Rhagionidae
Encyclopedia
Rhagionidae or snipe flies are a small family
of flies
containing 21 genera
.
legs
. The mouthparts
are adapted
for piercing and many species are haematophagous
as adults, while others are predatory on other insects. They are typically brown and yellow flies, and lack bristle
s. The larva
e are also predatory and are mostly terrestrial
, although some are aquatic
.
Snipe flies in the genus Rhagio are sometimes called "down-looker" flies after their habit of perching head-downward on tree trunks.
The family is contained in Brachycera
infraorder Tabanomorpha
. Atherix Meigen (and related genera) and Vermileo Macquart (and related genera) are now separated from Rhagionidae as Athericidae
Stuckenberg 1973 and Vermileonidae
Nagatomi 1977.
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...
containing 21 genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
.
Description
Rhagionidae are medium-sized or large flies with slender bodies and stilt-likeStilts
Stilts are poles, posts or pillars used to allow a person or structure to stand at a distance above the ground. Walking stilts are poles equipped with steps for the feet to stand on, or straps to attach them to the legs, for the purpose of walking while elevated above a normal height...
legs
Arthropod leg
The arthropod leg is a form of jointed appendage of arthropods, usually used for walking. Many of the terms used for arthropod leg segments are of Latin origin, and may be confused with terms for bones: coxa , trochanter , femur, tibia, tarsus, ischium, metatarsus, carpus, dactylus ,...
. The mouthparts
Insect mouthparts
Insects exhibit a range of mouthparts, adapted to particular modes of feeding. The earliest insects had chewing mouthparts...
are adapted
Adaptation
An adaptation in biology is a trait with a current functional role in the life history of an organism that is maintained and evolved by means of natural selection. An adaptation refers to both the current state of being adapted and to the dynamic evolutionary process that leads to the adaptation....
for piercing and many species are haematophagous
Hematophagy
Hematophagy is the practice of certain animals of feeding on blood...
as adults, while others are predatory on other insects. They are typically brown and yellow flies, and lack bristle
Chaeta
A chaeta or cheta is a chitinous bristle or seta found on an insect, arthropod or annelid worms such as the earthworm, although the term is also frequently used to describe similar structures in other invertebrates. The plural form is chaetae or chetae.In the Polychaeta, they are located on the...
s. 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 are also predatory and are mostly terrestrial
Terrestrial animal
Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...
, although some are aquatic
Aquatic insects
Aquatic insects live some portion of their life cycle in the water. They feed in the same ways as other insects. Some diving insects, such as predatory diving beetles, can hunt for food underwater where land-living insects cannot compete.-Breathing:...
.
Snipe flies in the genus Rhagio are sometimes called "down-looker" flies after their habit of perching head-downward on tree trunks.
Classification
Brachycera
Brachycera is a suborder of Diptera. It is a major suborder consisting of around 120 families. The most distinguishing characteristic of the suborder is reduced antenna segmentation...
infraorder Tabanomorpha
Tabanomorpha
The Brachyceran infraorder Tabanomorpha is a small group that consists primarily of two large families, the Tabanidae and Rhagionidae , and an assortment of very small affiliated families, most of which have been included within the Rhagionidae...
. Atherix Meigen (and related genera) and Vermileo Macquart (and related genera) are now separated from Rhagionidae as Athericidae
Athericidae
Athericidae is a small family of flies known as water snipe-flies; they used to be placed in the family Rhagionidae. The adults mostly feed on nectar but some species feed on mammal blood.- External Links :*...
Stuckenberg 1973 and Vermileonidae
Vermileonidae
The Brachyceran family Vermileonidae is a small family of uncertain affinities and unusual biology, containing fewer than 80 rare species in 10 genera. Historically the Vermileonids had been regarded as belonging to the family Rhagionidae, possibly in a subfamily Vermileoninae...
Nagatomi 1977.
- AlloleptisAlloleptisAlloleptis is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae. It is a small fly of about 4mm and only known from Celebes.-Species:*A. tersus Nagatomi & Saigusa, 1982...
Nagotomi & Saigusa in Nagatomi, 1982 - SulawesiSulawesiSulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to... - ArthrocerasArthrocerasArthroceras is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae. Arthroceras are mid-sized to large , black, grey, or yellowish-colored flies that have a fairly long, tapering antenna consisting of 5–8 flagellomeres.-Species:...
WillistonSamuel Wendell WillistonSamuel Wendell Williston was an American educator and paleontologist who was the first to propose that birds developed flight cursorially , rather than arboreally . He was also an entomologist, specialising in Diptera.-Early life:Williston was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Samuel Williston and...
, 1886 - Nearctic, Palearctic - ArthrotelesArthrotelesArthroteles is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae. Species of Arthroteles are moderately sized from 5 to 7.5 mm. these are flies of gray to dark grey colour. Their antenna bears seven to eight tapering flagellomeres, the first much larger than all others.They are only known form South...
BezziMario BezziMario Bezzi was an Italian professor of zoology at the University of Turin. He was also Director of the Turin Museum of Natural History...
, 1926 - Afrotropic - AtherimorphaAtherimorphaAtherimorpha is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae.-Species:*A. agathae Paramonov, 1962*A. albipennis Bezzi, 1926*A. albohirta Malloch, 1932*A. alisae Paramonov, 1962*A. angustifrons Nagatomi & Nagatomi, 1990...
White, 1914 - AustralasiaAustralasia ecozoneThe Australasian zone is an ecological region that is coincident, but not synonymous , with the geographic region of Australasia...
, Neotropic, Afrotropic - AustroleptisAustroleptisAustroleptis is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae. They are a small to moderately sized flies of around 3 to 7.7 mm.-Species:*A. atrata Nagatomi & Nagatomi, 1987 - Neotropic*A. atriceps Malloch, 1932 - Neotropic...
HardyD. Elmo HardyDilbert Elmo Hardy was an American entomologist who specialized in Diptera systematics.-Career:In over 70 years of research Hardy published 437 articles and notes in which he named and described nearly 2,000 species in 34 different families of Diptera...
, 1914 - Australasia, Neotropic - BolbomyiaBolbomyiaBolbomyia is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae. They are a small 2 to 3.5 mm, brown or black in color, with lightly infuscate wings. They are restricted to the north temperate region of North America and Russian Far Eeat .-Species:*†B. loewi Meunier, 1902 - fossil Baltic*B. melanderi...
LoewHermann LoewFriedrich Hermann Loew was a German entomologist who specialised in the study of Diptera, an order of insects including flies, mosquitoes, gnats and midges...
, 1850 - Nearctic - ChrysopilusChrysopilusChrysopilus is common, worldwide genus of predatory snipe flies. There are approximately 300 species in the genus, including fossil members that are sometimes found in amber.-Species:*C. aequalis...
MacquartJustin Pierre Marie MacquartJustin Pierre Marie Macquart was a French entomologist specialising in the study of Diptera. He worked on world species as well as European and described many new species.-Early years:...
, 1826 - Nearctic, Palearctic, Afrotropic, Neotropic, Oriental - DesmomyiaDesmomyiaDesmomyia is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae. They have the antennal scape elongated, longer than the pedicel, and the male hind first tarsomere enlarged. Desmomyia are mid-sized flies of about 5 to 7 mm and of of grey, black, or brownish colour and the legs have some yellow or dark...
BrunettiEnrico Adelelmo BrunettiEnrico Adelelmo Brunetti was a British musician and entomologist.Brunetti's mother was English and his father of Italian origin was a confectioner and importer of wines who ran a restaurant in South Kensington. A musician by profession, Brunetti was a composer for orchestra and piano...
, 1912 - Palearctic, Oriental. - LitoleptisLitoleptisLitoleptis is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae.-Species:*L. alaskensis Chillcott, 1963 - Alaska*L. chilensis Hennig, 1972 - Chile*L. orientalis - Philippines...
Chillcott, 1963 - Nearctic, Oriental, Neotropic - OmphalophoraOmphalophoraOmphalophora is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae. They are delicate to fairly robust flies, from 3 to 10 mm. they are entirely black or brown in colour.-Species:*O. cinereofasciata - Palearctic...
BeckerTheodor BeckerTheodor Becker was a German civil engineer and entomologist primarily known for his work with flies....
, 1900 - Palearctic, Nearctic. - PtiolinaPtiolinaPtiolina is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae, . Examples are found in Northwest Europe, where it prefers woodlands areas. and North America...
StaegerRasmus Carl StaegerRasmus Carl Staeger was a Danish entomologist.Staeger was born and died in Copenhagen, over the course of his life serving as a judge, financial advisor to the Danish government, and entomologist, focusing on Diptera...
in ZetterstedtJohan Wilhelm ZetterstedtJohan Wilhelm Zetterstedt was a Swedish naturalist who worked mainly on Diptera and Hymenoptera.-Biography:Zetterstedt studied at the University of Lund, where he was a pupil of Anders Jahan Retzius. He received the title of professor in 1822 and succeeded Carl Adolph Agardh as professor of botany...
, 1842 - Nearctic, Palearctic - RhagioRhagioRhagio is, worldwide genus of predatory snipe flies. There are approximately 170 species. They can be distinguished from other Rhagionids by having and open anal cell on the wings, and the lack of a kidney-shaped arista.-Species:...
FabriciusJohan Christian FabriciusJohan Christian Fabricius was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others...
, 1775 - Nearctic, Palearctic - SchizellaSchizellaSchizella is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae. They are delicate flies from 3.7 to 6.3 mm, with long, thin legs, and the thorax is brown to orange-brown with blue, purple, or golden-coloured setae....
BezziMario BezziMario Bezzi was an Italian professor of zoology at the University of Turin. He was also Director of the Turin Museum of Natural History...
, 1926 - PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... - SolomomyiaSolomomyiaSolomomyia is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae. They are only known from the Solomon Islands-Species:*S. gressitti Nagatomi, 1982...
Nagatomi, 1982 - Solomon IslandsSolomon IslandsSolomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal... - SpaniaSpania (genus)Spania is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae. Some authorities place this genus in the family Spaniidae Nagatomi, 1975, this move has not however yet gained much widespread acceptance....
MeigenJohann Wilhelm MeigenJohann Wilhelm Meigen was a German entomologist famous for his pioneering work on Diptera.-Early years:Meigen was born in Solingen, the fifth of eight children of Johann Clemens Meigen and Sibylla Margaretha Bick. His parents, though not poor, were not wealthy either. The ran a small shop in...
, 1830 - Nearctic, Palearctic - SpaniopsisSpaniopsisSpaniopsis is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae. They are very stout bodied flies from 3 to 6 mm, with generally grey or dark grey thorax, and are only known from Australia.-Species:*S. clelandi Ferguson, 19l5...
Senior-WhiteRonald A. Senior-WhiteRonald A. Senior-White was an English entomologist and malariologist who worked in India and Ceylon. His entomological studies concerned Diptera.-On Entomology :*Indian Diptera...
, 1914 - Australasia - SpatulinaSpatulinaSpatulina is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae. -Species:*S. engeli Szilády, 1942*S. sinensis Yang. Yang & Nagatomi, 1997...
SziládyZoltán SziládyZoltán Szilády was a Hungarian museologist, entomologist and university lecturer. He specialised in Diptera.-Biography:See under Diptera Collection.-Works:Partial List...
, 1934 - Palearctic - StylospaniaStylospaniaStylospania is a genus of snipe fly of the family Rhagionidae. The genus is based on one single male specimen collected from Samar in the Philippines. It bears most of the features found in Chrysopilus, but with its stylate flagellum. The female of the genus is completely unknown. Stylospania...
FreyHeinrich FreyHeinrich Frey was a German-born Swiss entomologist who studied Lepidoptera. He was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and died in Zurich, Switzerland.-Biography:...
, 1954 - PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... - SymphoromyiaSymphoromyiaSymphoromyia is, genus of predatory snipe flies. Unusually for Rhagionids, some species of Symphoromyia are known to feed on mammal blood, including human blood...
FrauenfeldGeorg Ritter von FrauenfeldGeorg Ritter von Frauenfeld was an Austrian naturalist and one of the leading scientists on board the Austrian frigate Novara during its round-the-world voyage...
, 1867 - Nearctic, Palearctic
See also
- List of soldierflies and allies of Great Britain
- Use of DNA in forensic entomologyUse of DNA in forensic entomologyForensic entomology contains three aspects: medicocriminal entomology, urban entomology, and stored product entomology. This article focuses more on the medicocriminal aspect and how DNA is analyzed with various blood feeding insects.- Blood meal extraction :...
Further reading
- Bezzi, M.Mario BezziMario Bezzi was an Italian professor of zoology at the University of Turin. He was also Director of the Turin Museum of Natural History...
1928. Diptera Brachycera and Athericera of the Fiji Islands based on material in the British Museum (Natural History). British Museum (Natural History), London. viii + 220 pp. - Lindner, EErwin LindnerErwin Lindner was a German entomologist mainly interested in Diptera.He was born in Böglins, Memmingen , 7 April 1888 and died in Stuttgart 30 November 1988, aged 100 years....
1924-1925. Rhagionidae in Die Fliegen der Paläarktischen Region 4 (20) 1-49. ISBN 3-510-43016-6 Keys to genera and species. - Stuckenberg, B., 1960. Diptera (Brachycera): Rhagionidae. S.Afr. anim. Life 7: 216-308 Keys to genera and species.
- Stuckenberg, B., 1965. The Rhagionidae of Madagascar (Diptera). Ann.Natal Mus. 18:89-170. Keys to genera and species.
- Leonard, M. D., 1930. A revision of the Dipterous family Rhagionidae (Leptidae) in the United States and Canada, Memoirs of the American Entomological Society 7:1-181.
- Malloch, J. R., 1932. Rhagionidae, Therevidae. British Museum (Natural History). Dept. of Entomology [eds] Diptera of Patagonia and South Chile, based mainly on material in the British Museum (Natural History). Part V. Fascicle 3. - Rhagionidae (Leptidae), Therevidae, Scenopinidae, Mydaidae, Asilidae, Lonchopteridae. pp. 199-293.
- Nagatomi, A., 1982. The genera of Rhagionidae (Diptera). J. Nat. Hist. 16: 31-70.
- Kerr, P. H., 2004. Revision of the Genera of the Rhagionidae of the World (Diptera: Brachycera) (Ph.D. Dissertation, Digital Repository at the University of Maryland, 635 pp., size 41105Kb.
External links
- Rhagio mystaceus Rhagio diganostic photographs