Neriidae

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Neriidae is a family of true flies (Diptera) closely related to the Micropezidae, of which they were once a subfamily. There are about 100 species in 20 genera. Neriidae are found mainly in tropical regions but there are two North American genera, each with one species, and one species of Telostylinus occurs in temperate regions of Australia.

[edit] Family Characteristics

Neriidae are slender, long-legged flies. Many species are sexually dimorphic, with males having more elongated bodies, heads, antennae and legs than females. Neriid flies are saprophagous. Larvae develop in rotting vegetable matter, including bark and fruit. Neriid adults tend to aggregate on rotting vegetable matter or damaged tree trunks, where females lay eggs, and males engage in spectacular combat for territory or access to females.

Recent studies have shown that adult body size and shape are extremely sensitive to larval diet in the Australian neriid Telostylinus angusticollis: larvae reared in nutrient-rich substrates exhibit greater body size as adults, and males have more elongated bodies, compared to flies reared in nutrient-poor substrates.

For images see this Japanese site [1], this Australian site [2] and Bug Guide

[edit] Literature

Early accounts

Berg, C.O. 1947. Biology and metamorphosis of some Solomon Islands Diptera. Part I: Micropezidae and Neriidae. Occas. Pap. Mus. Zool. Univ. Mich. 503, 14 p

Steyskal, G. C. 1966. Notes on flies captured in treetops in Malaya (Diptera: Empididae, Neriidae, Platystomatidae, Sepsidae, Muscidae). Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum 120:1-16.

Life history and larval biology

Olsen, L. E., and R. E. Ryckman. 1963. Studies on Odontoloxozus longicornis (Diptera: Neriidae). Part I. Life history and descriptions of immature stages. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 56:454.

Ryckman, R. E., and L. E. Olsen. 1963. Studies on Odontoloxozus longicornis (Diptera: Neriidae). Part II. Distribution and ecology. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 56:470-472.

Steyskal, G. C. 1965. The third larval instar and puparium of Odontoloxozus longicornis (Coquillett) (Diptera, Neriidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 58:936-937.

Behaviour

Preston-Mafham, K. 2001. Resource defence mating system in two flies from Sulawesi: Gymnonerius fuscus Wiedemann and Telostylinus sp. near duplicatus Wiedemann (Diptera: Neriidae). Journal of Natural History 35:149-156.

Eberhard, W. G. 1998. Reproductive behavior of Glyphidops flavifrons and Nerius plurivitatus (Diptera: Neriidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 71:89-107.

Mangan, R. L. 1979. Reproductive behavior of the cactus fly, Odontoloxozus longicornis, male territoriality and female guarding as adaptive strategies. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 4: 265-278.

Wheeler, W. M. 1924. Courtship of the Calobatas. Journal of Heredity 15:485-495.

Evolutionary biology

Bonduriansky, R. 2006. Convergent evolution of sexual shape dimorphism in Diptera. Journal of Morphology 267:602-611.

Bonduriansky, R. 2007. The evolution of condition dependent sexual dimorphism. The American Naturalist 167: 9-19.

[edit] Identification (Literature)

• Hennig, W. 1937. Öbersicht ¸ber die Arten der Neriiden und ¸ber die Zoogeographie dieser Acalyptraten-Gruppe (Diptera). Stett. Entomol. Ztg. 98: 240-80. World genera, species and review.

Steyskal, G. C. 1987. Neriidae. Pp. 769-771 in J. F. McAlpine, ed. Manual of Nearctic Diptera. Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.

Barraclough, D. A. 1993. The southern African species of Neriidae (Diptera). Annals of the Natal Museum 34:1-17.