Ranatra is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of generally slender predatory members of the family Nepidae

Nepidae

Nepidae is a family of insects in the order Hemiptera, suborder Heteroptera. They are commonly called waterscorpions for their superficial resemblance to a scorpion, which is due to the raptorial forelegs and the presence of a long slender process at the posterior end of the abdomen, simulating a...

, known as water stick-insects or water scorpions. Their front legs

Arthropod leg

The arthropod leg is a form of jointed appendage of arthropods, usually used for walking. Many of the terms used for arthropod leg segments are of Latin origin, and may be confused with terms for bones: coxa , trochanter , femur, tibia, tarsus, ischium, metatarsus, carpus, dactylus ,...

 are strong and are used to grasp prey. They breathe through a pair of long breathing pipes extending from their tails. They eat tadpole

Tadpole

A tadpole or polliwog is the wholly aquatic larval stage in the life cycle of an amphibian, particularly that of a frog or toad.- Appellation :...

s, small fish

Fish

Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...

 and other insects, which they pierce with their beak and inject a saliva which both sedates and begins to digest their prey. They overwinter as adults, and lay eggs in spring. The females lay eggs in vegetation. The eggs take typically two to four weeks to hatch, and the young take about two months to mature. When full grown they are 4-5 in.

Ranatra fusca is the namesake of an award for exemplary creativity in the international student problem solving competition Odyssey of the Mind

Odyssey of the Mind

Odyssey of the Mind, often called OM , is a creative problem-solving competition involving students from kindergarten through college. Team members work together at length to solve a predefined problem ; and present their solution to the problem at a competition...

, because the insect served as the inspiration for a particularly creative solution to a problem in the early days of the program.