Water-striders, water-measurers

Code QH549999

A family of water-striders (cf. Gerridae) or water-measurers. Small to medium-sized slender bugs with long, prominent antennae and long legs. The head is elongate, the eyes placed about halfway along the head, (not at the posterior margin). Hydrometridae are slow-moving predators which walk on the water surface or are found on vegetation beside still waters.

There are three recognised subfamilies but only Hydrometrinae occurs in Australia. All the Australian species belong to the cosmopolitan genus Hydrometra . The family is widely distributed throughout Australia.

Reference:

Carver, M., Gross, G.F. and Woodward, T.E. (1991) Hemiptera. pp. 429-509. In: CSIRO, Insects of Australia. Volume 1. Melbourne University Press, Carlton, Victoria.