Veliidae

Riffle bugs

Velia caprai
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Suborder:	Heteroptera
Infraorder:	Gerromorpha
Superfamily:	Gerrioidea
Family:	Veliidae Amyot & Serville, 1843
Genera
Microvelia Velia Rhagovelia Perittopus

Veliidae is a family of predatory insects in the suborder Heteroptera. They are commonly known as riffle bugs, smaller water striders or broad-shouldered water striders because the segment immediately behind the head is wider than the rest of the abdomen, unlike in the typical water striders (Gerridae), close relatives which are also in superfamily Gerrioidea. Unlike some Gerridae, riffle bugs are small, typically about 4.5 mm.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Veliidae.

Image

Extant Hemiptera families

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Infraclass: Neoptera
Superorder: Paraneoptera

Suborder Auchenorrhyncha

Cicadomorpha

Cercopoidea (froghoppers)	Aphrophoridae Cercopidae Clastopteridae Epipygidae Machaerotidae

Cicadoidea (cicadas)	Cicadidae Tettigarctidae (hairy cicadas)

Membracoidea	Aetalionidae Cicadellidae (leafhoppers) Melizoderidae Membracidae (typical treehoppers, thorn bugs) Myerslopiidae

Fulgoromorpha
(planthoppers)

Fulgoroidea	Acanaloniidae Achilidae Achilixiidae Cixiidae Delphacidae Derbidae Dictyopharidae Eurybrachidae Flatidae Fulgoridae (lanternflies) Gengidae Hypochthonellidae Issidae Kinnaridae Lophopidae Meenoplidae Nogodinidae Ricaniidae Tettigometridae Tropiduchidae

Suborder Sternorrhyncha

Aleyrodoidea	Aleyrodidae (whiteflies)

Aphidoidea (aphids)	Aphididae

Coccoidea (scale insects)	Aclerdidae Asterolecaniidae (pit scales) Beesoniidae (beesoniids) Carayonemidae (carayonemids) Cerococcidae (ornate pit scales) Coccidae (soft scales) Conchaspididae Dactylopiidae (cochineals) Diaspididae (armored scales) Eriococcidae (felt scales) Halimococcidae (pupillarial palm scales) Kermesidae Kerriidae (lac scales) Lecanodiaspididae (false pit scales) Margarodidae (cottony cushion scales, giant coccids, ground pearls) Micrococcidae (Mediterranean scales) Monophlebidae (giant scales) Ortheziidae (ensign scales) Phenacoleachiidae (phenacoleachiids) Phoenicococcidae (palm scales) Pseudococcidae (mealybugs) Putoidae (giant mealybugs) Stictococcidae (stictococcids)

Phylloxeroidea	Adelgidae (woolly conifer aphids) Phylloxeridae (phylloxerans)

Psylloidea	Aphalaridae Calophyidae Carsidaridae Homotomidae Phacopteronidae Psyllidae (jumping plant lice) Triozidae

Suborder Heteroptera (including Coleorrhyncha)

Dipsocoromorpha	Ceratocombidae Dipsocoridae Hypsipterygidae Schizopteridae Stemmocryptidae

Enicocephalomorpha

Enicocephaloidea	Aenictopecheidae Enicocephalidae (unique-headed bugs, gnat bugs)

Gerromorpha
(semiaquatic bugs)

Gerroidea	Gerridae (water striders) Hermatobatidae Veliidae (riffle bugs)

Hebroidea	Hebridae (velvet water bugs)

Hydrometroidea	Hydrometridae (marsh treaders or water measurers) Macroveliidae Paraphrynoveliidae

Mesovelioidea (water treaders)	Madeoveliidae Mesoveliidae

Leptopodomorpha	Saldidae (shore bugs) Leptopodidae (spiny shore bugs) Omaniidae Aepophilidae

Nepomorpha
(true water bugs)

Corixoidea	Corixidae (water boatmen)

Nepoidea	Belostomatidae (giant water bugs) Nepidae (water scorpions, needle bugs)

Ochteroidea	Gelastocoridae (toad bugs) Ochteridae (velvety shore bugs)

Aphelocheiroidea	Aphelocheiridae Potamocoridae

Naucoroidea	Naucoridae (creeping water bugs)

Notonectoidea	Notonectidae (backswimmers)

Pleoidea	Helotrephidae Pleidae (pygmy backswimmers)

Peloridiomorpha (Coleorrhyncha)	Peloridiidae

Cimicomorpha

Cimicoidea

Anthocoridae (minute pirate bugs or flower bugs)
Cimicidae (bed bugs, bat bugs)
Curaliidae (Curalium cronini)
Joppeicidae
Lasiochilidae
Lyctocoridae
Medocostidae
Microphysidae
Miridae (plant bugs, leaf bugs, grass bugs)
Nabidae (damsel bugs)
Pachynomidae
Plokiophilidae
Polyctenidae (old world bat bugs)
Reduviidae (assassin bugs, wheel bugs, thread-legged bugs)
Thaumastocoridae (royal palm bugs)
Tingidae (lace bugs)
Velocipedidae

Pentatomomorpha

Aradoidea	Aradidae (flat bugs) Termitaphididae (termite bugs)

Pentatomoidea (shield bugs)	Urostylididae Acanthosomatidae (shield bugs) Tessaratomidae (giant shield bugs and relatives) Dinidoridae Cydnidae (burrowing bugs) Thaumastellidae Parastrachiidae Corimelaenidae (includes ebony bugs) Lestoniidae Phloeidae Scutelleridae (jewel bugs or metallic shield bugs) Plataspididae Pentatomidae (stink bugs) Canopidae Megarididae

Coreoidea	Alydidae (broad-headed bugs) Coreidae (squash bugs, leaf-footed bugs) Hyocephalidae Rhopalidae (scentless plant bugs) Stenocephalidae

Lygaeoidea	Artheneidae Berytidae (stilt bugs) Blissidae Colobathristidae Cryptorhamphidae Cymidae Geocoridae Henicocoridae Heterogastridae Idiostolidae Lygaeidae (milkweed bugs, true seed bugs) Malcidae Ninidae Oxycarenidae Pachygronthidae Rhyparochromidae (atypical seed bugs) Piesmatidae (ash-grey leaf bugs)

Pyrrhocoroidea	Pyrrhocoridae (red bugs, cotton stainers) Largidae (bordered plant bugs)

Note: traditionally Coleorrhyncha not included in Heteroptera. Heteroptera including Coleorrhyncha also referred to as Prosorrhyncha.