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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Bugs (Heteroptera) » Semiaquatic Bugs (Gerromorpha) » Hebroidea » Velvet Water Bugs (Hebridae)

Family Hebridae - Velvet Water Bugs

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Remarks · Internet References · Works Cited

Hebridae: Merragata brunnea - Merragata brunnea

Velvet Water Bug for CA - Merragata hebroides

Chinch Bug - Hebrus burmeisteri - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)

Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)

Infraorder Gerromorpha (Semiaquatic Bugs)

Superfamily Hebroidea

Family Hebridae (Velvet Water Bugs)

Other Common Names

Sphagnum Bugs

Explanation of Names

Hebridae Amyot & Serville 1843

Numbers

15 spp. in 3 genera in NA (all but 3 spp. are in Hebrus)(1); ~220 spp. in 9 genera worldwide(2); 7 in 3 genera in FL(3), 4 in 2 genera in MI(4)

Size

1-3 mm(5)

Identification

Family profile(5)

keys in(3)

Range

Hebrus and Merragata widespread; Lipogomphus southern(6)

Habitat

semiaquatic habitats, esp. moist detritus or amongst floating plants, wet moss, margins of still waters; unlike other gerromorphans which favour the water surface, hebrids prefer marginal aquatic habitats(5)

Food

predators and scavengers; known to feed on springtails and other small arthropods(5)

Remarks

ideal indicators of wetlands(3)

Internet References

Wikipedia

Works Cited

1.	American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.

2.	Biodiversity of the Heteroptera Henry T.J. 2009. In: Foottit R.G., Adler P.H., eds. Insect biodiversity: Science and society. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell: 223−263.

3.	Identification manual for the aquatic and semi-aquatic Heteroptera of Florida Epler J.H. 2006. FL Dept. Env. Prot., Tallahassee, FL. 186 pp.

4.	Bright E. (2002-2011) Aquatic Insects of Michigan

5.	What Bug Is That? The guide to Australian insect families

6.	Aquatic Insects of North America R. W. Merritt, K. W. Cummins, M.B. Berg. 2008. Kendall/Hunt.

Contributed by Jim McClarin on 17 December, 2006 - 11:24am
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, FindingNemo_tocera, v belov, KenW
Last updated 28 January, 2024 - 7:40am

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