Water Scorpion
WELCOME! Through this website you will learn knowledgeable information about the water scorpion but more specifically the species Nepa cinerea. Read below to understand their physical description and characteristics but to learn more fascinating facts click on the links to the right. ENJOY!
Water scorpions are a grayish brown or
reddish brown color that are approximately
15- 45 mm in length, not including the
breathing tube which can be up to 20 mm in
length. To understand more about breathing
tube click here. This organism is split into
two main genera: Ranatra and
Nepa. The Ranatra species are
elongated and fairly skinny with relatively
long legs. They are relatively similar to
the walking sticks but this website
specifically focuses on the
Nepa.
These species have oval and flattened bodies
with fairly short legs.
Their most distinguished regions, which make
them easy to classify, are their
scissor-like fore limbs and the long
tail-like breathing tube at the end of their
abdomen. Water scorpions also have large,
compound eyes and short, stout beaks which
help with nutrition. They also have
well-developed wings, but rarely fly.
Website last updated : April 23, 2010