Pipunculidae

Pipunculidae
Temporal range: Ypresian - Present
Nephrocerus scutellatus specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Superfamily: Syrphoidea
Family: Pipunculidae
Subfamilies
  • Chalarinae
  • Nephrocerinae
  • Pipunculinae
  • †Protonephrocerinae
Synonyms
  • Dorilaidae
  • Dorylaidae

Pipunculidae is a family of flies (Diptera) commonly termed big-headed flies, a reference to the large (holoptic) eyes, which cover nearly the entire head. The family is found worldwide and more than 1300 species have been described.

The larvae of Pipunculidae develop as parasitoids almost exclusively in Auchenorrhyncha, the exception being the genus Nephrocerus, whose hosts are adult Tipulidae (crane flies). The larvae develop rapidly within the crane flies before pupating in the soil.[1] In all pipunculids there are only two larval stages. Some species are used as biological control agents in rice fields.

Typical wing venation of Pipunculidae

Taxonomy

Taxonomy as shown at the Tree of life,[2] with modification based on Kehlmaier, Dierick and Skevington (2014).[3]

Subfamily Chalarinae

Subfamily Nephrocerinae

Subfamily Protonephrocerinae

Subfamily Pipunculinae

See also

List of British Pipunculidae

References

  1. ↑ Koenig, D.P. & C.W. Young. (January 2007). "First observation of parasitic relations between bigheaded flies of the genus Nephrocerus (Diptera: Pipunculidae) and crane flies of the genus Tipula (Diptera: Tupulidae: Tipulinae), with larval and puparial descriptions of Nephrocerus atrapilus Skevington.". Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. Washington DC: Allen Press/The Entomological Society of Washington. 109 (1): 52–65. ISSN 0013-8797.
  2. ↑ Pipunculidae at the Tree of life
  3. ↑ Kehlmaier, C; Dierick, M; Skevington, JH (2014). "Micro-CT studies of amber inclusions reveal internal genitalic features of big-headed flies, enabling a systematic placement of Metanephrocerus Aczel, 1948 (Insecta: Diptera: Pipunculidae)". Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny. 72 (1): 23–36.
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