Which fundamental characteristic do water beetles share with their terrestrial Coleoptera relatives?
Answer
Three distinct body sections
Water beetles, despite their specialized aquatic life, retain several basic anatomical features that define the order Coleoptera, linking them to their terrestrial relatives. These fundamental characteristics include possessing a hard exoskeleton for protection, having six jointed legs attached to the thorax, and crucially, having their bodies clearly segmented into three primary sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. While adaptations like specialized legs or modified elytra for trapping air are aquatic modifications, the fundamental tripartite body plan remains conserved across both groups.
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