Curicta

As Nepidae, Curicta species possess an elongated body, long slender breathing siphon extending from the abdomen tip, and raptorial forelegs adapted for grasping prey. The genus can be distinguished from other Nepidae genera by tribal-level characters including features of the pronotum and respiratory siphon structure. Specific identification to species requires examination of male genitalia and detailed siphon morphology.

Freshwater aquatic environments including ponds, slow-moving streams, and vegetated water margins. Habitats typically include submerged vegetation and debris where prey can be ambushed.

Neotropical region. Documented from Colombia (Andina, Orinoquía, Pacífico regions), Costa Rica, and presumably elsewhere in Central and South America. The record of Curicta scorpio in Costa Rica represents a southern range extension for that species.

As aquatic predators, species in this genus function as secondary consumers in freshwater food webs, capturing and feeding on other aquatic invertebrates.

• RanatraBoth are Nepidae with elongated bodies and breathing siphons; Ranatra species typically have more extremely slender, stick-like bodies and proportionally longer siphons than Curicta.
• NepaBoth are Nepidae, but Nepa species are more flattened and oval in body shape with shorter siphons, adapted for benthic habitats rather than the more cylindrical form of Curicta.

• aquatic
• predatory
• freshwater
• Neotropical

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Ampliación del rango geográfico del Escorpión de Agua Curicta scorpioStål, (Hemiptera: Nepidae) y primer registro para Costa Rica Geographic range extension of the Waterscorpion Curicta scorpioStål, (Hemiptera: Nepidae) and first record for Costa Rica