Notonectidae

views updated

Notonectidae (backswimmers, water boatmen; order Hemiptera, suborder Heteroptera) Family of predatory, aquatic bugs, which swim in the water with their backs directed downwards, propelling themselves by means of the hair-fringed hind pair of legs; hence their common names. The front two pairs of legs are used to grasp prey. There are about 200 species, distributed world-wide.

More From encyclopedia.com