Tethinidae
Encyclopedia
Tethinidae, included now into the family Canacidae
s.l., is a paraphyletic group of tiny drab-coloured or grey acalypterate
flies (Diptera
). Over 180 species
in 16 genera
are known from all zoogeographic
regions.They are inconspicuous flies which are still poorly known in some remote, huge, tropical areas (e.g. South America).
Workers in dipterology which are unfamiliar with tethinids often associate these flies with the presence of seashores, particularly sandy beaches and coastal lagoons. This is true for most strictly thalassophilous species, which occur on dunes, sandy soil and wrack heaps stranded on the beach. However, many entomologists often ignore or simply overlook the fact that populations of certain species also inhabit biotopes situated far off from sea littorals, sometimes several hundreds of kilometres inland, and are almost always closely dependent on the proximity of continental saline environments. It is well-known that most species, if not all, belonging to the subfamily Pelomyiinae are not thalassophilous flies, but are almost exclusively found inland, associated with meadows, mountain passes, forests, areas and waters polluted by rotting waste, industrial emissions or debris of slaughterhouses and poultry farms (sites of salt accumulation and enrichment), as well as desert oases. However, this is not infrequent in various species of the genus Tethina, too.
1928: 55. Tethinidae. In Lindner, E.
Die Fliegen der Palaearktischen Region, Bd. VI/1: 1-8, Textfig. 1-7, Stuttgart.
Collin, J.E. ,1966. A revision of the Palaearctic species of Tethina and Rhicnoessa. Bolletino del Museo civico di Storia naturale di Venezia 16 (1963): 19-32.
Foster, G.A. & Mathis, W.N., 2003. A revision of the genera Pelomyia Williston and Masoniella Vockeroth (Diptera: Tethinidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 619:63 pp.
Foster, G. A. & Mathis, W. N., 1998. A revision of the family Tethinidae (Diptera) from the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Bermuda. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 100(4): 601-632.
Foster, G. A., and Mathis, W. N., 2000. Notes on Neotropical species of Tethina Haliday (Diptera: Tethinidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 102(3): 542-548.
Foster, G. A. & Mathis, W. N., 2008. A Review of the Genus Tethina Haliday from Western North America. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 110(2): 300-330.
Hendel, F.
1916. Beitrage zur Systematik der Acalyptraten Musciden (Dipt.). Ent. Mitt. 5: 294-299.
Mathis, W.N. and Munari, L., 1996. World Catalog of the Family Tethinidae (Diptera). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 584: IV + 27 pp.
Mathis, W. N. & Foster, G. A., 2007. Canacidae (Diptera) From the Delmarva States. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 120(4): 387-428.
McAlpine, D.K., 2007. The Surge Flies (Diptera: Canacidae: Zaleinae) of Australasia and notes on Tethinid-Canacid morphology and relationships. "Records of the Australian Museum" 59: 27-64"
Melander, A.L. ,1952. The North American species of Tethinidae (Diptera). J. N.Y. Entomol. Soc. 59: 187-212.
Munari, L. & Mathis, W.N., 2010. World Catalog of the Family Canacidae (including Tethinidae) (Diptera), with keys to the supraspecific taxa. "Zootaxa" 2471: 1-84. ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition), ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition).
Canacidae
Canacidae, incorrectly Canaceidae, or beach flies, surf or surge flies, is a family of Diptera.There are 113 species in 12 genera.-Family description:See Drawings of Canace.-References:...
s.l., is a paraphyletic group of tiny drab-coloured or grey acalypterate
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...
flies (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...
). Over 180 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...
in 16 genera
Genus
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...
are known from all zoogeographic
Ecozone
An ecozone is the broadest biogeographic division of the Earth's land surface, based on distributional patterns of terrestrial organisms.Ecozones delineate large areas of the Earth's surface within which organisms have been evolving in relative isolation over long periods of time, separated from...
regions.They are inconspicuous flies which are still poorly known in some remote, huge, tropical areas (e.g. South America).
Natural history
Tethinidae are found in maritime, often littoral habitats. The adults are sometimes abundant in rotting seaweed. A few species occur inland, in association with alkaline habitats in arid zones. Except for the subantarctic genera Apetaenus and Listriomastax, little is known about the immature stages of the family, although presumably most are associated with rotting seaweed.Workers in dipterology which are unfamiliar with tethinids often associate these flies with the presence of seashores, particularly sandy beaches and coastal lagoons. This is true for most strictly thalassophilous species, which occur on dunes, sandy soil and wrack heaps stranded on the beach. However, many entomologists often ignore or simply overlook the fact that populations of certain species also inhabit biotopes situated far off from sea littorals, sometimes several hundreds of kilometres inland, and are almost always closely dependent on the proximity of continental saline environments. It is well-known that most species, if not all, belonging to the subfamily Pelomyiinae are not thalassophilous flies, but are almost exclusively found inland, associated with meadows, mountain passes, forests, areas and waters polluted by rotting waste, industrial emissions or debris of slaughterhouses and poultry farms (sites of salt accumulation and enrichment), as well as desert oases. However, this is not infrequent in various species of the genus Tethina, too.
Identification (Literature)
Czerny, L.Leander Czerny
Leander Czerny was an Austrian entomologist mainly interested in Diptera....
1928: 55. Tethinidae. In Lindner, E.
Erwin Lindner
Erwin Lindner was a German entomologist mainly interested in Diptera.He was born in Böglins, Memmingen , 7 April 1888 and died in Stuttgart 30 November 1988, aged 100 years....
Die Fliegen der Palaearktischen Region, Bd. VI/1: 1-8, Textfig. 1-7, Stuttgart.
Collin, J.E. ,1966. A revision of the Palaearctic species of Tethina and Rhicnoessa. Bolletino del Museo civico di Storia naturale di Venezia 16 (1963): 19-32.
Foster, G.A. & Mathis, W.N., 2003. A revision of the genera Pelomyia Williston and Masoniella Vockeroth (Diptera: Tethinidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 619:63 pp.
Foster, G. A. & Mathis, W. N., 1998. A revision of the family Tethinidae (Diptera) from the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Bermuda. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 100(4): 601-632.
Foster, G. A., and Mathis, W. N., 2000. Notes on Neotropical species of Tethina Haliday (Diptera: Tethinidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 102(3): 542-548.
Foster, G. A. & Mathis, W. N., 2008. A Review of the Genus Tethina Haliday from Western North America. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 110(2): 300-330.
Hendel, F.
Friedrich Georg Hendel
Friedrich Georg Hendel was an Austrian Hauptsschuldirektor and entomologist mainly interested in Diptera. He described very many new species and made important contributions to the higher taxonomy of the Diptera.He was born in Vienna and died in Baden bei Wien...
1916. Beitrage zur Systematik der Acalyptraten Musciden (Dipt.). Ent. Mitt. 5: 294-299.
Mathis, W.N. and Munari, L., 1996. World Catalog of the Family Tethinidae (Diptera). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 584: IV + 27 pp.
Mathis, W. N. & Foster, G. A., 2007. Canacidae (Diptera) From the Delmarva States. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 120(4): 387-428.
McAlpine, D.K., 2007. The Surge Flies (Diptera: Canacidae: Zaleinae) of Australasia and notes on Tethinid-Canacid morphology and relationships. "Records of the Australian Museum" 59: 27-64"
Melander, A.L. ,1952. The North American species of Tethinidae (Diptera). J. N.Y. Entomol. Soc. 59: 187-212.
Munari, L. & Mathis, W.N., 2010. World Catalog of the Family Canacidae (including Tethinidae) (Diptera), with keys to the supraspecific taxa. "Zootaxa" 2471: 1-84. ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition), ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition).
Species Lists
- West Palaearctic including Russia Note: The species described for the western Palaeartic Region (in particular for Europe and the Mediterranean river basin) need taxonomic review.
- Nearctic
- Australasian/Oceanian.
- Japan