Notonecta montezuma

Kirkaldy, 1897

Notonecta montezuma is a of in the . It is an aquatic found in North and Middle America. Like other backswimmers, it swims upside down using its long, oar-like hind legs. The species is part of the Notonecta, which contains backswimmers that are generally larger than water boatmen and more commonly encountered in open water .

Notonecta montezuma by (c) Matthew Pintar, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matthew Pintar. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Notonecta montezuma: /ˌnoʊtəˈnɛktə ˌmɒntɪˈzuːmə/

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Identification

Notonecta montezuma can be distinguished from water boatmen ( ) by its triangular cross-section when viewed from to back, with a keel-like surface. Unlike the flattened water boatmen, have a boat-shaped profile adapted for rapid upside-down swimming. The front legs are short and unmodified, lacking the spoon-shaped tarsal found in water boatmen. The is four-segmented and free, not to the as in Corixidae.

Images

Habitat

Found in freshwater aquatic environments including ponds, slow-moving streams, and artificial water bodies such as fountains and swimming pools. Frequents open water rather than bottom substrates.

Distribution

North America and Middle America.

Behavior

Swims upside down using long hind legs modified for rowing. Surfaces to take in air, using hydrophobic hairs around the rear end and along the middle of the abdominal underside to trap air for underwater respiration. are capable of and can disperse between water bodies.

Human Relevance

May occur in swimming pools and artificial water features, where they can be mistaken for water boatmen. Can deliver a painful bite if handled, though not typically aggressive.

Similar Taxa

Corixidae (water boatmen)Superficially similar oval body shape and aquatic , but water boatmen are flattened top-to-bottom, have spoon-shaped tarsal for feeding, possess a , and frequent bottom substrates rather than open water.
Notonecta glauca and other Notonecta speciesShare the and general ; specific distinctions between Notonecta require closer examination of coloration and markings, which are not documented for N. montezuma in available sources.