''Phoreticovelia disparata'', also called the Zeus bug, is a species of semi-aquatic bug from the family

Veliidae Veliidae is a family of gregarious predatory insects in the suborder Heteroptera. They are commonly known as riffle bugs, small water striders, or broad-shouldered water striders because the segment immediately behind the head is wider than the ...

(tribe Microveliini) with a unique form of

sexual dimorphism Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most ani ...

. It is endemic to Australia (

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

).Polhemus, D. A. & Polhemus, J. T. (2000)
Additional new genera and species of Microveliinae (Heteroptera: Veliidae) from New Guinea and adjacent regions.
nbsp;— Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 143, 91-123 (2000).

Biology

''Phoreticovelia disparata'' live near tropical rivers. They are 1–2 mm in length. It is the only known species (aside from its sister species '' Phoreticovelia rotunda'') where the female feeds the male a

nuptial gift A nuptial gift is a nutritional gift given by one partner in some animals' sexual reproduction practices. Formally, a nuptial gift is a material presentation to a recipient by a donor during or in relation to sexual intercourse that is not simpl ...

. They are

sexually dimorphic Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most ani ...

; the female mating form has a special glandular area on the dorsal surface of the body. The half-sized male (about 1 mm long) clings to her, feeding on the secretions of a pair of glands, sitting on his partner for several days. Both adult males and females have wings, but females are wingless at the mating stage, as they are still at the 4th or 5th larval stage (nymphs). In adult winged females, which are about 2 mm in length, the specialised feeding glands are lost.

Name

The common name (Zeus bug) originates from the myth which in the ancient Greek god

Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label=Genitive case, genitive Aeolic Greek, Boeotian Aeolic and Doric Greek#Laconian, Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label=Genitive case, genitive el, Δίας, ''D� ...

swallowed his first wife,

Metis Metis or Métis may refer to: Ethnic groups * Métis, recognized Indigenous communities in Canada and America whose distinct culture and language emerged after early intermarriage between First Nations peoples and early European settlers, prima ...

.Gran Arnqvist, Thersa M. Jones and Mark A. Elgar. (2007). The extraordinary mating system of Zeus bugs (Heteroptera :Veliidae: Phoreticovelia sp.). Australian Journal of Zoology, 2007, 55, 131—137.Therésa M. Jones & Göran Arnqvist & Kathryn B. McNamara & Mark A.Elgar. (2012). Size-assortative pairing across three developmental stages in the Zeus bug, Phoreticovelia disparata. — Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol.(2012). 66:995-1003. DOI10.1007/s00265-012-1347-y

References

Insects described in 2000 Insects of Australia Veliidae {{Gerromorpha-stub