The Gerromorpha comprise an

infraorder Order () is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between Family_(biology), family and Class_(biology), class. In biological classification, the order is a taxonomic rank used in the classific ...

insects Insects (from Latin ') are hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed ...

in the "true bug"

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * A socio-political or established or existing order, e.g. World order, Ancien Regime, Pax Britannica * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood ...

Hemiptera Hemiptera (; ) is an order of insects, commonly called true bugs, comprising more than 80,000 species within groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, assassin bugs, bed bugs, and shield bugs. They range in size from ...

. These "typical" bugs (

suborder Order () is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between family and class. In biological classification, the order is a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms and recognized ...

Heteroptera The Heteroptera are a group of about 40,000 species of insects in the order Hemiptera. They are sometimes called "true bugs", though that name more commonly refers to the Hemiptera as a whole. "Typical bugs" might be used as a more unequivocal al ...

) are commonly called semiaquatic bugs or shore-inhabiting bugs. The

Ochteroidea Nepomorpha is an infraorder of insects in the "true bug" order (Hemiptera). They belong to the "typical" bugs of the suborder Heteroptera. Due to their aquatic habits, these animals are known as true water bugs. They occur all over the world ...

(infraorder

Nepomorpha Nepomorpha is an infraorder of insects in the "true bug" order (biology), order (Hemiptera). They belong to the "typical" bugs of the suborder Heteroptera. Due to their Aquatic insects, aquatic habits, these animals are known as true Heteroptera# ...

are also found in shore habitat, while the Gerromorpha are actually most often encountered running around on the water surface, being kept from sinking by

surface tension Surface tension is the tendency of liquid surfaces at rest to shrink into the minimum surface area possible. Surface tension (physics), tension is what allows objects with a higher density than water such as razor blades and insects (e.g. Ge ...

and their water-repellent legs. Well-known members of the Gerromorpha are the namesake

Gerridae The Gerridae are a family of insects in the order Hemiptera, commonly known as water striders, water skeeters, water scooters, water bugs, pond skaters, water skippers, water gliders, water skimmers or puddle flies. They are true bugs of the ...

(water striders).

Systematics

The eight

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

families usually recognized are arranged in four superfamilies. The two small or

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unisp ...

ones of these are basal lineages; the two larger ones form a more advanced

clade In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...

. The

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organisms based on empirical dat ...

sequence of superfamilies and families of the Gerromorpha is:ToL (1995) ; Mesovelioidea – water treaders *

Madeoveliidae Water treaders, the superfamily Mesovelioidea, are insects in the order Hemiptera, the true bugs. They are semiaquatic insects that live in moist and wet habitat and on wet plant matter in several types of aquatic habitat.Yang, C. M. and D. H. ...

(sometimes included in Mesoveliidae) *

Mesoveliidae Mesoveliidae is a family of water treaders in the order Hemiptera. There are about 16 genera and at least 50 described species in Mesoveliidae. Genera These 12 extant genera belong to the family Mesoveliidae. * '' Austrovelia'' Malipatil and ...

Hebroidea

Hebridae Velvet water bugs are members of the family Hebridae. They are semiaquatic insects that live among moss or ponds with an abundance of vegetation, in which they prey on small arthropods. Velvet water bugs are the smallest of the Gerromorpha, and h ...

– velvet bugs *

Macroveliidae Macroveliidae is a family of macroveliid shore bugs in the order Hemiptera Hemiptera (; ) is an order of insects, commonly called true bugs, comprising more than 80,000 species within groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, lea ...

Hydrometroidea The Gerromorpha comprise an infraorder of insects in the "true bug" order (biology), order Hemiptera. These "typical" bugs (suborder Heteroptera) are commonly called semiaquatic bugs or shore-inhabiting bugs. The Ochteroidea (infraorder Nepomorph ...

Paraphrynoveliidae ''Paraphrynovelia'' is a genus of bugs with just two species in southern Africa. Together they are considered by some to form the family Paraphrynoveliidae, although some suggest that they should be treated as members of the Macroveliidae. Unlik ...

Hydrometridae Hydrometridae is a family of aquatic insect, semiaquatic insects, known as ''marsh treaders'' or ''water measurers''. They have a characteristic elongated head and body which makes them resemble a yardstick for measuring the water surface. Appea ...

– water measurers

Gerroidea Gerroidea is a superfamily of semiaquatic bugs in the order Hemiptera. There are at least 3 families and more than 2,000 described species in Gerroidea. Families These three families belong to the superfamily Gerroidea: * Gerridae Leach, 1815 ( ...

Hermatobatidae ''Hermatobates'' is a genus of wingless marine bugs placed as the sole genus in the family Hermatobatidae that are sometimes known as coral-treaders. They are quite rare and known only from coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region. During low tide, ...

– water striders *

Veliidae Veliidae is a family (biology), family of gregarious predatory insects in the suborder Heteroptera. They are commonly known as riffle bugs, small water striders, or broad-shouldered water striders because the segment immediately behind the head ...

– riffle bugs

Systematics

Hebroidea

Hydrometroidea The Gerromorpha comprise an infraorder of insects in the "true bug" order (biology), order Hemiptera. These "typical" bugs (suborder Heteroptera) are commonly called semiaquatic bugs or shore-inhabiting bugs. The Ochteroidea (infraorder Nepomorph ...

Gerroidea Gerroidea is a superfamily of semiaquatic bugs in the order Hemiptera. There are at least 3 families and more than 2,000 described species in Gerroidea. Families These three families belong to the superfamily Gerroidea: * Gerridae Leach, 1815 ( ...

References

Further reading