Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#45362
Minute (< 1 mm) aquatic surface something.  A beetle?

Minute (< 1 mm) aquatic surface something. A beetle?
Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, USA
March 12, 2006
Size: > 1 mm
I am wondering what family this micro beetle belongs to. I hope the beetle assumption is correct. Here's a movie of him shot at ~30x.

http://images.mirrosoft.net/dscn0105.mov

This micro beetle? was found on the surface of inch deep stream water as it passed over aquatic moss. I took a tuft of plant material and he came along for the ride. Extremely small, I was not aware of him/her until he dashed into the dissecting scope's field of view. I'm not at all squeamish but I practically jumped out of my chair. This was one of my first samples with a first time dissecting scope. He covered great territory for his size, looking like he would leap off the dish onto my lap.

A family id would be much appreciated.

Moved
Moved from True Bugs.

Broad-shouldered Water Strider Nymph?
Check out images of Microvelia here.

Moved
Moved from True Bugs.

Itty bitty water strider.
Microveliidae maybe? They are usually pretty tiny.

bug nymph
The few antennal segments and absence of wings or wingcovers (elytra) lead me to speculate that this is a bug nymph, not a beetle.