Its short front legs are used for capturing prey, while its middle legs propel it through the water. Its back legs are long and slender, spreading the animal’s weight over a larger surface area. These gangly appendages contribute to the pond skater’s ability to walk on water, but alone they would not be enough to keep it afloat. Every square millimetre of its body is covered with a cohort of tiny hairs that increase the surface area still further. These hairs are also hydrophobic, making the whole animal water-resistant. Without this adaptation, a single drop of rain would be enough to weigh
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