Insects are the most diverse animals on the planet, of which more than a million species have been identified, and estimates indicate that there is still between six to ten times this value to be known. In this sense, without a doubt, these animals have conquered practically all the media or habitats on the planet, including water. We invite you to continue reading this article on our site, so you can learn about the types of aquatic insects, their characteristics and examples
What are aquatic insects?
Aquatic insects correspond to all those species that are part of invertebrate animals and live in water However, there are certain species of insects that develop their first stages of life in this environment, while the adult form is completely terrestrial. Additionally, we can mention that, although most aquatic insects live in freshwater environments, some few species do so in s alt water
How do aquatic insects breathe?
All animals need to breathe. To do this they take oxygen, which is then distributed throughout the body of the same. However, this process varies from one group to another due to the various adaptations that animals have for this purpose.
In the general case of insects, they do not have lungs, but instead have holes in some areas of the body that are known as spiracles, through which oxygen enters, and then passes to branched structures called tracheae, which diffuse it to all tissues.
In the case of aquatic insects, moreover, a series of adaptations or peculiarities have been developed to be able to breathe underwater, since the tracheal system in these can be of the open or closed type and, depending on it, the way of breathing underwater can vary.
- In the open system: the respiratory structures necessarily have to come into contact with the air to take in oxygen.
- In the closed system: the insect's spiracles do not need to be in contact with the air, because the animal can take oxygen from the Water.
Thus, in the open tracheal system, aquatic insects can breathe in one of the following ways:
- Through a structure called a siphon: the animal pulls out of the water to take in air, while the rest of the body is submerged.
- Using some villi on the abdomen: they come into contact with the surface air and diffuse oxygen to the spiracles.
- Certain species breathe by breaking submerged plant parts: this way they take the accumulated oxygen directly from the plant tissue.
- Other species, rise to the surface and capture an air bubble: this bubble surrounds the insect and it breathes while it remains within it, at the same time as nothing; when the bubble is about to end or breaks, the animal repeats the process.
In the case of the closed tracheal system, aquatic insects breathe:
- Through your skin: because the oxygen present in the water enters the animal's body through diffusion to reach all tissues.
- Also, there are certain species that have developed extensions of the external tissue known as gills: which allow to obtain from forms oxygen very efficiently.
Characteristics of aquatic insects
Aquatic insects have a series of characteristics to be able to lead a complete or shared life between the water and the surface. Among these we can mention:
- Some species have hydrodynamic bodies: so they are good divers.
- In certain cases they have hind legsmodified paddle-shaped: in addition, the presence of swimming hairs.
- There are aquatic insects divers: that is, they need to come to the surface to breathe. Others are swimmers, so they remain constantly submerged and others are known as grabbers, because they strongly attach themselves to some rocky or vegetal substrate in the water.
- They can be herbivorous, detritivorous or carnivorous animals: depending on the food source.
- As generally occurs with other insects, they reproduce by means of eggs: from which a larva emerges, the which performs the metamorphosis and goes through several stages to finally form the adult.
- From an ecological point of view they are important for food chains: within aquatic ecosystems.
- They have a waxy cuticle in the case of freshwater bodies: it protects them to prevent excess water from entering the body. However, in submerged respiration, this excess water is regulated by a constant and dilute excretion of liquids.
- Some semi-aquatic insects have the ability to walk on water: because they don't break its surface tension. You can meet other Animals that walk on water, here.
Examples of aquatic insects
As we mentioned at the beginning, insects are a very diverse group within the animal world. Let us remember that some species live their entire lives in water, while others have a short period in their adult form outside of it, which is why they are also usually considered as aquatic, because their greatest development is carried out submerged.
Certain examples of aquatic insects are:
- Giant water bugs (Belostomatidae).
- Water beetle (Hydrophilus piceus).
- Diving beetles (Dytiscidae).
- Microcaddisflies (Hydroptilidae).
- Alkaline fly (Ephydra hians).
- Small water striders (Veliidae).
- Aquatic Beetles (Gyrinidae).
- Noterids (Noteridae).
- Hygrobiids (Hygrobiidae).
- Haliplids (Haliplidae).
- Elmids (Elmidae).
- Corixidae or boatmen (Corixidae).
- Guerridos or water skaters (Gerridae).
- Back swimmers (Notonectidae).
