Subject matter of experiments and observations of water animals in school aquarium XIII (Heteroptera, pleustonic bugs)
Abstract
Organisms living on surface of the water are classified as pleuston. Among pleustonic bugs (Heteroptera) belong families water skeeters (Gerridae), marsh treaders (Hydrometridae), riffle bugs (Veliidae) and water treaders (Mesoveliidae), They are anatomically built to transfer their weight to be able to run on top of the water's surface.
They usually occur on water surfaces at the edges of lakes, ponds, wetlands or still water in brooks and rivers. They have mouthparts evolved for piercing and sucking, They are predators, commonly hunting on the water's surface aquatic larvae and crustaceans but also feed an insect that has fallen on the water surface.
In this contribution, some experiments and observations in school aquaria are presented. Representatives of genera Gerris, Hydrometra or Velia are suitable for breeding and observation in aquariums.