Gelastocoridae
Guides
Gelastocoris
toad bugs
Gelastocoris is a genus of predatory true bugs in the family Gelastocoridae, commonly known as toad bugs. The genus comprises more than 20 described species, including both extant and extinct taxa. Members are characterized by their distinctive toad-like appearance, cryptic coloration, and raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing prey. The family name derives from Greek 'gelastos' (laughable) and 'koris' (bug), referencing their unusual morphology.
Gelastocoris oculatus
Big-eyed Toad Bug
Gelastocoris oculatus, commonly known as the big-eyed toad bug, is a riparian predator in the family Gelastocoridae. It inhabits freshwater margins across North and Central America, where its cryptic coloration and hopping locomotion resemble small toads. The species captures smaller insects by leaping onto them and subduing them with piercing-sucking mouthparts. Both adults and nymphs are predatory, with females depositing eggs under rocks or in sand or mud.
Nerthra fuscipes
toad bug
Nerthra fuscipes is a species of toad bug in the family Gelastocoridae, characterized by a flattened, toad-like body form adapted for life near water. The species has been documented across a broad geographic range spanning the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and South America. As a member of the Nepomorpha (true water bugs), it represents one of the more widely distributed species within its genus.
Nerthra stygica
Nerthra stygica is a species of toad bug in the family Gelastocoridae, first described by Thomas Say in 1832. It belongs to the infraorder Nepomorpha, a group of aquatic and semi-aquatic true bugs. The species is known from North America, though specific details about its ecology and biology remain limited in published sources.