Abstract
TRACHAETE arthropods, notably insects, are almost totally absent from the open ocean for various reasons which are still largely speculative1–3. Halobates (Heteroptera) is an exceptional insect genus which is exclusively marine, with several open-ocean species that spend their entire lives thousands of miles away from land. It is a member of the family Gerridae, which includes the common pond-skaters or water-striders. Although species of Halobates have been known for more than 150 yr, there is little information about their biology and about specific adaptations which might enable them to live in the oceans where all other insects have failed4.
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CHENG, L. Marine and Freshwater Skaters: Differences in Surface Fine Structures. Nature 242, 132–133 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/242132a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/242132a0
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