Chaoborus Edulis
''Chaoborus edulis'' is a species of phantom midges (flies in the family Chaoboridae). Colloquially, the larval stage is termed a glassworm ''Chaoborus'' is a genus of midges in the family Chaoboridae. The larvae are known as glassworms because they are transparent. They can be found commonly in lakes all over the world and can be up to . The adults are sometimes called phantom midg .... References Chaoboridae Insects described in 1930 {{Culicoidea-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Chaoboridae
Chaoboridae, commonly known as phantom midges or glassworms, is a family of fairly common midges with a cosmopolitan distribution. They are closely related to the Corethrellidae and Chironomidae; the adults are differentiated through peculiarities in wing venation. If they eat at all, the adults feed on nectar. The larvae are aquatic and unique in their feeding method: the antennae of phantom midge larvae are modified into grasping organs slightly resembling the raptorial arms of a mantis, with which they capture prey. They feed largely on small insects such as mosquito larvae and crustaceans such as ''Daphnia''. The antennae impale or crush the prey, and then bring it to the larval mouth, or stylet. The larvae swim and sometimes form large swarms in their lacustrine habitats. Description The larvae are nearly transparent, sometimes with a slightly yellow cast; their most opaque features are two air bags, one in the thorax, one in the abdomen about in the second last segment ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Glassworm
''Chaoborus'' is a genus of midges in the family Chaoboridae. The larvae are known as glassworms because they are transparent. They can be found commonly in lakes all over the world and can be up to . The adults are sometimes called phantom midges or lake flies. Appearance Glassworms are almost entirely transparent, except for pairs of black kidney-shaped structures in the front and the back of the body. These dots are the air sacs. They use these air sacs to migrate up and down in lakes. Glassworms breathe through the end of their abdomen and have two small eyes at the front of their bodies. Behavior ''Chaoborus'' adults do not bite mammals or suck blood. Larvae live in open waters and even sediments, where there may be little oxygen for them to breathe. In some lakes they can be found as deep as . In these deep anoxic waters they can avoid predation more easily than near the surface. They get around the fact that a normal air filled invertebrate tracheal system would fail at ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |