Nycteribiidae
| Nycteribiidae | |
|---|---|
_(5021769088).jpg) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Superfamily: | Hippoboscoidea |
| Family: | Nycteribiidae Samouelle, 1819 |
| Subfamilies | |
|
3, see text | |
Nycteribiidae of the true fly superfamily Hippoboscoidea are known as "bat flies", together with their close relatives the Streblidae. As the latter do not seem to be a monophyletic group, it is conceivable not to unite all bat flies in a single family.[1]
They are flattened, spiderlike flies without eyes or wings, and are seldom encountered by general collectors, as they almost never leave the bodies of their hosts. Both males and females take blood meals, thus they qualify as real parasites. Most species are highly host-specific. The family is primarily found in the Old World tropics; a few of the 274[2] known species occur in the Neotropics and in Europe.
Genera
- Subfamily Archinycteribiinae Maa, 1975
- Archinycteribia Speiser, 1901
- Subfamily Cyclopodiinae Maa, 1965
- Subfamily Nycteribiinae Westwood, 1835
Morphology
One of the key morphological feature of Nycteribiidae is their highly reduced compound eyes. Many species of Nycteribiidae contain no visible eyes or contain only rudimentary eye spots. None of the species contain wings. They have backward folded legs that resemble spiders and a dorsally inserted head.[3]
References
- ↑ Frederik Torp Petersen, Rudolf Meier, Sujatha Narayanan Kutty & Brian M. Wiegmann (2007). "The phylogeny and evolution of host choice in the Hippoboscoidea (Diptera) as reconstructed using four molecular markers". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 45 (1): 111–122. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.04.023. PMID 17583536.
- 1 2 Gustavo Graciolli & Carl W. Dick (October 22, 2008). "Checklist of World Nycteribiidae (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea)" (PDF). Field Museum of Natural History. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 13, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2008.
- ↑ Kirk-Spriggs, Ashley H., Marion Kotrba, and Robert S. Copeland. "Further details of the morphology of the enigmatic African fly Mormotomyia hirsuta Austen (Diptera: Mormotomyiidae)." African Invertebrates 52.1 (2011): 145-165.
Further reading
- Bertola, P.B.; Aires, C.C.; Favorito, S.E.; Graciolli, G.; Amaku, M. & Pinto-da-Rocha, R. (2005). "Bat flies (Diptera: Streblidae, Nycteribiidae) parasitic on bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) at Parque Estadual da Cantareira, São Paulo, Brazil: parasitism rates and host-parasite associations" (PDF). Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. 100 (1): 25–32. doi:10.1590/S0074-02762005000100005.
- Graciolli, G. & Moura, M.O. (2005). "Basilia quadrosae sp. nov. (Diptera: Nycteribiidae), member of the ferruginea group, from southern Brazil" (PDF excerpt). Zootaxa. 1087: 33–38.
- Graciolli, G.; Passos, F.C.; Pedro, W.A. & Lim, B.K. (200). "Records of Streblidae and Nycteribiidae (Diptera) on vespertilionid bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from São Paulo State, Brazil". Journal of the New York Entomological Society. 110 (3): 402–404. doi:10.1664/0028-7199(2002)110[402:ROSAND]2.0.CO;2. HTML abstract
- Graciolli, G.; Dick, C.W. & Gettinger, D. (2006). "A faunal survey of nycteribiid flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) associated with bats in Paraguay" (PDF). Zootaxa. 1220: 35–46.
- Graciolli, G.; Autino, A.G. & Claps, G.L. (2007). "Catalogue of American Nycteribiidae (Diptera, Hippoboscoidea)" (PDF). Revista Brasileira de Entomologia. 51 (2): 142–159. doi:10.1590/S0085-56262007000200004.
External links
- Diptera.info Images
- Nycteribiidae page at British Insects: Diptera Families (Contains links to illustrations)