Hemiptera is an order of insects, commonly called true bugs, comprising over 80,000 species within groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, assassin bugs, bed bugs, and shield bugs. They range in size from 1 mm (0.04 in) to around 15 cm (6 in), and share a common arrangement of piercing-sucking mouthparts. The name "true bugs" is often limited to the suborder Heteroptera.
Notonectidae is a cosmopolitan family of aquatic insects in the order Hemiptera, commonly called backswimmers because they swim "upside down" (inverted). They are all predators and typically range from 0.5 to 1.5 cm (0.2–0.6 in) in length. They are similar in appearance to Corixidae, but can be separated by differences in their dorsal-ventral coloration, front legs, and predatory behavior. Their dorsum is convex, lightly colored without cross striations. Their front tarsi are not scoop-shaped and their hind legs are fringed for swimming. There are about 350 species in two subfamilies: Notonectinae with seven genera, and Anisopinae with four genera. Members in the former subfamily are often larger than those in the latter.
Nepomorpha is an infraorder of insects in the "true bug" order (Hemiptera). They belong to the "typical" bugs of the suborder Heteroptera. Due to their aquatic habits, these animals are known as true water bugs. They occur all over the world outside the polar regions, with about 2,000 species altogether. The Nepomorpha can be distinguished from related Heteroptera by their missing or vestigial ocelli. Also, as referred to by the obsolete name Cryptocerata, their antennae are reduced, with weak muscles, and usually carried tucked against the head.
Notonecta glauca, also known as the greater water-boatman or common backswimmer, is a species of aquatic insect in the family Notonectidae. This species is found in large parts of Europe, North Africa, and east through Asia to Siberia and China. In much of its range it is the most common backswimmer species. It is also the most widespread and abundant of the four British water-boatmen. Notonecta glauca are Hemiptera predators, that are approximately 13–16 mm in length. Females have a larger body size compared to males. These water insects swim and rest on their back and are found under the water surface. Notonecta glauca supports itself under the water surface by using their front legs and mid legs and the back end of its abdomen and rest them on the water surface; They are able to stay under the water surface by water tension, also known as the air-water interface. They use the hind legs as oars; these legs are fringed with hair and, when at rest, are extended laterally like a pair of sculls in a boat. Notonecta glauca will either wait for its prey to pass by or will swim and actively hunt its prey. When the weather is warm, usually in the late summer and autumn, they will fly between ponds. Notonecta glauca reproduce in the spring.
Pleidae, the pygmy backswimmers, is a family of aquatic insects in the order Hemiptera. There are 37 species in three genera, distributed across most of the world, except the polar regions and remote oceanic islands.
Sigara is a genus of water boatmen in the family Corixidae. Some species within this genus are halophiles; for example, occurrences of the genus have been noted in the hypersaline Makgadikgadi Pans in Botswana.
Sigara fallenoidea is a species of water boatman in the family Corixidae in the order Hemiptera. It was described by Hungerford and the type locality is in Canada. In Ireland Walton discovered a 'new' species of corixidae which he named Sigara pearcei. This was synonymised by Hungerford in 1950. The distribution of S. fallenoidea is therefore an extraordinary one including Canada, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Ukraine and Russia. In Ireland, Sigara fallenoidea is found in all the large lakes on the island. There are confirmed records from Loughs Neagh, Beg and Portmore Lough; Upper and Lower Lough Erne; Lough Melvin; Loughs Ree, Derg and Key on the Shannon; and Lough Corrib.
Water boatman as a type of aquatic insect can mean:
Notonecta, known as backswimmers or water-boatmen, is a genus of bugs in the family Notonectidae. Species in this genus include:
Notonecta maculata is a backswimmer of the family Notonectidae, found in Europe, including the United Kingdom.
Notonecta undulata, also known by the common name grousewinged backswimmer, are from the family Notonectidae and the insect suborder Heteroptera. They are a type of hemipteran or true bug. These aquatic insects typically spend their time at the water's surface, using their abdomen and legs to cling to the underside of the surface tension. The Grousewinged backswimmer can be found in both lotic and lentic environments; however, they typically prefer small ponds and lakes where the water is slow-moving with less current. They swim upside down looking for prey. Once they stop swimming they float back up to the surface. These insects can be distinguished from water boatman or Corixidae by their segmented beak and front legs. Water boatman have highly modified front legs whereas backswimmers do not. Backswimmers are distributed across a broad range throughout North America. However, the species Notonecta undulata has only been documented and studied in southern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the western United States. N. undulata differs from other backswimmers by their antennae and size. They are approximately 10–12 mm long, and their antennae are 4 segmented.
Corixinae is a subfamily of aquatic bugs in the family Corixidae. There are at least 130 described species in Corixinae.
Buenoa is a genus of backswimmer. It was created by George Willis Kirkaldy in 1904 to include all species of Anisops from the Western Hemisphere with a two-segmented front tarsus in males, reserving the latter genus for Eastern Hemisphere species with a one-segmented front tarsus in males. It contains 69 described species.
Mesovelia is a genus of water treaders in the family Mesoveliidae. There are more than 30 described species in Mesovelia.
Corixini is a tribe of water boatmen in the family Corixidae. There are about 9 genera and at least 30 described species in the genus Corixini.
Micronectidae is a family of water boatmen often referred to as pygmy water boatmen. They were originally classified as a subfamily under Corixidae but were raised to family level by Nieser (2002).
Ramphocorixa is a genus of water boatmen in the family Corixidae. There are at least two described species in Ramphocorixa.
Hydrachna is a genus of mites in the family Hydrachnidae, the sole genus of the family. There are more than 80 described species in Hydrachna. Larvae of this genus are known to be parasites of water beetles such as Eretes griseus by attaching to the back of the thorax and abdomen. These water mite larvae are also hosts of Callicorixa, Corixa, Cymatia and Sigara species, although Sigara falleni has been described as "immune" to these mites, and Cymatia coleoptrata and Sigara striata also gain this "immunity" after a few years of interaction.
