These aquatic insects are also known as giant fish killers, electric light bugs, and toe biters. They are predators of insects and other small organisms up to the size of tadpoles, small water birds or even fish, and occasionally are known to inflict injury to humans. In humans, a belostomatid bite produces a painful burning sensation that lasts several hours.
Morphology
Belostomatidae are large-sized (up to about 110 mm), ovoid to elongate aquatic bugs. They are brownish, dorsoventrally flattened while ventrally convex. The head extends triangularly in front of the large eyes. They have a stout syringe-like rostrum or beak, which is the result of the pair of mandibles and the two pairs of maxillae evolved in long piercing stylets. The beak is three segmented. A pair of short, 4-segmented antennae are concealed in grooves beneath the head. Segments 2 and 3 have lateral projections. Belostomatidae possess a pair of large compound eyes, but lack ocelli. The head does not overlap the...
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Goula, M. (2008). Giant Water Bugs (Hemiptera: Prosorrhyncha Belostomatidae). In: Capinera, J.L. (eds) Encyclopedia of Entomology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6359-6_1099
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