Gerromorpha

Taxobox
name = Semiaquatic bugs

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image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Hygrotechuis conformis" (Gerroidea: Gerridae) feeding on a drowned hymenopteran. Photo from [http://www.entomart.be/ entomart.be]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
subphylum = Hexapoda
classis = Insecta
subclassis = Pterygota
infraclassis = Neoptera
superordo = Exopterygota

ordo = Hemiptera
subordo = Heteroptera
infraordo = Gerromorpha
infraordo_authority =
subdivision_ranks = Superfamilies
subdivision =
Gerroidea

Hebroidea

Hydrometroidea

Mesovelioidea

Gerromorpha is an infraorder of insects in the "true bug" order Hemiptera. These "typical" bugs (suborder Heteroptera) are commonly called semiaquatic bugs or shore-inhabiting bugs. The Ochteroidea of the true water bugs (infraorder Nepomorpha, a far more advanced lineage [ToL (2005)] ) are also found in shore habitat, while Gerromorpha are actually most often encountered running around on the water surface, being kept from sinking by surface tension and their water-repellent legs. Well-known members of the Gerromorpha are the namesake Gerridae (water striders).

ystematics

The 8 family families that are usually recognized are arranged in 4 superfamilies. The 2 small or monotypic ones of these are basal lineages, the two larger ones form a more advanced clade. The phylogenetic sequence of superfamilies and families of Gerromorpha is: [ToL (1995)]
* Mesovelioidea – water treaders
** Madeoveliidae (sometimes included in Mesoveliidae)
** Mesoveliidae
* Hebroidea – velvet bugs
** Hebridae (Hyrcaninae might arguably be considered a good family as the superfamily is monotypic otherwise.)
* Hydrometroidea
** Paraphrynoveliidae
** Hydrometridae – water measurers
** Macroveliidae
* Gerroidea
** Hermatobatidae
** Gerridae – water striders
** Veliidae – riffle bugs

Footnotes

References

* (1995): [http://tolweb.org/Gerromorpha/10811/1995.01.01 Gerromorpha. Water striders, water measurers, velvet water bugs, and water treaders] . Version of 1995-JAN-01. Retrieved 2008-JUL-28.
* (2005): [http://tolweb.org/Heteroptera/10805/2005.01.01 Heteroptera. True bugs] . Version of 2005-JAN-01. Retrieved 2008-JUL-28.