Backswimmer's head, light micrograph

Credit: DR KEITH WHEELER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Caption: Backswimmer's head. Light micrograph of the head and mouthparts of the backswimmer (Notonecta sp.), also known as the greater water boatman. The head (left) has two hemispherical swellings, which are the compound eyes. Near the eyes are two jointed antennae (blackish-brown). The mouthparts are elongated, extending out to the right, and are enclosed by a segmented tube, the beak or rostrum. Inside the tube are the stylets, used to pierce the skin if this insect's prey, and to suck up bodily fluids. One of the stylets is seen protruding from the rostrum. Magnification: x14 when printed at 10 centimetres across. Magnification: x14 when printed at 10 centimetres across.

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Keywords: 1, anatomical, anatomy, animal, aquatic, backswimmer, beak, biological, biology, compound eye, cut out, cut outs, cut-out, cut-outs, cutout, cutouts, entomology, eyes, fauna, freshwater, greater water boatman, head, invertebrate, invertebrates, light micrograph, light microscope, lm, mouthpart, mouthparts, nature, notonecta, one, rostrum, single, stylet, stylets, water boatman, wildlife, zoological, zoology

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