Lethocerus deyrollei

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Lethocerus deyrollei
Lethocerus deyrollei
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hemiptera Family: Belostomatidae Genus: Lethocerus Species: L. deyrollei
Binomial name
Lethocerus deyrollei

Lethocerus deyrollei is a species of giant water bug (family Belostomatidae) in the genus Lethocerus. They are large (4.8 to 6.5 cm long), predatory and nocturnal insects. They live in still waters with vegetation, hatching in the summer months and then overwintering half a year later as adults.^[1]

The eggs of this species are laid out of water, generally on vegetation. Males exhibit parental care by keeping eggs damp. This is achieved by climbing up to the egg mass and having the water drip off their bodies onto the eggs. Eggs that are not kept damp in this way fail to hatch.

[edit] Infanticide behaviour

Females of the species are known to destroy eggs guarded by males (ovicide, a form of infanticide), which secures care for their future offspring.^[1] It appears that a "counterstrategy" has evolved in males, which spend a much greater time with the eggs than is necessary to keep them wet. Most of the water is deposited on eggs within 90 seconds, but males have been reported to stay with eggs much longer than this. This is because males which stay with the egg mass cannot be detected by females.^[1] Brooding males will also attack female intruders, being successful in defending their eggs about one third of the time, though some are seriously injured in doing this.^[2] Males will only put up a fight as eggs are first being destroyed, and have been witnessed to abruptly cease defending their eggs and begin copulating with the encroaching female.^[2]

Infanticide has also been recorded in another insect, the burying beetle Nicrophorus orbicollis.^[3]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Ichikawa, N. (1995) Male counterstrategy against infanticide of the female giant water bug Lethocerus deyrollei (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae). Journal of Insect Behavior 8:181-186.
2. ^ ^{a b} Ichikawa, N. (1991), Egg mass destroying and guarding behaviour of the giant water bug Lethocerus deyrollei Vuillefroy (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae). Journal of Ethology 9: 25-29.
3. ^ Trumbo, S. T. (1990). Reproductive benefits of infanticide in a biparental burying beetle Nicrophorus orbicollis. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 27: 269-273.