ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on examples of terrestrial and aquatic insects that remain underwater on the lower side of the pseudoterrestrium, usually to find and capture prey. Most of the insect species inhabiting masses of roots and stems beneath floating plants seem to be predatory. Most species of Photuris apparently inhabit soils, wetlands, or water bodies in the Nearctic and Neotropical Zoographical Regions, where many species of Photinus, mostly terrestrial as larvae and adults, are also found. Not only do herbivorous insects inhabit the emergent parts of floating plants, especially within the original ranges of the aquatic species, predatory insects belonging to typically terrestrial families also seek prey among the herbivorous insects that feed on the emergent parts of the plants. The predatory insects that patrol the surface of the water, such as members of the water bug families belonging to Gerromorpha. The most obvious factors that change during a seasonal succession involve nutrition, respiration, and reproductive opportunity.
