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 Major Groups | Insecta (insects) | Diptera (true flies) | Dolichopodidae
 

Dolichopodidae

Major Group: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Dolichopodidae

Descriptive Features:

  • head capsule incomplete (hemicephalic), often retracted into thorax, some sclerotization visible and extruded from thorax
  • palps and antenna distinguishable
  • mandibles usually with hooked apical tooth, lacking inner teeth
  • metathoracic rods spatulate posteriorly
  • abdomen 8-segmented
  • posterior spiracles quite widely separated, not concealed on anal/pre-anal segment
  • anal segment with 4 pointed, fleshy lobes, ventral pair more strongly developed, arising from around margin of a distinct cleft containing spiracles
  • Total length:
    •  

      Dolichopodidae

      Taxonomic Checklist: Subfamilies Genera
      Diaphorinae
          Asyndetus 
          *Chrysotus 
          *Cryptophleps 
          *Diaphorus
      Dolichopodinae
          *Lichtwardtia ziczac Wiedemann
          *Metaparaclius australiensis Parent
          *Paraclius
      Hydrophorinae
          Cymatopus 
          Hydrophorus praecox Lehmann
          Paraliptus mirabilis Bezzi
          Scorpiurus aenescens Parent
          Thinophilus
      Medeterinae
          *Atlatlia 
          *Corindia 
          *Medetera 
          Systenus 
          *Thrypticus 
          *unplaced extranea Becker
      Sympycninae
          *Chaetogonopteron anachrosticum Meuffels & Grootaert
          *Chrysotimus 
          *Liparomyia 
          *Nothorhaphium 
          Sympycnus 
          *Syntormon 
          Teuchophorus 
       *not sure if aquatic 

      Distribution: Australia wide 

      Sensitivity Rating: SIGNAL grade 3

      Functional Feeding Group: predators, shredders? 

       

      Mt Wills Creek near Dartmouth, Vic

      Ecology: Dolichopodid adults are commonly known as the ‘long-legged flies’.
      Instream habitat: Larvae are found in sand or mud and amongst rotting vegetation and snags in springs, slow-flowing rivers, especially slackwaters, and in ponds.In other countries, Dolichopodidae species are common in rice fields where they thrive in the shallow, nutrient, rich standing waters.
      Feeding ecology: Larvae are thought to be predacious upon small arthropods and oligochaetes. However some species are leaf-miners in aquatic macrophytes and so may be herbivores.
      Habit:
      Life history:

       

      Information Sources: Elliot 2005, Bickel & Elliott 2000, Colless & McAlpine 1991, Williams 1980, Evenhuis 2008, Williams & Feltmate 1992
      Key to Subfamilies: none
      Key to Genera: none
      Key to Species: none