Belostomatidae

Lethocerus deyrollei

Giant bugs ( Belostomatidae ) are a family of bugs (Heteroptera ) in the partial order of the water bugs ( Nepomorpha ). They are found worldwide with about 150 species, of which in Europe only one way Lethocerus patruelis, is located. Their main area of ​​distribution are the tropics and subtropics.

Features

The bugs reach body lengths of 2-12 centimeters. This includes some members of this family to the biggest bugs world. You have an oval, streamlined and flat body and are usually dark brown in color. Their front legs are constructed as in the closely related scorpion bugs ( Nepidae ) to strong muzzle legs. Your middle and posterior pairs of legs, however, are unlike the scorpion bugs as swimming legs with wide flattened rails ( tibia ) and foot members ( tarsi ) and dense rigid swimming bristles well developed. They are good swimmers and good flyers. They have scent glands on their abdomen and a very short, eversible breathing tube at the end of the abdomen.

Way of life

The both living in a standing or slowly flowing waters bugs keep mostly at the bottom of the waters on and do there hunting arthropods, newts, frogs and fish. They catch their prey and inject them with their proboscis their saliva, which stuns the prey and dissolves from inside. The sting is painful to humans. The animals come in the evening often on land and fly around, as they are attracted especially during the mating season of light sources.

Development

In some species of giant bugs the females actively seek their partner. The males draw attention to themselves by producing by periodic movements characteristic wave formations on the water surface. The pairing is repeated up to 30 times. A month after mating the eggs are ready for discard. Between males and females then a bidding war takes place, in which the female wins regularly and makes the male submissive. It mounts the male and sticking their eggs on his back. An average clutch consists of 100 eggs. The male operates parental care and carries about the eggs and guards them until the larvae hatch after about a week and then lead an independent life. At higher temperatures, the incubation period may be shortened. Then the males are ready to mate again. Often the males remains empty egg shells for some time on the backs. Pairs it again, removed the female these residues prior to oviposition.

Giant bugs and man

In parts of East Asia and Southeast Asia Giant bugs are eaten as food. This is caught with drifting on the water traps that are irradiated with UV light bulbs.

System

The giant bug family is divided into three subfamilies, which include 10 genera divided:

Subfamily Belostomatinae

  • Abedus
  • Belostoma
  • Diplonychus
  • Hydrocyrius
  • Limnogeton
  • Poissonia
  • Sphaerodema
  • Weberiellia

Subfamily Lethocerinae

  • Lethocerus

Subfamily Horvathiniinae

  • Horvathinia

Fossil evidence

Fossil evidence of giant bugs are very rare. Among the oldest fossil record includes a giant bug from the Eocene Moler Denmark.

Credentials

  • Template: Internet resource / maintenance / access date is not in the ISO FormatBelostomatidae. Fauna Europaea, accessed on 04/12/2006.
  • K.H.C. Jordan: water bugs. The New Brehm Library, Leipzig, 1950.
William Elford Leach
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