Adaptation

        One of the great adaptations that Lethocerus americanus has acquired is its piercing rostrum that it uses to suck out the liquified insides of its prey for consumption. The rostrum is made up of an insects mandibles and maxillae being sheathed within a modified labium. This happens to be the defining feature of the Hemiptera order.

         After an L. americanus is born, it does not need to surface to obtain oxygen, instead, it can simply absorb oxygen from the water around it through it's skin which is still membranous in nature and not hardened. Once it has reached adulthood it will have hardened and it's membranes are no longer permeable to oxygen, so it must surface to breathe, or at least obtain air. This species will often trap air bubbles underneath it's wings which it will breathe using a pair of canals that have openings at the rear of it's abdomen.

        Perhaps the most obvious adaptation that this species has is it's intimidating mandibles that it uses to latch onto its prey. When threatened out of water, Lethocerus americanus will rear back and put up its mandibles to prepare to defend itself. Once it's target approaches just a little bit too close, L. americanus will clamp its mandibles shut and inflict a painful bite with it's rostrum. The bite itself is not lethal or truly dangerous to people but it sure hurts. Sometimes a Lethocerus americanus will play dead when threatened underwater, even releasing fluid from their bodies.

 

 

 

 

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