Fungus gnat
Encyclopedia
Fungus gnats are small, dark, short-lived flies
, of the families Sciaridae
, Diadocidiidae
, Ditomyiidae
, Keroplatidae, Bolitophilidae
and Mycetophilidae
(order Diptera
), sometimes placed in the superfamily
Mycetophiloidea, whose larva
e feed on plant roots or fungi and aid in the decomposition
of organic matter
. The adults are 2-5 mm long and are important pollinator
s that can help spread mushroom
spore
s as well as plant pollen.
Fly
True flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
, of the families Sciaridae
Sciaridae
Sciaridae is a family of flies, commonly known as dark-winged fungus gnats. Commonly found in moist environments, they are known to be a pest of mushroom farms and are commonly found in household plant pots. This is one of the least studied of the large Diptera families, probably due to the small...
, Diadocidiidae
Diadocidiidae
Diadocidiidae is a family of Diptera.There are two described genera with over twenty species. Diadocidiidae are found worldwide, except in Africa and Antarctica. It is usually considered close to Keroplatidae, Bolitophilidae and Ditomyiidae, and was previously included in Mycetophilidae. They are...
, Ditomyiidae
Ditomyiidae
Ditomyiidae is a family of Diptera comprising only two genera: Ditomyia and Symmerus....
, Keroplatidae, Bolitophilidae
Bolitophilidae
Bolitophilidae is a family of Diptera comprising only one genus, Bolitophila, with contains around 40 Palaearctic and about 20 Nearctic species, and 3 species from the Oriental region....
and Mycetophilidae
Mycetophilidae
Mycetophilidae is a family of small flies, forming the bulk of those species known as fungus gnats. There are approximately 3000 described species in 150 genera but the true number of species is undoubtedly much higher...
(order Diptera
Diptera
Diptera , or true flies, is the order of insects possessing only a single pair of wings on the mesothorax; the metathorax bears a pair of drumstick like structures called the halteres, the remnants of the hind wings. It is a large order, containing an estimated 240,000 species, although under half...
), sometimes placed in the superfamily
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Mycetophiloidea, whose larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e feed on plant roots or fungi and aid in the decomposition
Decomposition
Decomposition is the process by which organic material is broken down into simpler forms of matter. The process is essential for recycling the finite matter that occupies physical space in the biome. Bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death...
of organic matter
Organic matter
Organic matter is matter that has come from a once-living organism; is capable of decay, or the product of decay; or is composed of organic compounds...
. The adults are 2-5 mm long and are important pollinator
Pollinator
A pollinator is the biotic agent that moves pollen from the male anthers of a flower to the female stigma of a flower to accomplish fertilization or syngamy of the female gamete in the ovule of the flower by the male gamete from the pollen grain...
s that can help spread mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
spore
Spore
In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many bacteria, plants, algae, fungi and some protozoa. According to scientist Dr...
s as well as plant pollen.