Jump to content

Nycteribiidae

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Yobot (talk | contribs) at 05:47, 6 September 2016 (Morphology: WP:CHECKWIKI error fixes using AWB). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Nycteribiidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Superfamily:
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

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

  1. ^ 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.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b 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. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ 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