Су ақырбылары: Непаидтер отбасысы

Family of true bugs

Nepidae is a family of exclusively aquatic Heteropteran insects in the order Hemiptera. They are commonly called water scorpions for their superficial resemblance to scorpions, due to their raptorial forelegs and the presence of a long slender process at the posterior end of the abdomen, resembling a tail. There are 14 genera in the family, in two subfamilies, Nepinae and Ranatrinae. Members of the genus Ranatra, the most widespread and species rich genus, are sometimes called needle bugs or water stick insects as they are slenderer than Nepa. While water scorpions do not sting with their tail (it is used for breathing), they do have a painful bite (strictly speaking a sting by their pointed proboscis), but this is much less harmful to humans than a true scorpion's sting.

Nepidae are found on all continents except Antarctica. They mostly inhabit stagnant or slow moving freshwater habitats like ponds, marshes, canals and streams. Exceptionally they have also been recorded from hypersaline lakes and brackish lagoons,

[[File:Water scorpion (Nepa cinerea). jpg|thumb|Nepa cinerea with open forewings, revealing its usually hidden hindwings and red abdomen They can fly, but this is infrequently seen. Respiration in the adult is achieved by means of the caudal process, which consists of a pair of half tubes capable of being locked together to form a siphon. Air is conducted through it to the tracheae at the apex of the abdomen when the tip of the tube is thrust above the surface of the water (similar to a snorkel). In immature forms the siphon is often underdeveloped and respiration takes place through six pairs of abdominal spiracles. Their frontal legs are modified into raptorial appendages that are used to grab their prey. They feed primarily on aquatic invertebrates such as other insects, but occasionally take small fish or tadpoles. The eggs, which are laid above the waterline in mud, decomposing vegetation, the stems of plants or rotting wood, are supplied with air by filamentous processes which vary in number among the genera. but the family also includes species poor genera, like the Ethiopian Borborophilus, Nepella, Nepitella and Paranepa (each with one species), and Australian Austronepa (one species) and Goondnomdanepa (three species). Araripenepa from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Crato Formation of Brazil is the oldest known member of the family, and is the sister group to remaining genera.