Belostoma

Belostoma is a genus of insects in the hemipteran family Belostomatidae, known colloquially as giant water bugs. Members of this genus are native to freshwater habitats in the Americas, with the greatest species richness in tropical South America. Most species in the family Belostomatidae have historically been included in Belostoma, but several of these have been moved to other genera (although Belostoma remains a genus with many members). 9 species are claimed to be found in Northern America, but the genus Belostoma is actually divided into 16 subgroups containing about 70 species.
Habits
The morphology and the behaviour of giant water bugs of the genus Belostoma is very similar to those of the genus Lethocerus and Abedus, which all belong to the family of the Belostomatidae. They also show breeding habits similar to those of the family of the Belostomatidae. They show paternal care. The males are carrying the eggs cemented on theirs backs, that are placed there by the females. The males carry them until the nymphs hatch.
Bugs of the genus Belostoma prefer lentic habitats with submerged or emergent vegetation and for overwintering the adults fly to ponds and slow moving waters. During the springtime and the early summer they often fly to electric light sources, so they are also named "electric light bugs". The life circle contains one generation a year. The length of the bodies is between 15 and 41,5mm.
Nymphs and adults are predators eating fish, amphians, snails and invertebrates. Sometimes small turtles and snakes also may be their prey. They stalk their prey by hanging head-downwards under the water surface striking it using the rostrum and injecting digestive saliva. The sting of these bugs may be very painful but it is harmless, but because of that fact these bugs are also called "toe biters". Encountered by larger animals they often play dead. Giant water bugs sometimes are eaten by crocodilia such as young alligators.
Species
The following species belong to the genus Belostoma: i c g b
Belostoma amazonum Estévez & J. Polhemus, 2001
Belostoma angustum Lauck, 1964
Belostoma anurum (Herrich-Schaeffer, 1848)
Belostoma asiaticum (Mayr, 1863)
Belostoma aurivillianum (Montandon, 1899)
Belostoma aztecum Lauck, 1959
Belostoma bachmanni De Carlo, 1957
Belostoma bakeri Montandon, 1913
Belostoma bergi (Montandon, 1899)
Belostoma bicavum Lauck, 1964
Belostoma bifoveolatum Spinola, 1852
Belostoma bordoni De Carlo, 1966
Belostoma boscii Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau & Audinet-Serville, 1825
Belostoma bosqi De Carlo, 1932
Belostoma cachoeirinhensis Lanzer-de-Souza, 1996
Belostoma candidulum Montandon, 1903
Belostoma carajaensis Ribeiro and Estévez, 2009
Belostoma columbiae Lauck, 1962
Belostoma confusum Lauck, 1959
Belostoma costalimai De Carlo, 1938
Belostoma cummingsi De Carlo, 1935
Belostoma dallasi De Carlo, 1930
Belostoma dentatum Mayr, 1863
Belostoma denticolle Montandon, 1903
Belostoma dilatatum Dufour, 1863
Belostoma discretum Montandon, 1903
Belostoma doesburgi De Carlo, 1966
Belostoma elegans Mayr, 1871
Belostoma ellipticum Latreille, 1817
Belostoma elegans Mayr, 1871
Belostoma elongatum Montandon, 1908
Belostoma estevezae Ribeiro and Alecrim, 2008
Belostoma fakir Gistl, 1848
Belostoma fittkaui De Carlo, 1966
Belostoma flumineum Say, 1832
Belostoma foveolatum Mayr, 1863
Belostoma fusciventre Dufour, 1863
Belostoma grande Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Belostoma gestroi Montandon, 1900
Belostoma guianae Lauck, 1962
Belostoma harrisi Lauck, 1962
Belostoma hirsutum Roback and Nieser, 1974
Belostoma horvathi Montandon, 1903
Belostoma husseyi De Carlo, 1960
Belostoma lariversi De Carlo, 1960
Belostoma lutarium Stål, 1855
Belostoma machrisi De Carlo, 1962
Belostoma malkini Lauck, 1962
Belostoma martinezi De Carlo, 1957
Belostoma martini Montandon, 1899
Belostoma menkei De Carlo, 1960
Belostoma micantulum Stål, 1860
Belostoma minor Palisot de Beauvois, 1820
Belostoma minusculum Uhler, 1884
Belostoma nessimiani Ribeiro and Alecrim, 2008
Belostoma nicaeum Estévez and J. Polhemus, 2007
Belostoma noualhieri Montandon, 1903
Belostoma orbiculatum Estévez and J. Polhemus, 2001
Belostoma oxyurum Dufour, 1863
Belostoma parvoculum Lauck, 1964
Belostoma parvum Estévez and J. Polhemus, 2007
Belostoma plebejum Stål, 1860
Belostoma porteri De Carlo, 1942
Belostoma pseudoguianae Roback and Nieser, 1974
Belostoma pygmeum Dufour, 1863
Belostoma retusum Estévez and J. Polhemus, 2001
Belostoma ribeiroi De Carlo, 1933
Belostoma sanctulum Montandon, 1903
Belostoma saratogae Menke, 1958
Belostoma sattleri De Carlo, 1966
Belostoma sayagoi De Carlo, 1966
Belostoma stollii Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Belostoma subspinosum Palisot, 1820
Belostoma testaceopallidum Latreille, 1807
Belostoma testaceum Leidy, 1847
Belostoma thomasi Lauck, 1959
Belostoma triangulum Lauck, 1964
Belostoma uhleri Montandon, 1897
Belostoma venezuelae Lauck, 1962
Data sources: i = ITIS, c = Catalogue of Life, g = GBIF, b = Bugguide.net
References
External links
Belostomatidae
Nepomorpha genera
Hemiptera of South America
Hemiptera of Central America
Hemiptera of North America
Taxa named by Pierre André Latreille