Note: Key are for larvae only at the present time.
1. Head without a gula (neck area behind rostrum); gular region hidden by posteriorlydirected head. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Suborder Homoptera)
Head with a gula; gular region not hidden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Suborder Heteroptera), 2
2. Antennae shorter than head inserted beneath eyes, not plainly visible from above; aquatic or semi aquatic bugs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Antennae longer than head, inserted forward of eyes, plainly visible from above; bugs on surface of or at aquatic margins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3. Beak triangular, very short, unsegmented (sometimes transversely striated), appearing as apex of head; front tarsus with a single segment, scooplike, fringed with stiff setae forming a rake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Corixidae
Beak cylindrical, short to long, 3-4 segmented; front tarsus not scooplike or fringed with stiff setae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4. Apex of abdomen with respiratory appendages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Apex of abdomen without respiratory appendages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
5. Apex of abdomen with a pair of flat, retractile air straps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Belostomatidae
Apex of abdomen with a cylindrical breathing tube (siphon) composed of 2 slender, nonretractile filaments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nepidae, Nipa apiculata
6. Front legs raptorial, femora broad; weakly convex dorsally. . . . . . . Naucoridae, Plocoris sp.
Front legs slender, feora not broad; body strongly convex dorsally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
7. Body form ovoid; 3 mm or less in length; all legs similar; hind tatsus with 2 well-developed claws. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pleidae, Neoplea sp.
Body form elongate, 5 mm or more in length; lind legs long, oarlike; claws of hind tarsus inconspicuous. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Notonectidae
8. Hind femur short, distally either scarcely or not surpassing apex of abdomen; metasternum with a pair of lateral scent rooves terminating on pleura in fornt of hind coxae; dorsum of head usually with madian longitudinal sucus or glabrous (smooth) stripe; mid legs inserted about midway between front and hind legs (except Trochopus and Rhagovelia, which have featherlike structures on the middle tarsus, and Husseyella, which has bladelike structures instead of claws on middle tarsus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Veliidae*
Hind femur long, distally greater exceeding apex of abdomen (scarcely in Rheumatobates females); metasternal region with single median scent gland opening (pmphalium), lateral scent grooves absent; dorsum of head without median groove or line except in Rheumatobates; mid legs inserted closer to hind gegs than fore legs. . . . . . . . . . . Gerridae*
*Genera and species for these families have not been determined for Ohio. They are not included in the OEPA Taxa List.
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Key to Ohio Hemiptera Families