Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Acquiring Data: Targets, Problems and Solutions

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Ecomorphology of Cyclorrhaphan Larvae (Diptera)

Part of the book series: Zoological Monographs ((ZM,volume 4))

  • 310 Accesses

Abstract

A priority for improving knowledge of the Cyclorrhapha is discovering poorly known and unknown larvae and extracting from them basic data. Basic data include those obtained from diagnosing morphology, finding taxonomic affinities and distinctions, specifying development sites and feeding modes, providing instructions for finding larvae in the field, i.e. fieldcraft, and giving collection locations of preserved larvae and reared adults. These data provide a foundation informing other subjects and more detailed assessments. Difficulties involved in developing fieldcraft, rearing and preserving larvae, extracting character data and making feeding tests to determine feeding mode are discussed. The information value of combining analyses of morphology with those of movement via observations and digital filming and correlating the results to development site variables as a means of investigating larval ecomorphology is considered. The complications of inherent and convergent similarity are also evaluated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ball SG, Morris RKA (2014) A review of the scarce and threatened flies of Great Britain. Part 6: Syrphidae. Species Status 9:1–130. Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough

    Google Scholar 

  • Basden EB (1954) The distribution and biology of Drosophilidae (Diptera) in Scotland, including a new species of Drosophila. Trans R Soc Edinb 62:603–654

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benton MJ, Emerson BC (2007) How did life become so diverse? The dynamics of diversification according to the fossil record and molecular phylogenetics. Palaeontology 50:23–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berrigan D, Leighton JRB (1993) Bioenergetic and kinematic consequences of limblessness in larval Diptera. J Exp Biol 179:245–259

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Berrigan D, Pepin DJ (1995) How maggots move: allometry and kinematics of crawling in larval Diptera. J Insect Physiol 41:329–337

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bland KP, Horsfield D (2016) Distribution and biology of Palloptera scutellata (Macquart) (Diptera, Pallopteridae) in south-east Scotland. Dipt Digest (2nd Series) 23:51–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Borkent A, Brown BV, Adler PH, De Souza AD, Barber K, Bickel D, Boucher S, Brooks SE, Burger J, Burington ZL, Capellari RS, Costa DNR, Cumming JM, Curler G, Dick CW, Epler JH, Fisher E, Gaimari SD, Gelhaus J, Grimaldi DA, Hash J, Hauser M, Hippa H, Ibáñez-Bernal S, Jaschof M, Kameneva EP, Kerr PH, Korneyev V, Korytkowski CA, Kung G-A, Kvifte GM, Lonsdale O, Marshall SA, Mathis WN, Michelsen V, Naglis S, Norrbom AL, Paiero S, Pape T, Pereira-Colavite A, Pollet M, Rochefort S, Rung A, Runyon JB, Savage J, Silva VC, Sinclair BS, Skevington JH, Stireman JO, Swann J, Vilkamaa P, Wheeler T, Whitworth T, Wong M, Wood DM, Woodley N, Yau T, Zavortink TJ, Zumbado MA (2018) Remarkable fly (Diptera) diversity in a patch of Costa Rican cloud forest: why inventory is a vital science. Zootaxa 4402:53–90

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brake I (1997) Ecological studies on Carnidae (Diptera) on the bird island of Mellum. Studia Dipterol 4:201–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Buck M (1997) Sphaeroceridae (Diptera) reared from various types of carrion and other decaying substrates in Southern Germany, including new faunistic data on some rarely collected species. Eur J Entomol 94:137–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandler PJ (2001) The flat-footed flies (Diptera: Opetiidae and Platypezidae) of Europe. Fauna Entomol Scand 36:1–276

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman EG, Foote BA, Malukiewicz J, Hoeh WR (2006) Parallel evolution of larval morphology and habitat in the snail-killing fly genus Tetanocera. J Evol Biol 19:1459–1474

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coe RL (1938) Rediscovery of Callicera yerburyi Verrall (Diptera: Syrphidae); its breeding habits, with a description of the larva. Entomologist 71:97–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Coe RL (1941) Callicera rufa Schummel (Diptera : Syrphidae); colour variation of abdominal hairs in the adult, with a note on longevity of the larva. Entomologist 74:131–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen AC (2001) Formalizing insect rearing and artificial diet technology. Am Entomol 47:198–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collin JE (1933) Five new species of Diptera. Entomol Mon Mag 69:272–275

    Google Scholar 

  • Courtney GW, Sinclair BJ, Meier R (2000) Morphology and terminology of Diptera larvae. In: Papp L, Darvas B (eds) Contributions to a manual of Palaearctic Diptera, vol 1. Science Herald, Budapest, pp 85–161

    Google Scholar 

  • de Meijere JCH (1900) Ueber die larva von Lonchoptera. Ein Beitrag zur Kenntnis der cyclorraphen Dipterenlarven Zool Jahrb (Ab Syst) 14:87–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Deeming JC (1998) A description of the puparium of Gymnochiromyia inermis (Collin, 1933) from England (Diptera : Chyromyidae). Studia Dipterol 5:30–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Dempewolf M (2001) Larvalmorphologie und phylogenie der Agromyzidae (Diptera). Ph.D. thesis, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany

    Google Scholar 

  • Doczkal D (1996) Observations on host plants and behaviour of egg-laying females of Cheilosia Meigen (Diptera Syrphidae) in Central Europe. Volucella 2:77–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Dowding VM (1967) The function and ecological significance of the pharyngeal ridges occurring in the larvae of some cyclorrhaphous Diptera. Parasitol (Cam) 57:371–388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dušek J, Láska P (1976) European species of Metasyrphus: key, descriptions and notes (Diptera, Syrphidae). Acta Entomol Bohemoslov 73:263–282

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferrar P (1979) The immature stages of dung-breeding muscoid flies in Australia, with notes on the species and keys to larvae and puparia. Aust J Zool Suppl Ser 27:1–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrar P (1987) A guide to the breeding habits and immature stages of Diptera Cyclorrhapha. Entomonograph 8:1–907

    Google Scholar 

  • Greve L (1993) Family Pallopteridae (Diptera) in Norway. Fauna Norv Ser B 40:37–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Günther MN, Nettesheim G, Shubeita GT (2016) Quantifying and predicting Drosophila larvae crawling phenotypes. Sci Rep 10:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep27972

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison DA, Cooper RL (2003) Characterization of development, behavior and neuromuscular physiology in the phorid fly, Megaselia scalaris. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 136:427–439

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hartley JC (1961) A taxonomic account of the larvae of some British Syrphidae. Proc Zool Soc Lond 136:505–573

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Headrick DH, Goeden RD (1996) The biology of nonfrugivorous tephritid fruit flies. Annu Rev Entomol 43:217–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heckscher ES, Lockery SR, Doe CQ (2012) Characterization of Drosophila larval crawling at the level of organism, segment, and somatic body wall musculature. J Neurosci 32:12460–12471

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hennig W (1976) Das Hypopygium von Lonchoptera lutea Panzer und die phylogenetischen Verwandtschaftsbeziehungen der Cyclorrhapha (Diptera). Stuttg Beitr Naturkd 283:1–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Keilin D (1912) Structure du pharynx en fonction du regime chez les larves des Diptères cyclorhaphes. C R Hebd Seanc Acad Sci Paris 155:1548–1550

    Google Scholar 

  • Keilin D (1917) Recherches sur les Anthomyides a larves carnivores. Parasitology (Cam) 9:325–450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keilin D, Tate P (1930) On certain semi-carnivorous anthomyid larvae. Parasitol (Cam) 22:168–181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lahuatte PF, Lincango MP, Heimpel GE, Causton CE (2016) Rearing larvae of the avian nest parasite, Philornis downsi (Diptera: Muscidae), on chicken blood-based diets. J Insect Sci 16:1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis T, Taylor LR (1965) Diurnal periodicity of flight by insects. Trans R Ent Soc Lond 116:393–435

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lonsdale O, Marshall S (2011) Clusiidae. Version 06 Jan 2011. In: The Tree of Life Web Project. http://tolweb.org/Clusiidae/10628/2011.01.06

  • MacGowan I, Rotheray GE (2006) Callicera rufa (Diptera, Syrphidae) status and trends: an update. Dipt Digest 13:113–118

    Google Scholar 

  • MacGowan I, Rotheray GE (2008) British Lonchaeidae (Diptera, Cyclorrhapha, Acalyptratae). Handbk Ident Br Insects 10:1–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Maibach A, de Tiefenau G (1992) Staining technique for the integument of dead and living aquatic larvae (Diptera: Syrphidae). Entomol Gener 17:69–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marcos-García MÁ, García-López A, Zumbado MA, Rotheray GE (2012) Sampling methods for assessing syrphid biodiversity (Diptera: Syrphidae) in tropical forests. Environ Entomol 41:1544–1552

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martinek V (1977) Species of Genus Palloptera Fallén, 1820 (Dipt., Pallopteridae) in Czechoslovakia. Stud Entomol Forestalia 12:203–220

    Google Scholar 

  • McAlpine JF, Munroe DD (1968) Swarming of lonchaeid flies and other insects, with descriptions of four new species of Lonchaeidae (Diptera). Can Entomol 100:1154–1178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meier R (1995) Cladistic analysis of the Sepsidae (Cyclorrhapha: Diptera) based on a comparative scanning electron microscopic study of larvae. Syst Entomol 20:99–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meier R, Lim GS (2009) Conflict, convergent evolution, and the relative importance of immature and adult characters in endopterygote phylogenetics. Annu Rev Entomol 54:85–104

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morge G (1956) Ber Morphologie und lebensweise der bisher unbekannten Larven von Palloptera usta Meigen, Palloptera ustulata Fallén und Stegana coleoptrata Scopoli (Diptera). Beitr Ent 6:124–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Nartshuk EP, Andersson H (2012) The Frit Flies (Chloropidae, Diptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark. Fauna Ent Scand 43:1–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nye IWB (1958) The external morphology of dipterous larvae occurring in the Gramineae of Britain. Trans R Ent Soc Lond 110:411–487

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Papp L (1994) Morphology of third instar larva and puparium of three heleomyzid species (Diptera: Heleomyzidae). Acta Zool Acad Sci Hung 40:219–229

    Google Scholar 

  • Parra JR (2012) The evolution of artificial diets and their interactions in science and technology. In: Panizzi AR, Parra JR (eds) Insect bioecology and nutrition for integrated pest management. CRC Press, London, pp 51–92

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Lachaud G, Jahyny BJB, Ståhls G, Rotheray G, Delabie JHC, Lachaud J-P (2017) Rediscovery and reclassification of the dipteran taxon Nothomicrodon Wheeler, an exclusive endoparasitoid of gyne ant larvae. Sci Rep 7:45530. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep45530

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Perry I, Rotheray GE (2010) Dead wood and sap runs. In: Chandler PJ (ed) A Dipterist’s handbook, vol 15, 2nd edn. Amateur Entomologist’s Society, pp 144–157

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts MJ (1971) The structure of the mouthparts of some calypterate dipteran larvae in relation to their feeding habits. Acta Zool 52:171–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roháček J, Barber KN (2011) Quametopia, a new genus of Nearctic Anthomyzidae (Diptera), with description of two new species, immature stages and life history. Eur J Entomol 108:287–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE (1986) Colour, shape and defence in aphidophagous syrphid larvae (Diptera). Zool J Linnean Soc 88:201–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE (1989) E. B. Basden’s collection of Diptera from bird and mammal nests, and mammal runs, burrows and droppings. Entomol Mon Mag 125:5–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE (1991) Larval stages of 17 rare and poorly known British hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae). J Nat Hist 25:945–969

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE (1993) Colour guide to hoverfly larvae (Diptera, Syrphidae). Dipt Digest 9:1–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE (2011) The puparia of Chyromya femorellum (Chyromyidae), Camilla atrimana and Camilla fuscipes (Camillidae) (Diptera) reared from bird and mammal nests and burrows. Dipt Digest 18:81–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE (2012) Morphology of the puparium and breeding sites of eight species of Heleomyzidae (Diptera). J Nat Hist 46:2075–2102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE (2014) Development sites, feeding modes and early stages of seven European Palloptera species (Diptera, Pallopteridae). Zootaxa 3900:50–76

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE (2016) Improving knowledge of the cyclorrhaphan larva (Diptera). J Nat Hist 50:2169–2198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE, Gilbert F (1999) Phylogeny of palaearctic Syrphidae (Diptera): evidence from larval stages. Zool J Linnean Soc 127:1–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE, Gilbert F (2008) Phylogenetic relationships and the larval head of the lower Cyclorrhapha (Diptera). Zool J Linnean Soc 153:287–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE, Gilbert F (2011) The natural history of hoverflies. Forrest Text, Cardigan

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE, Hancock EG (2012) Puparial morphology and development sites of Neottiophilum praeustum, Allopiophila vulgaria, Mycetaulus bipunctatus and Prochyliza varipes (Diptera, Piophilidae). Dipt Digest 19:107–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE, Hewitt (2015) Development site, feeding mode and early stages of Palloptera scutellata (Macquart) (Diptera, Pallopteridae). Dipt Digest 22:157–170

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE, Horsfield D (2013) Development sites and early stages of eleven species of Clusiidae (Diptera) occurring in Europe. Zootaxa 3619:401–427

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE, Lyszkowski R (2015) Diverse mechanisms of feeding and movement in Cyclorrhaphan larvae (Diptera). J Nat Hist 49:2139–2211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE, MacGowan I (1990) Re-evaluation of the status of Callicera rufa Schummel (Diptera: Syrphidae) in the British Isles. Entomologist 109:35–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE, MacGowan I (2000) Status and breeding sites of three presumed endangered Scottish saproxylic syrphids (Diptera, Syrphidae). J Insect Conserv 4:215–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE, Wilkinson G (2015) Trophic structure and function in the larva of predatory muscid flies (Diptera, Muscidae). Zoomorphology 134:553–563

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE, Hancock EG, Hewitt S, Horsfield D, MacGowan I, Robertson D, Watt K (2001) The biodiversity and conservation of saproxylic Diptera in Scotland. J Insect Conserv 5:77–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE, Chandler PJ, Gilbert F (2004) Final stage larvae and puparia of Platypezidae (Diptera). Insect Syst Evol 35:79–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotheray GE, Hancock EG, Marcos-Garcia M (2007) Neotropical Copestylum (Diptera, Syrphidae) breeding in bromeliads (Bromeliaceae) including 22 new species. Zool J Linnean Soc 150:267–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schluter D (2000) The ecology of adaptive radiation. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmid U (1999) Die Larve von Cheilosia impressa (Diptera, Syrphidae). Volucella 4:113–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Semelbauer M, Kozánek M (2012) Morphology of preimaginal stages of Lauxania and Calliopum (Diptera: Lauxaniidae). Zootaxa 3346:1–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sewell BA, Atwood HL, Renger JJ, Wang J, Wu CF (1975) Improved stability of Drosophila larval neuromuscular preparation in haemolymph-like physiological solutions. J Comp Physiol A 175:179–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh P (1977) Artificial diets for Insects, mites and Spiders. IFI/Plenum Data Company, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Singh P, Moore RF (eds) (1985) Handbook of insect rearing, vol 1–2. Elsevier Science, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Skidmore P (1966) The biology of Scoliocentra villosa (Meigen) (Dipt., Heleomyzidae). Entomol Mon Mag 102:94–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Skidmore P (1985) The biology of the Muscidae of the world. Junk, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith KVG (1989) An introduction to the immature stages of British flies. Handbk Ident Br Insects 10:1–280

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ståhls G, Kahanpää J (2006) New data on Platypezidae and Opetiidae (Diptera) of Finland. Sahlbergi 11:1–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Tinkeu LN, Hance T (1998) Functional morphology of the mandibles of the larvae of Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776) (Diptera : Syrphidae). Int J Insect Morphol Embryol 27:135–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trautwein MD, Wiegmann BM, Beutel R, Kjer KM, Yeates DK (2012) Advances in insect phylogeny at the dawn of the postgenomic era. Annu Rev Entomol 57:449–468

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler WM (1924) Two extraordinary larval myrmecophiles from Panama. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 10:237–244

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler QD (2008) Undisciplined thinking: morphology and Hennig’s unfinished revolution. Syst Entomol 33:2–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiegmann BM, Trautwein MD, Winkler IS, Barra NB, Kima J-W, Lambkin C, Berton MA, Cassela BK, Bayless KM, Heimberg AM, Wheeler BM, Petersone KJ, Pape T, Sinclair BJ, Skevington JH, Blagoderov V, Caravask J, Narayanan Kutty SN, Schmidt-Ott U, Kampmeier GE, Thompson FC, Grimaldi DA, Beckenbach AT, Courtney GM, Friedrich M, Meier R, Yeates DK (2011) Episodic radiations in the fly tree of life. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 108:5690–5695

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh, UK

    Graham E. Rotheray

Authors
  1. Graham E. Rotheray
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Rotheray, G.E. (2019). Acquiring Data: Targets, Problems and Solutions. In: Ecomorphology of Cyclorrhaphan Larvae (Diptera). Zoological Monographs, vol 4. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92546-2_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation