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.Ribero, J. R. I. (2007). ''A review of the species of ''Belostoma'' Latreille, 1807 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Belostomatidae) from the four southeastern Brazilian states.'' Zootaxa 1477: 1-70. 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).Perez-Goodwyn, P. J. (2006). ''Taxonomic revision of the subfamily Lethocerinae Lauck & Menke (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae)". Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde.'' Serie A (Biologie) 695: 1–71. 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.Zablotny, James E., Enzyclopedia of Insects, 2005, by: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/belostoma

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 und 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 to 41,5mm.McLeod, Robin; Richards, ''Brady; BugGuide, Genus Belostoma''; Iowa State University, Departement of Entomology, last update 2020, by: https://bugguide.net/node/view/16164

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.D. Soares, Non Mammalian Vertebrates, Evolution of Nervous Systems, 2007, in: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/belostoma

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

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{{Taxonbar, from=Q10427976

Belostomatidae
Nepomorpha genera
Hemiptera of South America
Hemiptera of Central America
Hemiptera of North America
Taxa named by Pierre André Latreille