On the importance of citizen-science: first records of the Giant water bug Lethocerus patruelis (Hemiptera, Belostomatidae) in Cyprus

By

Hadjiconstantis, Michael
Tziortzis, Iakovos
Kunt, Kadir Boğaç

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2023-12-31

Original Publication

Travaux du Muséum national d'histoire naturelle "Grigore Antipa"

Volume

66

Series / Issue

Issue: 2

Pages

291--299

Subjects

Distribution , Mediterranean , Migration , social networks

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

București, România Muzeul Național de Istorie Naturală "Grigore Antipa" -2009

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/travaux.66.e94457

 

Abstract

Citizen science has gradually become an important source of data for science. In the present work, we further corroborate this notion by confirming the presence of the Giant water bug, Lethocerus patruelis on the island of Cyprus, based on citizen findings. Our records rely almost entirely on information initially provided through social networks by biodiversity-enthusiast users. We investigate the likely origin of L. patruelis in Cyprus and discuss the possibility of an established population of the species on the island. We also outline some initial thoughts on the environmental impact of a possible future establishment on the islands’ water bodies.