Review of the Australian kelp flies Diptera: Coelopidae

Abstract

The morphology of the Coelopidae is considered, particularly in relation to taxonomic characters, terminology, and sexual dimorphism. Taxonomic relationships and family limits are discussed; the Coelopidae appear to be most closely related to the families Helcomyzidae and Dryomyzidae of the superfamily Sciomyzoidea. The following genera are excluded from the Coelopidae: Listriomastax and Apetaenus (Tethinidae), Orygma (Sepsidae), Heterocheila (or Oedoparea, position doubtful). The position of the genera Malacomyia, Baeopterus and Icaridion in the Coelopidae is confirmed. The Coelopidae are divided into two subfamilies, Lopinae subfam.n. and Coelopinae. The Coelopinae include four tribes: Glumini trib.n., Coelopini, Coelopellini trib-n., Ammini trib.n. The following genera and species are described as new: Lopa, Glurna, Rhis, This, Amma, Lopa convexa, Gluma keyzeri, G.nitida, G . musgravei, Rhis whitleyi, This canus, Coelopella popeae, Arnma blancheae. The subgenera Fucomyia and Neocoelopa of the genus Coelopa are rejected as invalid. Chaetocoelopa huttoni Harrison (1959) is a new synonym of Chaetocoelopa littoralis (Hutton, 1881). Coelopa palauensis Hardy (1957) is a new synonym of C.alluaudi Seguy (1941), which is recorded from Australia for the first time. Coelopa africana Malloch (1933a) is a new synonym of C.ursina (Wiedemann, 1824) from southern Africa. Keys are provided to suprageneric groupings of Coelopidae, to the Australasian genera, and to the species of Chaetocoelopa, Coelopella, Gluma and Zcaridion. Information on the biology and ecology of Coelopidae is summarized, and additional data on Australian species are recorded. Coelopids are among the most significant organisms recycling stranded kelp, because of their often enormous biomass. Their activities can be detrimental to sea-side recreation. Parasitism by Stigmatomyces sp. (Ascomycetes: Laboulbeniales) is recorded for several coelopid species. The distribution patterns of coelopid taxa are discussed. 13 I , i 14 i Figs 10-17. Prosterna of 10, Gluma keyzeri s p a ; 11, Coelopa alluaudi Seguy; 12, G l u m musgravei sp.n., 13., Rhis whitleyi sp.n.; 14, This cunus sp.n.; 15, Lopa convexa sp.n.; 16, Bueopterus philpotti (Malloch); 17, Amma bluncheae sp.n., 9 with subcoxal sclerites.

Microstructure of the tarsal attachment devices in the earwig Timomenus komarovi

“…; Bullock & Federle ). This type of setae was also described previously among flies with smooth adhesive pads, including the kelp fly, Amma blancheae (McAlpine ), the syrphid fly, Episyrphus balteatus (Gorb ) or the blowfly, Calliphora vimitoria (Niederegger et al . ); however, their fine structural characteristics were not exactly coincident with the earwig hairy adhesive pads, because the tenent setae of the fly's pulvilli have openings under the endplate where secretions are released (Gorb ).…”

Microstructure of the biological attachment devices in the ladybugHarmonia axyridis(Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

“…The ultrastructure of the adhesive device has been investigated using SEM in several insect groups, such as Coleoptera (Betz 2003), Hymenoptera (Federle et al 2002), Diptera (McAlpine 1991;Gorb 1998;Niederegger et al 2002), and Heteroptera . These researches have demonstrated that insects have developed two distinct mechanisms to attach themselves to a variety of smooth substrates using either smooth or hairy pads (Beutel and Gorb 2001).…”

The effect of an inversion system and the time interval between matings on postcopulatory sexual selection in the seaweed fly, Coelopa frigida

“…This requires the development of a molecular marker system that will enable us to establish paternity from a larger number of males than is currently possible using the Adh marker system. Like most Diptera, female coelopids have multiple and complex spermathecae (McAlpine, 1991;Day and Gilburn, 1997). Female C. frigida typically have three spermathecae, so there is the potential for them to separate sperm from different males.…”