# Lethocerus maximus

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lethocerus_maximus
> Source revision: 1336069921
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{{Short description|Species of true bug}}
{{Speciesbox
| genus = Lethocerus
| species = maximus
| image = Lethocerus maximus 134.jpg
| authority = De Carlo, 1938<ref name=ALPHA>{{Cite GBIF|id=9253860|taxon=''Lethocerus maximus'' De Carlo, 1938|access-date=2026-02-01}}</ref>
| synonyms = * '''''Lethocerus paraensis''''' <small>Lanzer-de-Souza, 1991</small>
| synonyms_ref = <ref name=ALPHA/><ref name=BETA>{{Catalogue of Life|id=722N2|title=''Lethocerus maximus'' De Carlo, 1938|access-date=1 February 2026}}</ref>
}}

'''''Lethocerus maximus''''' is a [species](/source/species) of [giant water bug](/source/giant_water_bug) in the [genus](/source/genus) ''[Lethocerus](/source/Lethocerus)''.<ref name=ALPHA/> It is native to [South America](/source/South_America), but can also be found in the [Caribbean](/source/Caribbean).<ref name=BETA/>

It and the related ''[L. grandis](/source/Lethocerus_grandis)'' are the largest [true bugs](/source/true_bugs) in the world, with ''L. maximus'' reaching lengths of up to {{convert|11.5|cm|in|2|abbr=on}}.<ref name=CHARLIE>{{cite web |title=Largest aquatic insect |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-insect-aquatic |website=[Guinness World Records](/source/Guinness_World_Records) |access-date=1 February 2026 |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q65174871}}

Category:Insects described in 1938
Category:Belostomatidae
Category:Insects of the Caribbean
Category:Insects of South America

{{Hemiptera-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lethocerus maximus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lethocerus_maximus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lethocerus_maximus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.