Water strider - Water strider (English spelling)

A general term for the Hydrometridae family of the Insecta order, or the name of one of the species. The Hydrometridae family is a group of semi-aquatic bugs that are often found near the shores of still water such as ponds and rice paddies. Four species are known in Japan. The body and legs are long and slender, but the head is particularly long and is almost the same length as the thorax. There are macropterous and micropterous wings. Unlike the gliding of water striders, this species walks slowly on the surface of the water among aquatic plants. It extends its mouths to prey on water fleas and other insects below the surface of the water. Its Japanese name, Hydrometra albolineata , is a common species found in Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, the Korean Peninsula, China, and Taiwan, and is 12 to 14 millimeters long. Its body is extremely slender and dark brown, sometimes black or light in color. Its ecology is almost the same as that of other water striders.

[Tachikawa Shuji]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

昆虫綱半翅(はんし)目イトアメンボ科の総称、またはそのなかの1種名。イトアメンボ科Hydrometridaeは半水生のカメムシ類で、池沼や水田など、静水の岸辺近くに多い。日本には4種が知られている。体も脚(あし)も細長いが、とくに頭部が長く、胸部とほぼ等長である。はねに長翅型と微翅型が現れる。アメンボ類の滑走とは異なり、水生植物の間の水面をゆっくり歩行する。口針を伸ばして水面下のミジンコなどを捕食する。和名イトアメンボHydrometra albolineataは本州、四国、九州および朝鮮半島、中国、台湾に分布する普通種で、体長12～14ミリメートル。体はきわめて細く、体色は暗褐色、ときに黒色または淡色を帯びる。生態はほかのアメンボ類とほぼ同じである。

［立川周二］

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