NematoceraThe Nematocera (+ meaning "thread-horns") are a suborder of elongated flies with thin, segmented antennae and mostly aquatic larvae. This group is paraphyletic, containing all flies except for those of the suborder Brachycera (the name meaning "short-horns"), which includes species such as the housefly or the common fruit fly. Thus, the equivalent clade to Nematocera would be the whole of Diptera, with Brachycera as a "subclade".
Family (taxonomy)Family (Latin: familia, pl.: familiae) is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between order and genus. A family may be divided into subfamilies, which are intermediate ranks between the ranks of family and genus.
FlyA fly (pl. flies) is an insect of the orderDiptera (from Ancient Greekδι- di-'two' and πτερόν pteron'wing'), named for the single pair of wings. The hindwings have evolved into halteres, organs that sense rotation, giving flies precise control of their flight. Diptera is a large order containing more than 150,000 species, including horse-flies, crane flies, hoverflies, mosquitoes and others.
InsectivoreAn insectivore is a carnivorous animal or plant which eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which can also refer to the human practice of eating insects. The first vertebrate insectivores were amphibians. When they evolved 400 million years ago, the first amphibians were piscivores, with numerous sharp conical teeth, much like a modern crocodile.
MosquitoFamily of fliesMosquitoes, the Culicidae, are a family of small flies consisting of 3,600 species. The word mosquito (formed by mosca and diminutive-ito) is Spanish and Portuguese for little fly. Mosquitoes have a slender, segmented body, one pair of wings, three pairs of long hair-like legs, and a specialized, highly elongated set of mouthparts forming a proboscis, adapted for piercing and sucking.
PhlebotominaeThe Phlebotominae are a subfamily of the family Psychodidae. In several countries, their common name is sandfly, but that name is also applied to other flies. The Phlebotominae include many genera of blood-feeding (hematophagous) flies, including the primary vectors of leishmaniasis, bartonellosis, and pappataci fever. Sandflies are small; a body size of about 3 mm in length is typical for many species, which aids them in escaping notice.
DetritivoreDetritivores (also known as detrivores, detritophages, detritus feeders or detritus eaters) are heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by consuming detritus (decomposing plant and animal parts as well as feces). There are many kinds of invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants that eat detritus or carry out coprophagy. By doing so, all these detritivores contribute to decomposition and the nutrient cycles.
Wallum sedge frogThe wallum sedge frog (Drymomantis olongburensis), also known as the Olongburra frog or the sharp-snouted reed frog, is a species of frog that is endemic to Australia. Varying in color from brown to dark green it inhabits the thick and often acidic marshes of the Wallum along the coast of Queensland and New South Wales. Mating season comes in early spring, often after heavy rainfalls. Females attach their eggs to grasses and sedges.
Black flyBlack flies or blackflies (sometimes called buffalo gnats, turkey gnats, or white socks) are flies in the family Simuliidae of the Culicomorpha infraorder. Simuliidae are related to the Ceratopogonidae, Chironomidae, and Thaumaleidae. Over 2,200 species of black flies have been formally named, of which 15 are extinct. They are divided into two subfamilies: Parasimuliinae contains only one genus and four species; Simuliinae contains all the rest.
Nutrient cycleSet of processes exchanging nutrients between parts of a systemComposting within agricultural systems capitalizes upon the natural services of nutrient recycling in ecosystems. Bacteria, fungi, insects, earthworms, bugs, and other creatures dig and digest the compost into fertile soil.
SwallowThe swallows, martins, and saw-wings, or Hirundinidae, are a family of passerinesongbirds found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in Antarctica. Highly adapted to aerial feeding, they have a distinctive appearance. The term "swallow" is used as the common name for Hirundo rustica in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
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