Rhagovelia sp. Mayr, 1865
Rhagovelia sp.: https://marylandbiodiversity.org/species/20528
Synonyms
Trochopus 
Tags

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11 Records

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Description

"Very swift gliders that might be mistaken for flies skimming just above the water. It is not unusual to find more than one species at a collecting site; they have the most sophisticated mesotarsal arolium of all the striders." (BugGuide)

Resources

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Citations

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Source: Wikipedia

Rhagovelia
Rhagovelia distincta
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Family: Veliidae
Genus: Rhagovelia
Mayr, 1865
Diversity
at least 390 species
Synonyms[1]
  • Trochopus Carpenter, 1898

Rhagovelia is a genus of smaller water striders in the family Veliidae. There are at least 390 described species in Rhagovelia.[1][2][3][4][5]

It was reported in 2025 that the biophysical properties of members of this genus had been used to design feet for water strider-like robots.[6]

Evolution

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Origins

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The origins of the genus are among water striders of Veliidae family without propelling fans on their legs.

Evolution from water striders

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Genes 'geisha' and 'mother-of-geisha'

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The duplication of genes, called by researchers 'geisha' and 'mother-of-geisha', caused evolutionary creation of propelling fans on middle pair of water strider's legs which in its turn has made able for species in the genus to walk across more fast-flowing and turbulent streams.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Rhagovelia Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  2. ^ "Browse Rhagovelia". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 21 October 2025. Species: 458
  3. ^ "Rhagovelia". GBIF. Retrieved 21 October 2025. 423 species
  4. ^ "Rhagovelia Genus Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 21 October 2025. 12 species in US, 1 in se. Canada; ~400 total
  5. ^ Ross H. Arnett (30 July 2000). American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico. CRC Press. p. 278. ISBN 978-0-8493-0212-1.
  6. ^ Conover, Emily (November 2025). "Frilly Bug Feet Inspire Water-Striding Robot" (PDF). Science News. Vol. 207, no. 11. p. 11. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  7. ^ Emilia Santos M, Le Bouquin A, Crumiere A, Khila A (2017). "Taxon-restricted genes at the origin of a novel trait allowing access to a new environment". Science. 358 (6361): 386–390. Bibcode:2017Sci...358..386S. doi:10.1126/science.aan2748. PMID 29051384. S2CID 44180496.
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  • Wikispecies logo Data related to Rhagovelia at Wikispecies


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