British Insects: the Families of Diptera
British Insects: the Families of Diptera |
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Adult insects. Antennae 3 segmented (but the third segment strongly annulated, and thus ostensibly several-segmented); ‘modified’ (the first segment strongly developed); terminal segment annulated. The maxillary palps 1 segmented, or 2 segmented; porrect. Wings with a discal cell; without a sub-apical cell; with a closed anal cell. The anal cell relatively long. The costa extending around the entire wing. Vein 3 distally forked. Vein 6 present; reaching the wing margin. Vein 7 present; falling short of the wing margin. Wings with the lower calypter much reduced or absent. Feet with a triple pad beneath the tarsal claws. Abdomen constricted basally.
Larvae and pupae. Larvae terrestrial; predatory (on other insect larvae, in decaying wood); hemicephalic. Pupa without a puparium.
Comments. Flies ichneumon-like, with long thorax and abdomen.
Classification. Suborder Brachycera; Division Xylophagomorpha; Superfamily Xylophagoidea.
British representation. 3 species in Britain. Genera 1; Xylophagus.
Illustrations. • Xylophagus (from Walker).
To view the illustrations with detailed captions, go to the interactive key. This also offers full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa.
Cite this publication as: ‘Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. British insects: the families of Diptera. Version: 28th August 2009. http://delta-intkey.com’.
