Dixidae

Dixidae
Dixa nebulosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Suborder: Nematocera
Infraorder: Culicomorpha
Superfamily: Culicoidea
Family: Dixidae
Genera
  • Asiodixa Papp, 2006[1]
  • Dixa Meigen, 1818
  • Dixella Dyar & Shannon, 1924
  • Meringodixa Nowell, 1951
  • Mesodixa
  • Metadixa
  • Neodixa
  • Nothodixa

The Dixidae (meniscus midges) are a family of aquatic nematoceran flies (Diptera). The larvae live in unpolluted, standing fresh waters, just beneath the surface film, usually amongst marginal aquatic vegetation .[2][3] They are found in all continents except Antarctica.

Description

For terms see Morphology of Diptera

Wing venation

Dixiidae are small (body length not more than 5.0 mm) slender gnats with thin legs. The head is relatively broad. The antennae are thin and the flagellum has 14 segments. The proboscis is short and thick and the palpi are five-segmented. The thorax is slightly convex. The wing veins are without scales (with scales in the closely related family Culicidae. The subcosta is fused with the costa at the level of the base of Rs or slightly proximal to this. The wing venation exhibits radial, medial, and cubital forks (R 4 branched, M 2 branched, Cu 2 branched). R 2+ 3 is strongly arched, the r–m crossvein is distinct, and the discal cell is absent. The anal vein of the wing is long. The genitalia of the male is inverted at 180° by torsion of segments 5–8.


References

  1. ↑ Papp, L., Merz, B. & Földvari (2006): Diptera of Thailand. A summary of the families and genera with references to the species representations. Acta. zool. hung. Vol. 52 (2)
  2. ↑ R. W. Bouchard, Jr. (2005). Guide to Aquatic Invertebrates of the Upper Midwest. University of Minnesota.
  3. ↑ R. H. L. Disney (1999). British Dixidae (meniscus midges) and Thaumaleidae (trickle midges): keys with ecological notes. 56. Freshwater Biological Association. pp. 128 pp. ISBN 0-900386-60-6.

Further reading


External links

Wikispecies has information related to: Dixidae
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