Water Strider in Adyar Estuary - a photo on Flickriver

            Commonly known as water striders, water skeeters, water scooters, water bugs, pond skaters, water skippers, water gliders, water skimmers or puddle flies; Gerridae are a family of insects in the order Hemiptera. Consistent with the classification of the Gerridae as true bugs (i.e., suborder Heteroptera), gerrids have mouthparts evolved for piercing and sucking, and distinguish themselves by having the unusual ability to walk on water, making them pleuston (surface-living) animals. They are anatomically built to transfer their weight to be able to run on top of the water's surface. As a result, one could likely find water striders present in any pond, river, or lake. Over 1,700 species of gerrids have been described, 10% of them being marine.

The water striders live their whole lives on the surface of water as they catch prey (other insects on surface or just below the surface of water), fight and mate as they float on the surface. 

Their long legs spread out their weight and the hydrophobic (water-hating) hair on their legs ensures to use the surface tension and viscosity of the liquids. Best example of physics and thermodynamics at work. 

The family Gerridae is physically characterized by having hydrofuge hairpiles, retractable preapical claws, and elongated legs and body.

Hydrofuge hairpiles are small, hydrophobic microhairs. These are tiny hairs with more than one thousand microhairs per mm. The entire body is covered by these hairpiles, providing the water strider resistance to splashes or drops of water. These hairs repel the water, preventing drops from weighing down the body.

Taken in: India / Tamil Nadu / Manthaiveli (show map)

Taken on: August 26, 2023

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Camera: Nikon COOLPIX P1000, f/7.1, 1/2500 sec, 234mm, ISO 720 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon COOLPIX P1000
Aperture:	f/7.1
Exposure Time:	1/2500 sec
Focal Length:	234mm
ISO:	720
Exposure Bias:	-1 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Shutter speed priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Manual
Light Source:	Fine Weather
Gain Control:	Low gain up
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	PhotoScape
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