BELOSTOMATIDAE Leach, 1815

Polhemus, Dan A. & Polhemus, John T., 2013, Guide To The Aquatic Heteroptera Of Singapore And Peninsular Malaysia. X. Infraorder Nepomorpha-Famlies Belostomatidae And Nepidae, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 61 (1), pp. 25-45 : 26

Family BELOSTOMATIDAE Leach, 1815

The family Belostomatidae , or giant water bugs, is worldwide in distribution, attaining its highest species richness in the interior wetlands of South America ( Polhemus & Polhemus, 2008). Species are generally ovate in body shape, with fully developed wings and stout raptorial forelegs. Two species representing two genera occur in Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia. Belostomatids include the largest of all aquatic Heteroptera in terms of body size, and should be handled carefully, since all species are capable of inflicting painful bites with their beaks, or lacerations with their stout claws.