Athericidae

Athericidae is a small family of flies known as water snipe flies or ibis flies. They used to be placed in the family Rhagionidae, but were removed by Stuckenberg in 1973. They are now known to be more closely related to Tabanidae. Species of Athericidae are found worldwide.

Athericidae
Temporal range:
Atherix marginata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Superfamily: Tabanoidea
Family: Athericidae
Stuckenberg, 1973[1]

Ecology

The adults mostly feed on nectar but some species feed on mammal blood.[2] Hematophagy has been demonstrated in adult Suragina and Suraginella and is suspected in other genera. Larvae do not feed in the first instar; after first molting, they become predatory. Larvae typically prey on invertebrates or are saprophagous.

The larvae have distinctive morphology. Their head capsule is well developed dorsally, and they have long abdominal prolegs with crocheted hooks. These structures help the larvae move without being washed away in their preferred larval habitat, fast-flowing montane streams and torrents. The larvae are predators of other aquatic invertebrates such as caddisflies. Adults have stout, tapered abdomens, slightly elongated legs, with aristate antennae. Males are sexually dimorphic with holoptic eyes.

Adult athericids usually rest on the upper surface of leaves, near the streams from which they emerge, or more inland if they are looking for a blood meal. Athericids commonly stroke or palpate the surface of leaves, an action they share with the Tabanidae. All species deposit their eggs at one time and then die.

Subfamilies and genera

Two subfamilies are described; the Dasyommatinae contain only Dasyomma and all other extant genera are in the Athericinae.

References
  1. Stuckenberg, B.R. (1973). "The Athericidae, a new family in the lower Brachycera(Diptera)". Annals of the Natal Museum. 21 (3): 649–673. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  2. Stubbs, A. & Drake, M. (2001). British Soldierflies and Their Allies: A Field Guide to the Larger British Brachycera. British Entomological & Natural History Society. pp. 512 pp. ISBN 1-899935-04-5.
  3. Macquart, P.J.M. (1840). Diptères exotiques nouveauxou peu connus. Tome deuxieme.--1er partie. Paris: Roret. pp. 135 pp., 21 pls.
  4. Nagatomi, A.; Yang, D. (1991). "Asuragina, a new genus of Athericidae (Insecta: Diptera)". Proceedings of the Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology. 48: 54–62. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  5. Meigen, J. W. (1803). "Versuch einer neuen Gattungs-Eintheilung der europaischen zweiflugligen Insekten". Mag. Insektenkd. 2: 259–281.
  6. Verrall, G. H. (1909). Stratiomyidae and succeeding families of the Diptera Brachycera of Great Britain British flies. Vol. 5. London: Gurney and Jackson. pp. 780, 34 p., 407 fig. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  7. Kröber, O. (1912). "Die Thereviden der indo-australischen Region. (Dipt)" (PDF). Entomologische Mitteilungen. 1: 116–287. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  8. Bezzi, M. (1926). "South African Rhagionidae (Diptera) in the South African Museum". Annals of the South African Museum. 23: 297–324. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  9. Walker, F. (1859–1860). "Catalogue of the dipterous insects collected at Makessar in Celebes, by Mr. A. R. Wallace, with descriptions of new species". Journal and Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology. 4: 90–96, 97–144, 145–172. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  10. Stuckenberg, B.R. (2000). "A new genus and species of Athericidae (Diptera: Tabanoidea) from Cape York Peninsula". Records of the Australian Museum. 52: 151–159.
  11. Stuckenberg, B.R. (1955). "New and little-known South African Rhagionidae (Diptera)". Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa. 18: 255–265. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  12. Stuckenberg, B.R. (1966). "A new genus and species of Rhagionidae from southern Brazil (Diptera)". Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London B. 35: 57–60.
  13. Mostovski, M.B.; Jarzembowski, E.A.; Coram, R. (2003). "Horseflies and athericids (Diptera: Tabanidae, Athericidae) from the Lower Cretaceous of England and Transbaikalia" (PDF). Paleont. Zhurn. 2: 57–64. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  14. Stuckenberg, B.R. (1974). "A new genus and two new species of Athericidae (Diptera) in Baltic amber". Annals of the Natal Museum. 22: 275–288.


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