Pipunculidae is a
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
of
flies
Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advanced ...
(Diptera) commonly termed big-headed flies,
a reference to the large (
holoptic
Holoptic refers to one of the ways in which the arthropod eye develops, particularly the eyes of various species of insects. Unlike dichoptic and cycloptic eyes, holoptic eyes meet along the median dorsal line of the head, in many species near ...
) eyes, which cover nearly the entire head. The family is found worldwide and more than 1300
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
have been described.
The
larva
A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle.
The ...
e of Pipunculidae develop as
parasitoids
In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionary strategies within parasi ...
almost exclusively in
Auchenorrhyncha
The Auchenorrhyncha suborder of the Hemiptera contains most of the familiar members of what was called the "Homoptera" – groups such as cicadas, leafhoppers, treehoppers, planthoppers, and spittlebugs. The aphids and scale insects are the ot ...
, the exception being the genus
''
Nephrocerus
''Nephrocerus'' is a genus of flies belonging to the family Pipunculidae.
The species of this genus are found in Europe, Asia and Northern America.
Species
*'' Nephrocerus acanthostylus'' Skevington, 2005
*'' Nephrocerus atrapilus'' Skevington, ...
'', whose hosts are adult
Tipulidae
Crane fly is a common name referring to any member of the insect family (biology), family Tipulidae. Cylindrotominae, Limoniinae, and Pediciinae have been ranked as subfamilies of Tipulidae by most authors, though occasionally elevated to family ...
(crane flies). The larvae develop rapidly within the crane flies before pupating in the soil. In all pipunculids there are only two larval stages. Some species are used as
biological control
Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, such as insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases, using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also invo ...
agents in
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima
''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...
fields.
Taxonomy
Taxonomy as shown at the
Tree of life
The tree of life is a fundamental archetype in many of the world's mythological, religious, and philosophical traditions. It is closely related to the concept of the sacred tree.Giovino, Mariana (2007). ''The Assyrian Sacred Tree: A History ...
,
[Pipunculidae at the Tree of life](_blank)
/ref> with modification based on Kehlmaier, Dierick and Skevington (2014).Pipunculus
''Pipunculus'' is a genus of flies belonging to the family Pipunculidae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution.
Species
*'' Pipunculus abnormis'' Skevington, 1998
*'' Pipunculus affinis'' Cresson, 1910
*'' Pipunculus albidus'' Skevington, ...
'' which is thought to be derived from Latin ''pepo'' for pumpkin, thus pipunculus would mean "little pumpkin", referring to the large heads.Chalarinae
Chalarinae is a subfamily of big-headed flies (insects in the family Pipunculidae).
Genera
* Genus '' Chalarus'' Walker, 1834
* Genus '' Jassidophaga'' Aczél, 1939
* Genus '' Protoverrallia'' Aczél, 1948 Baltic amber Eocene
The Eocene ( ) ...
* Genus ''Chalarus
''Chalarus'' is a genus of flies belonging to the family Pipunculidae
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 f ...
'' Walker
Walker or The Walker may refer to:
People
*Walker (given name)
*Walker (surname)
*Walker (Brazilian footballer) (born 1982), Brazilian footballer
Places
In the United States
*Walker, Arizona, in Yavapai County
*Walker, Mono County, California
* ...
, 1834Jassidophaga
''Jassidophaga'' is a genus of flies belonging to the family Pipunculidae.
Species
*'' Jassidophaga abscissa'' (Thomson, 1869)
*'' Jassidophaga argentisegmentata'' ( Brunetti, 1912)
*'' Jassidophaga armata'' (Thomson Thomson may refer to:
Na ...
'' Aczél, 1939Baltic amber
The Baltic region is home to the largest known deposit of amber, called Baltic amber or succinite. It was produced sometime during the Eocene epoch, but exactly when is controversial. It has been estimated that these forests created more than 1 ...
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene' ...
(Priabonian
The Priabonian is, in the ICS's geologic timescale, the latest age or the upper stage of the Eocene Epoch or Series. It spans the time between . The Priabonian is preceded by the Bartonian and is followed by the Rupelian, the lowest stage of t ...
)
* Genus ''Verrallia
''Verrallia'' is a genus of flies belonging to the family Pipunculidae.
Species
*'' Verrallia andreei'' Aczél, 1948
*''Verrallia aucta
''Verrallia aucta'' is a species of fly in the family Pipunculidae. It is found in the Palearctic.Coe, ...
'' Mik, 1899Nephrocerinae
Nephrocerinae is a subfamily of big-headed flies (insects in the family Pipunculidae).
Genera
* Tribe Nephrocerini
** Genus ''Nephrocerus'' Zetterstedt, 1838
* Tribe ''incertae sedis''
** Genus '' Priabona'' Archibald, Kehlmaier & Mathewes, 201 ...
* Tribe Nephrocerini
''Nephrocerus'' is a genus of flies belonging to the family Pipunculidae.
The species of this genus are found in Europe, Asia and Northern America.
Species
*'' Nephrocerus acanthostylus'' Skevington, 2005
*'' Nephrocerus atrapilus'' Skevington, ...
** Genus ''Nephrocerus
''Nephrocerus'' is a genus of flies belonging to the family Pipunculidae.
The species of this genus are found in Europe, Asia and Northern America.
Species
*'' Nephrocerus acanthostylus'' Skevington, 2005
*'' Nephrocerus atrapilus'' Skevington, ...
'' Zetterstedt
Johan Wilhelm Zetterstedt (20 May 1785 – 23 December 1874) was a Sweden, Swedish Naturalism (philosophy) , naturalist who worked mainly on Diptera and Hymenoptera.
Biography
Zetterstedt studied at the Lund University, University of Lund, where ...
, 1838Florissant Formation
The Florissant Formation is a sedimentary geologic formation outcropping around Florissant, Teller County, Colorado. The formation is noted for the abundant and exceptionally preserved insect and plant fossils that are found in the mudstones and ...
, Eocene (Priabonian)
Subfamily Protonephrocerinae
* Genus '' Protonephrocerus'' Collin, 1931Metanephrocerus
''Metanephrocerus'' is an extinct genus of big-headed flies in the dipteran subfamily Protonephrocerinae, for which it is one of only two genera. The genus contains four described species, ''Metanephrocerus belgardeae'', ''M. collini'', ''M. gro ...
'' Carpenter
Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, Shipbuilding, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. ...
& Hull, 1939 Klondike Mountain Formation
The Klondike Mountain Formation is an Early Eocene (Ypresian) geological formation located in the northeast central area of Washington state. The formation, named for the type location designated in 1962, Klondike Mountain north of Republic, Wash ...
,Washington, Eocene (Ypresian
In the geologic timescale the Ypresian is the oldest age (geology), age or lowest stage (stratigraphy), stratigraphic stage of the Eocene. It spans the time between , is preceded by the Thanetian Age (part of the Paleocene) and is followed by th ...
) Baltic amber Eocene (Priabonian)
Subfamily Pipunculinae
Pipunculinae is a subfamily of big-headed flies (insects in the family Pipunculidae
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. Th ...
* Tribe Cephalopsini
** Genus '' Cephalops'' Fallén, 1810Pipunculus
''Pipunculus'' is a genus of flies belonging to the family Pipunculidae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution.
Species
*'' Pipunculus abnormis'' Skevington, 1998
*'' Pipunculus affinis'' Cresson, 1910
*'' Pipunculus albidus'' Skevington, ...
'' Latreille, 1802
Gallery
Wing venation of Pipunculidae.JPG, Typical wing venation of Pipunculidae
Metanephrocerus belgardeae SR 08-06-02 01.jpg, '' Metanephrocerus belgardeae'', Protonephrocerinae
Nephrocerus scutellatus, crop.jpg, '' Nephrocerus scutellatus'',
Nephrocerinae
Eudorylas ruralis.jpg, '' Clistoabdominalis ruralis'', Eudorylini, Pipunculinae
See also
* List of Pipunculidae species of Great Britain
References
External links
Kehlmaier on Pipunculidae
Dedicated site
Scientific paper on Pipunculidae with structural diagramsImages at BugGuideGallery at Diptera.infoFamily Pipunculidae at EOL
Image Gallery
West Palaearctic including Russia JapanWorld list
{{Taxonbar, from=Q760313
Brachycera families
Taxa named by Francis Walker (entomologist)