Kingdom Animalia Order Hemiptera Infraorder Nepomorpha Higher classification Ochteroidea | Phylum Arthropoda Suborder Heteroptera Scientific name Ochteridae Rank Family | |
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Similar Gelastocoridae, Pleidae, True bugs, Enicocephalidae, Ceratocombidae | ||
The Ochteridae comprise a small family of insects. About 25 species have been described. They are "true bugs", being members of the Order Hemiptera, and are in the suborder Heteroptera. Ochteridae commonly are known as the velvety shore bugs, although not all occur near the sea.
Most of the Ochteridae inhabit the edges of ponds and other still waters. Little is known of their habits, but all are believed to be predatory on small invertebrates, such as larvae of flies. They tend to be lively and capable of active leaping and flight.
The immature instars of some species camouflage themselves extremely effectively by gluing sand grains and similar particles to their backs, and so do the adults of a few species. They are not conspicuous and most species are physically small and occur patchily and in small numbers; these factors make them difficult to study and partly explain why there is a poverty of detailed knowledge of the biology of most species.
