Species Gerris buenoi

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · See Also · Works Cited

blue-winged water strider - Gerris buenoi

Water Strider Gerris buenoi - Gerris buenoi

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 Gerroidea

Family Gerridae (Water Striders)

Subfamily Gerrinae

Genus Gerris

Species buenoi (Gerris buenoi)

Explanation of Names

Gerris buenoi Kirkaldy 1911

Numbers

very common within its range

Size

♂ 6.6-7.5 mm, ♀ 7.6-8.1 mm(1)

Identification

body grayish-brown; pronotum with pale middorsal line and conspicuous whitish stripe along lateral margins; second antennal segment slightly longer than third, and segments 2 & 3 (combined) slightly longer than segment 1; adults usually long-winged, occasionally short-winged or wingless; in winged individuals, posterior portion of forewing often shaded with blue

Range

transcontinental in so. Canada and n. US (south to CO-CA)(1)

Habitat

a habitat generalist: lakes, ponds, temporary or permanent pools, rainwater puddles, sphagnum bogs, wooded swamps, backwaters, rivers and streams (Spence 1981)

See Also

In G. argenticollis, the combined length of antennal segments 2 & 3 equals the length of segment 1; G. argenticollis is eastern, with a more southerly distribution, and lives in woodland pools or slow-moving rivers flowing through densely-wooded areas

Works Cited

1.	The Gerridae or water striders of Oregon and Washington (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) Stonedahl G.M., Lattin J.D. 1982. Oregon State U., Tech. Bull. 144, 36 pp.

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 4 March, 2007 - 9:57pm
Additional contributions by v belov
Last updated 7 May, 2013 - 8:27am

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