Athericidae

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Athericidae
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Ibisia marginata
Scientific classification
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Athericidae

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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.

Ecology

The adults mostly feed on nectar but some species feed on mammal blood.[1] Hematophagy has been demonstrated in adult Suragina and Suraginella and is suspected in other genera. The larvae have distinctive morphology; 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.

Subfamilies and genera

There are two subfamilies; Dasyommatinae contains only Dasyomma and all other extant genera are in Athericinae.

See also

References

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  • Brian R. Stuckenberg: The Athericidae, a new family in the lower Brachycera (Diptera). Annals of the Natal Museum, 21, S. 649-673, 1973
  • Catalogue of Life
  • Biolib

External links

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