Water boatman

Water boatman

Water boatman, as a type of insect, can mean:

  • In the USA, Corixidae: the majority of species are herbivorous, but some species may eat small animals such as tadpoles. They inhabit ponds and slow moving streams, where they swim right-way-up near the bottom.
  • In Britain, it can also mean the Notonectidae (called backswimmers in the USA): these swim upside-down on the surface and are predators. They swim with two long legs that look like oars.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • water boatman — n. any of a family (Corixidae) of hemipterous water bugs that swim about in ponds and streams by vigorous movement of the fringed, oarlike hind legs …   English World dictionary

  • Water boatman — Wa ter boat man (Zo[ o]l.) A boat bug. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • water boatman — any of numerous aquatic insects of the family Corixidae, having paddlelike hind legs. Also called boat bug. [1805 15] * * * ▪ insect  any of more than 300 species of insects in the true bug order, Heteroptera, that are named for their flat, boat… …   Universalium

  • water boatman — Boat bug Boat bug (Zo[ o]l.) An aquatic hemipterous insect of the genus {Notonecta}; so called from swimming on its back, which gives it the appearance of a little boat. Called also {boat fly}, {boat insect}, {boatman}, and {water boatman}. [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • water boatman — /wɔtə ˈboʊtmən/ (say wawtuh bohtmuhn) noun 1. a hemipterous insect of the family Corixidae, members of which swim in fresh water, using their long legs. 2. → water strider …  

  • water boatman — noun Date: 1815 1. backswimmer 2. any of various oval flattened aquatic bugs (family Corixidae) of fresh or brackish water with fringed hind legs modified into paddles …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • water boatman — noun carnivorous aquatic bug having paddle like hind legs • Syn: ↑boat bug • Hypernyms: ↑water bug • Member Holonyms: ↑Corixa, ↑genus Corixa …   Useful english dictionary

  • water boatman — noun Any of various aquatic insects of the family Corixidae that have paddle shaped hind legs used for swimming …   Wiktionary

  • water boatman — noun a predatory aquatic bug that swims on its back using its long back legs as oars. [Family Notonectidae.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • water-boatman — n. (Ent.) Boat fly …   New dictionary of synonyms

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