Gerromorpha

Gerromorpha
Hygrotechuis conformis (Gerroidea: Gerridae) feeding on a drowned hymenopteran. Photo from entomart.be
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Suborder:	Heteroptera
Infraorder:	Gerromorpha Popov, 1971
Superfamilies
Gerroidea Hebroidea Hydrometroidea Mesovelioidea

Gerromorpha is an infraorder of insects in the "true bug" order Hemiptera. These "typical" bugs (suborder Heteroptera) are commonly called semiaquatic bugs or shore-inhabiting bugs. The Ochteroidea of the true water bugs (infraorder Nepomorpha, a far more advanced lineage) are also found in shore habitat, while Gerromorpha are actually most often encountered running around on the water surface, being kept from sinking by surface tension and their water-repellent legs. Well-known members of the Gerromorpha are the namesake Gerridae (water striders).

Systematics

The 8 family families that are usually recognized are arranged in 4 superfamilies. The 2 small or monotypic ones of these are basal lineages, the two larger ones form a more advanced clade. The phylogenetic sequence of superfamilies and families of Gerromorpha is:

• Mesovelioidea – water treaders
  • Madeoveliidae (sometimes included in Mesoveliidae)
  • Mesoveliidae
• Hebroidea – velvet bugs
  • Hebridae (Hyrcaninae might arguably be considered a good family as the superfamily is monotypic otherwise.)
• Hydrometroidea
  • Paraphrynoveliidae
  • Hydrometridae – water measurers
  • Macroveliidae
• Gerroidea
  • Hermatobatidae
  • Gerridae – water striders
  • Veliidae – riffle bugs

References

• Tree of Life Web Project (ToL) (1995): Gerromorpha. Water striders, water measurers, velvet water bugs, and water treaders. Version of 1995-JAN-01. Retrieved 2008-JUL-28.
• Tree of Life Web Project (ToL) (2005): Heteroptera. True bugs. Version of 2005-JAN-01. Retrieved 2008-JUL-28.