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
|
|
|
|
