Common Pondskater vs Toothed Pondskater

Gerris lacustris compared with Gerris odontogaster

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Pondskater	Toothed Pondskater
Kingdom same	Animalia (สัตว์)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (สัตว์ขาปล้อง)	Arthropoda (สัตว์ขาปล้อง)
Class same	Insecta (แมลง)	Insecta (แมลง)
Order same	Hemiptera (มวน)	Hemiptera (มวน)
Family same	Gerridae	Gerridae
Genus same	Gerris	Gerris
Species	Gerris lacustris	Gerris odontogaster

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Pondskater and Toothed Pondskater share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Gerris.

Conservation Status

Common Pondskater

LC — Least Concern

Toothed Pondskater

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Pondskater	Toothed Pondskater
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Pondskater

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Toothed Pondskater

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Common Pondskater

<em>Gerris lacustris</em>, the common pondskater, is an aquatic insect in the family Gerridae, well known for its remarkable ability to walk and skate across the surface of still or slow-moving freshwater bodies using surface tension. Microscopic water-repellent hairs on its legs trap air and prevent the insect from breaking the water film, allowing it to detect vibrations from struggling prey and move rapidly across the water surface. The species is a predator and scavenger, typically feeding on small invertebrates, including other insects, that fall onto or become trapped at the water surface. <em>Gerris lacustris</em> is distributed across Europe, with confirmed records from Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, and is among the most commonly encountered water striders in temperate European ponds, lakes, and slow-flowing rivers. It is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting widespread abundance and absence of major conservation threats. The species overwinters as an adult in terrestrial habitats and returns to water in spring. Biological traits such as average adult lifespan, precise body dimensions, body mass, and detailed dietary composition remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. Adults are capable of flight and can colonise new water bodies effectively.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden