GBIF, [11] b = Bugguide.net [12]

References

  1. 1 2 Ribeiro, Josi Ricardo Inacio (17 May 2007). "A review of the species of Belostoma Latreille, 1807 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Belostomatidae) from the four southeastern Brazilian states". Zootaxa. 1477 (1). doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1477.1.1.
  2. ↑ Perez-Goodwyn, P. J. (2006). "Taxonomic revision of the subfamily Lethocerinae Lauck & Menke (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae)". Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde Serie A (Biologie). 695: 1–71.
  3. ↑ Menke, Arnold S.; Chapman, Harold C., eds. (1979). The Semiaquatic and Aquatic Hemiptera of California (Heteroptera: Hemiptera). University of California Press. ISBN   978-0-520-09592-2.[ page needed ]
  4. ↑ Stefanello, Fabiano; Ribeiro, José Ricardo Inacio; Estévez, Ana Lia (14 April 2021). "Revision of the Belostoma triangulum group (Insecta: Heteroptera: Belostomatidae)". Zootaxa. 4958 (1): zootaxa.4958.1.8. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4958.1.8. PMID   33903455.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: article number as page number (link)
  5. 1 2 Zablotny, James E. (2009). "Sociality". Encyclopedia of Insects. pp. 928–935. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-374144-8.00246-0. ISBN   978-0-12-374144-8.
  6. ↑ Hilsenhoff, William L. (2001). "Diversity and classification of insects and Collembola". Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates. pp. 661–731. doi:10.1016/B978-012690647-9/50018-1. ISBN   978-0-12-690647-9.
  7. 1 2 McLeod, Robin; Richards, Brady; BugGuide, Genus Belostoma; Iowa State University, Departement of Entomology, last update 2020, by: https://bugguide.net/node/view/16164
  8. ↑ Soares, D. (2007). "The Evolution of Dome Pressure Receptors in Crocodiles". Evolution of Nervous Systems. pp. 157–162. doi:10.1016/B0-12-370878-8/00131-2. ISBN   978-0-12-370878-6.
  9. ↑ "Belostoma Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  10. ↑ "Browse Belostoma". Catalogue of Life. Archived from the original on 2018-05-03. Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  11. ↑ "Belostoma". GBIF. Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  12. ↑ "Belostoma Genus Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2018-05-01.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.