Marine-insects
Guides
Coelopina
kelp flies
Coelopina is a genus of kelp flies in the family Coelopidae, established by Malloch in 1933. The genus contains at least one described species, Coelopina anomala. Kelp flies in this family are generally associated with decaying seaweed and marine coastal environments. Very few observations of this genus exist in biodiversity databases.
Gerridae
water striders, water bugs, pond skaters, water skippers, Jesus bugs, water skeeters, water scooters, water gliders, water skimmers, puddle flies
Gerridae are a family of true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) renowned for their ability to walk on water. They possess hydrofuge hairpiles covering the body and specialized leg structures that exploit water surface tension. Most species inhabit freshwater, though the genus Halobates is exceptional as the only truly oceanic insect, living on open ocean surfaces. Over 1,700 species have been described, with body lengths ranging from 2–36 mm. They are predatory, feeding on surface-trapped invertebrates.
Halobates
sea skaters, ocean striders
Halobates is a genus of marine water striders comprising over 40 species, representing the only insects known to inhabit the open ocean surface. Five species are truly pelagic, living far from land on calm tropical and subtropical seas, while most species occupy sheltered coastal marine habitats. These insects possess specialized adaptations for life on the high seas, including hydrofuge body hairs, reduced or absent wings, and modified middle legs that function as paddles for propulsion. They are predators that feed on organisms trapped in the sea surface microlayer, and their unique ecology makes them significant components of the neustonic community.
Leptocera
Leptocera is a genus of small flies in the family Sphaeroceridae (Diptera), established by Olivier in 1813. The genus includes multiple subgenera with divergent ecological specializations: the nominate subgenus Leptocera contains species associated with decaying organic matter including sewage systems, while the subgenus Thoracochaeta is restricted to marine supralittoral habitats. Several species have been documented as pests in artificial environments. The genus is distributed across multiple biogeographic regions including the Nearctic, with some species recently introduced to North America.
Tanytarsini
Tanytarsini is a diverse tribe of non-biting midges (Chironomidae: Chironominae) comprising over 20 genera and approximately 1,000 described species. The tribe is divided into two subtribes: Tanytarsina and Zavreliina. Members occupy a wide range of aquatic habitats including freshwater lotic and lentic systems, hygropetric seepages, and marine intertidal zones. The genus Pontomyia represents truly marine chironomids within this tribe, with specialized life history adaptations including flightless, larviform females and short-lived non-feeding adults.
Thalassomya
Thalassomya is a genus of non-biting midges in the family Chironomidae, first described by Schiner in 1856. The genus belongs to the subfamily Telmatogetoninae and contains approximately 10 described species distributed across multiple continents. Members of this genus are associated with marine or brackish coastal habitats, reflecting the genus name derived from Greek 'thalassa' (sea).