Gerridae
9.9
A group of insects that walk on the surface of water
- noun
- /ˈdʒɛrɪˌdeɪ/
- Specialized
:
familia Gerridae
- I observed a water strider from the Family Gerridae gliding gracefully across the pond's surface.
Examples
-
Water striders (Family Gerridae).
Academic text (1993) -
The Gerridae family includes fascinating insects that can skim effortlessly on water.
-
Children are often amazed by how Gerridae insects can walk on water without sinking.
Synonyms
8.3
A group of insects that walk on the surface of water
focuses on living and moving across the water surface rather than mere ability
9.6
Insects that walk on the surface of water, like water striders
is a more general description focusing on living and moving on the water surface
Compounds
Surface Forms
Morphology
Gerridae = Gerris (opaque) = Gerris + idae
The form is a regular zoological formation from the genus name 'Gerris' plus the family suffix '-idae', but recognizing this requires specialized knowledge of taxonomic naming.
Etymology
Gerridae comes from the genus name Gerris (the water strider) plus the family ending -idae, which marks an animal family. So, Gerridae is the group of insects known for 'walking on water'.
