Stilt flies

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Stilt flies
Stilt fly, probably Neria cibaria

Stilt fly, probably Neria cibaria

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Fly (Diptera)
Subordination : Flies (Brachycera)
Partial order : Muscomorpha
Superfamily : Nerioidea
Family : Stilt flies
Scientific name
Micropezidae
Loew , 1861
Subfamilies
  • Calobatinae
  • Calycopteryginae
  • Eurybatinae
  • Micropezinae
  • Taeniapterinae

The stilt flies or stilt flies (Micropezidae) are a family of the two-winged flies (Diptera). Around 470 species are known worldwide, of which 22 in Europe and 13 in Germany . The following are synonymous: Calobatidae, Taeniapteridae, Tylidae and Trepidariidae. There are currently 5 subfamilies with 40 genera.

The family shows its main distribution in the tropics and subtropics . The animals are usually found in damp places, where they sit on leaves or flowers or walk around like stilts.

features

The colloquial name refers to the particularly long legs that support the body like stilts. These are not infrequently also specially colored or provided with tufts of hair. The body is elongated, the head is flattened dorso-ventrally with a large forehead. Similar to the bladder-head flies (Conopidae), the male reproductive system is folded forward ventrally and can be clearly seen. The females have a dagger-like egg-laying apparatus ( ovipositor ). The wings are drawn in several species.

Way of life

Little is known about the way of life of the larvae ; they appear to be phytophagous or saprophagous . Some larvae and adults could be discovered on rotting mushrooms . The larvae of Micropeza corrigiolata burrow into the roots of Fabaceae .

The adult animals ( imagines ) are either robber small insects or settle on excrements and ripe fruit.

The behavior of the males from sitting is particularly remarkable. While the body remains at rest, the animals move their mostly prominent front legs through the air. Possibly it is an advertising behavior.

Systematics

The following genera and species are native to Europe:

probably Neria cibaria , male
Micropeza corrigiolata , female
Taeniaptera lasciva

Genus Calobata [= Trepidaria ]

Genus Cnodacophora

Genus Micropeza [= Tylos ]

Genus Neria [= Calobatella , Compsobata ]

Genus Rainieria

The Australian species are divided as follows:

Subfamily Calycopteryginae

Subfamily Eurybatinae

Subfamily Taeniapterinae

Fossil evidence

Fossil stilt flies are only known from inclusions in the amber of tertiary deposits, but even here extremely rare. The few species described come from Eocene Baltic amber . In addition, unspecified members of the family were found in the somewhat younger Mexican and Sicilian amber .

literature

  • J. & H. Haupt: Flies and mosquitoes - observation, way of life. Augsburg 1998, ISBN 3-89440-278-4 .
  • A. Stark: Micropezidae. In: H. Schumann, R. Bährmann, A. Stark (eds.): Checklist of the Diptera in Germany. In: Studia dipterologica. Supplement 2, Halle / Saale 1999, p. 160.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ David K. McAlpine: Review of the Australian stilt flies (Diptera: Micropezidae) with a phylogenetic analysis of the family. In: Invertebrate Taxonomy. 12, 1998, pp. 55-134.
  2. ↑ George O. Poinar, Jr .: Life in Amber. Stanford University Press, Stanford (Cal.) 1992, ISBN 0-8047-2001-0 .
  3. ↑ http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/fossilcat/fossmicropez.html fossil Diptera

Web links

Commons : Stilt Flies  - Collection of images, videos and audio files