back swimmer
ər noun
any of numerous predaceous aquatic hemipterous insects, of the family Notonectidae, that swim on their backs, and may inflict a painful bite if handled.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia
back swimmer
any of about 200 species of insects (order Heteroptera) that occur worldwide and are named for their ability to swim on their backs, which are shaped like the keel and sides of a boat. The back swimmer uses its long, oarlike legs for propulsion and has an oval-shaped head and an elongated body, generally less than 15 mm (0.6 inch) in length. It is a good example of countershading, as its light-coloured back, seen from below, blends into the water surface and sky. The rest of the body is darker and, when seen from above, blends with the bottom of the body of water in which it lives.
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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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00:10
Back swimmer
is always a great word to know.
So is interrobang. Does it mean:
| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
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