6. Diptera Flashcards
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Diptera
Athericidae
Structure • Elongated, cylindrical • Head retractable • End of abdomen forks into two fringed appendages • Paired prolegs on abdomen
Behaviour
• Excessive twitching of the body when disturbed
Habitat
• Leaf pockets
• Mountain streams
Diptera
Blepharoceridae
Structure
• Bodies flattened
• Segments deeply incised
• First six segments with suckers underneath
• Prolegs and tufts of gills on the sides
Behaviour
• Closely attached to substrate
• Slow movement using suckers and prolegs
Habitat
• Stones
• Mountain streams
Diptera
Ceratopogonidae
Structure • Very thin, hair-like • All body segments equal in diameter • No pro legs • No respiratory tube on abdomen
Behaviour
• Swim with curved body, like a snake
Habitat
• Sand, mud
• Edges of streams
Diptera
Chironomidae
Structure
• Slender, elongated, cylindrical
• Small heads
• Prolegs and gill appendages on tip of abdomen
Behaviour
• Back and forth flicking of entire body
Habitat
• Silk tubes on any type of substrate
• Pools, streams
• Any container filled with water
Diptera
Culicidae - larvae
Structure • Elongated, covered with tufts of hair • Large heads • Segment behind head noticeably enlarged • Respiratory tube on tip of abdomen
Behaviour
• Floats under surface, slanted, with respiratory tube in contact with air
• Wriggles away when disturbed
Habitat
• Pools
• Any temporary puddle
Diptera
Culicidae - pupae
Structure • Large heads • Abdomen curved around head • Two paddle -like structures on tip of abdomen • Two ear-like structures on head
Behaviour
• Floats under the surface, curled up into a comma shape
Habitat
• Pools
• Any temporary puddle
Diptera
Dixidae
Structure • Long, slender bodies • Clearly defined heads • Prolegs on only two segments • A bundle of hairs and lobes on tip of abdomen
Behaviour
• Floats on, or just under the surface
• Body bent in a U shape
• Swims in a zig-zag fashion
Habitat
• Slow streams
• Backwater areas of fast streams
Diptera
Ephydridae
Structure • Soft, cylindrical bodies • Mouth hooks • Prolegs present • Forked respiratory tube on tip of abdomen
Behaviour
• Slow crawling motion
• Inactive with respiratory tube in contact with air
Habitat
• Shallow pools, puddles, stagnant saline water
Diptera
Muscidae
Structure • Soft, smooth tapered • Retractable heads • Black mouth hooks • Pupae housed in closed capsules
Behaviour
• Creeping whilst probing with head
• Pupae float on surface
Habitat
• Moss or masses of algae
• Shallow, still water
Diptera
Psychodidae
Structure
• Slender, cylindrical, covered with fine hair
• Small, hardened head
• Dark hardened plates on all segments
• Single tube and tuft ·of hair on tip of abdomen
Behaviour
• Active creeping, crawling motion
Habitat
• Streams
• Stagnant puddles with decaying organic matter (certain species only)
Diptera
Simuliidae
Structure
• Soft, smooth bodies , swollen at the base
• A single round , hooked sucker at the base
• A single proleg behind the head
• Two fan -like structures on the head
Behaviour
• Attaches itself to substrate, with head downstream, filters food from water
• Move around in looping manner using sucker and proleg
Habitat
• Stones, plants any solid surface
• Shallow , rapid streams
Diptera
Syrphidae
Structure • Soft, wrinkled appearance • Seven pairs of prolegs • Small retracted head • Telescopic respiratory tube
Behaviour
• Inactive, merely staying in a position close to surface to use respiratory tube
Habitat
• Water-filled holes, polluted streams, decaying vegetation on the edges of ponds
Diptera
Tabanidae
Structure
• Large, cylindrical, pointed at both ends
• Very small retractable head
• Creeping ridges encircling all abdominal segments
• Short siphon at tip of abdomen
Behaviour
• Body contracting and expanding lengthwise
• During this motion the intestines also seem to move back and forth
Habitat
• Muddy areas of pools and streams
Diptera
Tipulidae
Structure
• Large, soft, cylindrical
• Very small retractable head
• Respiratory disc at end of abdomen consists of
• arrangement of hairs and lobes
• One species without disc, with only two appendages
Behaviour
• Active twitching of body , folding head across abdomen
• One type inflates one segment of the abdomen to look like a bubble
Habitat
• Species are habitat specific
• Bottoms of streams, muddy edges of streams, under algal scum or in aquatic mosses
