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 behavior 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, thus they are also called "electric-light-bugs". The life circle contains one generation a year. The length of the bodies is between 15 and 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 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