Common Name |
Water Boatman |
Phylum |
Arthropoda |
Class |
Insecta |
Order |
Hemiptera |
Family |
Corixidae |
Description |
3-11mm. Their unsegmented beak is broadly cone-shaped, unlike other aquatic true bugs, and may have fine transverse lines. Their front legs end in broad scoop-like segments with long hairs. Their eyes are especially large and red in alive specimens. For more photos, refer to our online gallery: tinyurl.com/v72wn7g |
Habitat |
Lentic-littoral and lotic-depositional. Very commonly found in the shallow water around the edges of ponds and lakes, and in pools of streams and rivers. Can be found in harsher environments such as ditches, brackish waters, and temporary pools. |
Feeding Information |
Collector-gatherers. Corixidae use their front legs to stir up sediment and ingest the disturbed living material such as diatoms, algae, protozoa, and small insects. |
Water Quality Tolerance |
Very tolerant. |
References |
Voshell & Wright. 2002. |