D3099: Strangers in the water: New records of Gerromorpha and Nepomorpha (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from the Dominican Republic

Infraorder Gerromorpha and Nepomorpha Heteropterans are insects adapted to live in lotic and lentic aquatic habitats, including marine environments. Some of them wade above the water's surface, and others actively swim or walk in the submerged substrate. Aquatic and semi-aquatic Hemiptera entomofauna has not yet been well studied in the Dominican Republic. Nevertheless, we have obtained new records of heteropterans from bibliographic reviews, several entomological collection specimens inspections, and field trips. Furthermore, we documented the Gelastocoridae and Nepidae families for the first time. Additionally, the Hebridae and Ochteridae families, previously recognized in the fossilized amber record, have been confirmed with extant species, however, these remained undetermined. We have also kept records of the marine gerrid Halobates genus and Synaptonecta issa (Micronectidae) an exotic species native from Southeast Asia, new to the entire Caribbean region.