Coelopidae
Encyclopedia
Coelopidae or kelp flies are a family of Acalyptratae
Diptera
, they are sometimes also called seaweed flies, though this term is used for a number of seashore diptera. There are less than 40 species
worldwide.The family is found in temperate
areas, with species occurring in the southern Afrotropical, Holarctic
and Australasian (which has the most species) regions.
Image of pupa http://www.faunistik.net/DETINVERT/DIPTERA/COELOPIDAE/IMAGES/coelopa.frigida_pu01.gif
of temperate seashores where the larvae feed on rotting seaweed. They are sometimes very abundant in this habitat. They go through several generations a year. The females lay their eggs in small batches into fresh alga banks. There are 3 larval instars. Larvae feed in a bacteria
-laden mass. Pupation is seldom in the alga substrate that soon collapses, but more frequently in the highest sand layers. Larvae are also found in winter wrack heaps as bacteria raise temperatures to 20-30°C even if the heap is superficially frozen.Larvae and pupae have numerous enemies. Beside birds there is the staphylinid Aleochara and suites of parasites confined to algal banks.
level.
Acalyptratae
Acalyptratae is a subsection of Schizophora, commonly referred to as the acalyptrate muscoids . It is a very large assemblage, exhibiting very diverse habits, with one notable and perhaps surprising exception; there are no known acalyptrates that are obligate blood-feeders , though this is a life...
Diptera
Diptera
Diptera , or true flies, is the order of insects possessing only a single pair of wings on the mesothorax; the metathorax bears a pair of drumstick like structures called the halteres, the remnants of the hind wings. It is a large order, containing an estimated 240,000 species, although under half...
, they are sometimes also called seaweed flies, though this term is used for a number of seashore diptera. There are less than 40 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
worldwide.The family is found in temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
areas, with species occurring in the southern Afrotropical, Holarctic
Holarctic
The Holarctic ecozone refers to the habitats found throughout the northern continents of the world as a whole. This region is divided into the Palearctic, consisting of Northern Africa and all of Eurasia, with the exception of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, and the Nearctic,...
and Australasian (which has the most species) regions.
Family characteristics
See http://delta-intkey.com/britin/dip/www/coelopid.htmImage of pupa http://www.faunistik.net/DETINVERT/DIPTERA/COELOPIDAE/IMAGES/coelopa.frigida_pu01.gif
Biology
Coelopids are found in the wrack zoneWrack zone
The wrack zone is part of the shore just above the mean high tide line where kelp is deposited on the sand. This area is identified by the piles of kelp and other debris , and is often located on a slight "shelf" above the moist sand that slopes down toward the water....
of temperate seashores where the larvae feed on rotting seaweed. They are sometimes very abundant in this habitat. They go through several generations a year. The females lay their eggs in small batches into fresh alga banks. There are 3 larval instars. Larvae feed in a bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
-laden mass. Pupation is seldom in the alga substrate that soon collapses, but more frequently in the highest sand layers. Larvae are also found in winter wrack heaps as bacteria raise temperatures to 20-30°C even if the heap is superficially frozen.Larvae and pupae have numerous enemies. Beside birds there is the staphylinid Aleochara and suites of parasites confined to algal banks.
Identification (literature)
Note: Considerable intraspecific variation in some species, especially in overall size, wing length, and setal characters has led to considerable splitting at the genericGenus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
level.
- Malloch, J.R. 1933. The genus Coelopa Meigen (Diptera, Coelopidae). Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (10) 11: 339-50.
- McAlpine, David K. (1991). "Review of the Australian Kelp Flies (Diptera: Coelopidae)" (Print). Systematic Entomology 16: 29-84.
Classification
Classification after McAlpine- Subfamily Lopinae McAlpine, 1991
- Genus Lopa McAlpine, 1991
- Subfamily Coelopinae MeigenJohann Wilhelm MeigenJohann Wilhelm Meigen was a German entomologist famous for his pioneering work on Diptera.-Early years:Meigen was born in Solingen, the fifth of eight children of Johann Clemens Meigen and Sibylla Margaretha Bick. His parents, though not poor, were not wealthy either. The ran a small shop in...
, 1830 - Tibe Glumini McAlpine, 1991
-
-
- Genus Malacomyia HalidayAlexander Henry HalidayAlexander Henry Haliday, also known as Enrico Alessandro Haliday and Alexis Heinrich Haliday sometimes Halliday , was an Irish entomologist. He is primarily known for his work on Hymenoptera, Diptera and Thysanoptera, but Haliday worked on all insect orders and on many aspects of entomology.Haliday...
in Westwood, 1840 (sometimes placed in DryomyzidaeDryomyzidaeDryomyzidae is a small family of flies.There are about 22 species in 6 genera Dryomyzidae are mostly found in the Holarctic Region although some are found in the Southern Hemisphere....
) - Genus Chaetocoelopa Malloch, 1933
- Genus Dasycoelopa Malloch, 1933
- Genus Coelopina Malloch, 1933
- Genus Gluma McAlpine, 1991
- Tibe Coelopini
Johann Wilhelm MeigenJohann Wilhelm Meigen was a German entomologist famous for his pioneering work on Diptera.-Early years:Meigen was born in Solingen, the fifth of eight children of Johann Clemens Meigen and Sibylla Margaretha Bick. His parents, though not poor, were not wealthy either. The ran a small shop in...
, 1830
- Genus Coelopa Meigen
Johann Wilhelm MeigenJohann Wilhelm Meigen was a German entomologist famous for his pioneering work on Diptera.-Early years:Meigen was born in Solingen, the fifth of eight children of Johann Clemens Meigen and Sibylla Margaretha Bick. His parents, though not poor, were not wealthy either. The ran a small shop in...
, 1830- Tibe Coelopellini Malloch, 1933
- Genus Rhis McAlpine, 1991
- Genus This McAlpine, 1991
- Genus Coelopella Malloch, 1933
- Tibe Ammini
- Genus Icaridion Lamb, 1909
- Genus Amma McAlpine, 1991
- Genus Beaopterus Lamb, 1909
- Genus Malacomyia Haliday
-