Fossil water striders in the Eocene Baltic amber (Hemiptera, Gerromorpha)

Water striders (Hemiptera, Gerromorpha) live on the surface film of freshwa ter. Adults are often flightless and therefore not prone to be caught in re sin exuded by trees on land and subsequently preserved as amber inclusions. Nevertheless, a small number of gerromorphan bugs have so far been reporte d from Baltic amber. The present paper reports on eight species of Gerromor pha in the Eocene Baltic amber, describing Electrogerris kotashevichi gen. et sp. n. (Gerridae, Gerrinae), Succineogerris larssoni gen. et sp. n. (Ger ridae, Gerrinae), and Balticovelia weitschati gen, et sp. n. (Veliidae, Vel iinae) and redescribing Electrovelia baltica Andersen (Veliidae, Veliinae) and Metrocephala anderseni Popov (Hydrometridae, Hydrometrinae) based upon additional and better preserved specimens. Finally, the phylogenetic, palae obiological, and biogeographic significance of these amber fossils are disc ussed.