Pipunculidae
Encyclopedia
Pipunculidae are a family
of flies
(Diptera
), commonly termed Big-Headed Flies a reference to the large (Holoptic
) eyes , which cover nearly the entire head. The Family is worldwide and more than 1300 species
have been described.
The larva
e of Pipunculidae develop as Parasitoids almost exclusively in Homoptera
, the exception being the genus
Nephrocerus, whose hosts are adult Tipulidae (crane flies). The larvae develop rapidly within the crane flies before pupating in the soil. In all Pipunculids there are only 2 larval stages. Some species are used as biological control agents in rice
fields.
Identification
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...
of flies
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...
(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...
), commonly termed Big-Headed Flies a reference to the large (Holoptic
Holoptic
Holoptic refers to the way the eyes of a dipteran meet along the dorsal length of its head. Holoptic eyes are typical of several diptera males, in particular the Syrphoidea ....
) eyes , which cover nearly the entire head. The Family is worldwide and more than 1300 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
have been described.
The 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 of Pipunculidae develop as Parasitoids almost exclusively in Homoptera
Homoptera
Homoptera is a deprecated suborder of order Hemiptera; recent morphological studies and DNA analysis strongly suggests that the order is paraphyletic. It was therefore split into the suborders Sternorrhyncha, Auchenorrhyncha, and Coleorrhyncha....
, the exception being the genus
Nephrocerus, whose hosts are adult Tipulidae (crane flies). The larvae develop rapidly within the crane flies before pupating in the soil. In all Pipunculids there are only 2 larval stages. Some species are used as biological control agents in rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
fields.
Literature
General- Honomichl K, Bellmann H (1994): Biologie und Ökologie der Insekten; CD-Rom, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart.
- R. Remane, E. Wachmann: Zikaden – kennenlernen, beobachten – Naturbuch Verlag, Augsburg 1993, ISBN 3-89440-044-7
- Waloff N, Jervis M A (1987): Communities of parasitoids associated with leafhoppers and planthoppers in Europe, Adv Ecol Rs 17 282 – 403
Identification
- Coe RL (1966): Diptera family Pipunculidae, Handb Ident British Insects 10(2c), London
- Jervis, M.A. (1992): A taxonomic revision of the pipunculid fly genus Chalarus Walker, with particular reference to the European fauna. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 105: 243–352; London.
- Kehlmaier, C. (2006): The West-Palaearctic species of Jassidophaga Aczél and Verrallia Mik described up to 1966 (Diptera: Pipunculidae). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde, Serie A (Biologie) 697, 34pp.; Stuttgart.
- Kuznetzov, S. Y. (1992): The Palaearctic species of the genus Verrallia (Diptera: Pipunculidae). Zoosystematica Rossica 1: 102–116; St. Petersburg.
- Kehlmaier, C. (2006): The West-Palaearctic species of Jassidophaga Aczél and Verrallia Mik described up to 1966 (Diptera: Pipunculidae). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde, Serie A (Biologie) 697, 34pp.; Stuttgart.
- Kuznetzov, S. Y. (1992): The Palaearctic species of the genus Verrallia (Diptera: Pipunculidae). Zoosystematica Rossica 1: 102–116; St. Petersburg.
- Grootaert, P. & De Meyer, M. (1986): On the taxonomy and ecology of Nephrocerus Zetterstedt (Diptera, Pipunculidae) with a redescription of N. lapponicus and a key to the European species. Bulletin van het Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen, Entomologie 56: 85–91.
- Skevington, J. & Marshall, S. A. (1998): Systematics of New World Pipunculus (Diptera: Pipunculidae). Thomas Say Publications in Entomology: Monographs, 201pp.; Lanham.
- De Meyer, M. (1989a): The West-Palaearctic species of the pipunculid genera Cephalops and Beckerias (Diptera): classification, phylogeny and geographical distribution. Journal of Natural History 23: 725–765.
- De Meyer, M. (1989b): Systematics of the Nearctic species of the genus Cephalops Fallén (Diptera, Pipunculidae). Bulletin van het Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen, Entomologie 59: 99–130; Brussels.
- De Meyer, M. (1989): The West-Palaearctic species of the pipunculid genera Cephalops and Beckerias (Diptera): classification phylogeny and geographical distribution. Journal of Natural History 23: 725–765.
- Kehlmaier, C. (2005a): Taxonomic revision of European Eudorylini (Insecta, Diptera, Pipunculidae). Verhandlungen des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins in Hamburg (NF) 41: 45–353; Hamburg.
- Albrecht, A. (1990): Revision, phylogeny and classification of the genus Dorylomorpha (Diptera, Pipunculidae).Acta Zoologica Fennica 188: 1–240; Helsinki.
- Földvári, M. & De Meyer, M. (1999): Revision of central and west European Tomosvaryella Aczél species (Diptera, Pipunculidae).Acta Zoologica Scientiarum Hungaricae 45 (4): 299–334; Budapest.