| Richardia telescopica | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Richardiidae |
| Genus: | Richardia |
| Species: | R. telescopica |
| Binomial name | |
| Richardia telescopica Gerstaecker, 1860 | |
Richardia telescopica is a species of flies from the genus Richardia . [1] [2] The species was originally described by Gerstaecker in 1860 [1] and it occurs in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. [3]
R. telescopica presents an extreme form of sexual dimorphism. Males of Richardia telescopica display characteristic "eyestalks", a form of hypercephaly—an exaggerated lateral extension of the eyes away from the head—whereas females show limited hypercephaly. [4] [5] Hypercephaly evolved in several insect orders, including Hymenoptera, Heteroptera, and Diptera and has arisen at least 21 times among flies. Other species in genus Richardia with hypercephaly as a dimorphic trait include Richardia stylops and Richardia chocoensis. [4] [6]
Eyestalks of R. telescopica extend obliquely from the base of the head, unlike in congeners like Richardia chocoensis (with horizontal eyestalks). Interocular distance in males of Richardia telescopica doesn't exceed the body length whereas in other species of eyestalk flies (such as Plagiocephalus latifrons from Ecuador) it can extend to more than twice the length of the body. [6]
Sexual dimorphism is the condition where sexes of the same species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most dioecious species, which consist of most animals and some plants. Differences may include secondary sex characteristics, size, weight, color, markings, or behavioral or cognitive traits. Male-male reproductive competition has evolved a diverse array of sexually dimorphic traits. Aggressive utility traits such as "battle" teeth and blunt heads reinforced as battering rams are used as weapons in aggressive interactions between rivals. Passive displays such as ornamental feathering or song-calling have also evolved mainly through sexual selection. These differences may be subtle or exaggerated and may be subjected to sexual selection and natural selection. The opposite of dimorphism is monomorphism, when both biological sexes are phenotypically indistinguishable from each other.
The Thomisidae are a family of spiders, including about 170 genera and over 2,100 species. The common name crab spider is often linked to species in this family, but is also applied loosely to many other families of spiders. Many members of this family are also known as flower spiders or flower crab spiders.
The paradise flycatchers (Terpsiphone) are a genus of birds in the family Monarchidae. The genus ranges across Africa and Asia, as well as a number of islands. A few species are migratory, but the majority are resident. The most telling characteristic of the genus is the long tail streamers of the males of many species. In addition to the long tails the males and females are sexually dimorphic and have rufous, black and white plumage.
The Phoridae are a family of small, hump-backed flies resembling fruit flies. Phorid flies can often be identified by their escape habit of running rapidly across a surface rather than taking to the wing. This behaviour is a source of one of their alternate names, scuttle fly. Another vernacular name, coffin fly, refers to Conicera tibialis. About 4,000 species are known in 230 genera. The most well-known species is cosmopolitan Megaselia scalaris. At 0.4 mm in length, the world's smallest fly is the phorid Euryplatea nanaknihali.
Stalk-eyed flies are insects of the fly family Diopsidae. The family is distinguished from most other flies by most members of the family possessing "eyestalks": projections from the sides of the head with the eyes at the end. Some fly species from other families such as Drosophilidae, Platystomatidae, Richardiidae, and Tephritidae have similar heads, but the unique character of the Diopsidae is that their antennae are located on the stalk, rather than in the middle of the head as in all other flies. Stalked eyes are present in all members of the subfamily Diopsinae, but are absent in the Centrioncinae, which retain unstalked eyes similar to those of other flies. The stalked eyes are usually sexually dimorphic, with eyestalks present but shorter in females.
The Mydidae, or Mydas flies, are a cosmopolitan family of flies. It is a small family, with about 471 species described. They are generally large in size, including the largest known fly, Gauromydas heros. Many of the species, in addition to their large size, are mimics of stinging hymenopterans, especially wasps. Most mydids are found in arid and semiarid regions of the world, but they are also found in other habitats.
Dolichopodidae, the long-legged flies, are a large, cosmopolitan family of true flies with more than 7,000 described species in about 230 genera. The genus Dolichopus is the most speciose, with some 600 species.
The Platystomatidae are a distinctive family of flies (Diptera) in the superfamily Tephritoidea.
The Neriidae are a family of true flies (Diptera) closely related to the Micropezidae. Some species are known as cactus flies, while others have been called banana stalk flies and the family was earlier treated as subfamily of the Micropezidae which are often called stilt-legged flies. Neriids differ from micropezids in having no significant reduction of the fore legs. Neriids breed in rotting vegetation, such as decaying tree bark or rotting fruit. About 100 species are placed in 19 genera. Neriidae are found mainly in tropical regions, but two North American genera occur, each with one species, and one species of Telostylinus occurs in temperate regions of eastern Australia.
Calliphora latifrons is a species of blue bottle fly.
Phytalmia mouldsi is in the subfamily Phytalmiinae which includes all of the antlered fruit flies. They were discovered by M. S. Moulds in 1977 and are found only in an isolated rainforest of Australia. Antlered flies, collectively, are notable for their unique mating behavior and the unusual antler-like extensions on the heads of the males.
Onthophagus taurus, the taurus scarab, is a species of dung beetle in the genus Onthophagus and the family Scarabaeidae.
Bibio hortulanus, common name marchfly, is a species of fly from the family Bibionidae.
Richardia is a genus of flies in the family Richardiidae. It was first described by French entomologist Jean-Baptiste Robineau-Desvoid in 1830. It occurs from Mexico to Central and South America.
Chionea scita is a species of crane fly in the family Limoniidae. C. scita is known as a type of snow crane fly because it is commonly seen walking on piles of snow during the winter months. These flies are also often observed in caves and heavily wooded areas. C. scita flies are small, hairy, wingless, and somewhat spider-like in appearance, unlike other flies.
Prochyliza xanthostoma, the waltzing fly, is a species of carrion-feeding cheese skipper, insects in the family Piophilidae and the order Diptera. P. xanthostoma is a member of the genus Prochyliza, which contains eleven species. The adult flies are found through North America and are brown-bodied, with orange and black coloring. Mating occurs on animal carcasses and male perform mating rituals; females engage in ejaculate feeding. The waltzing fly is known for its exaggerated sexual dimorphism and has thus become a prominent model for sexual dimorphism and larval behavior. These organisms are known as cheese skippers because when startled, the larvae can leap several inches into the air. P. xanthostoma is an important model organism for sexual selection, larval behavior, and adult reproductive success and survivability.
Derocephalus angusticollis is a fly in the family Neriidae. They are typically found on the east coast of Australia near rotting vegetation. Aggregating on the rotting bark of trees such as Acacia longifolia and other trees in New South Wales and southern Queensland. D. angusticollis flies found in the wild have accelerated speeds of development and age of mortality when compared to those in captivity. Derocephalus One characteristic of the neriid fly is that it demonstrates sexual dimorphism. Males have a larger build as well as exaggerated physical characteristics such as wider heads and longer limbs. Certain phenotypic characteristics are dependent on the diet of the parents.
Drosophila prolongata is a fly of the family Drosophilidae. This species is endemic to southeast Asia. Males of this species express one of the most extreme reversed sexual size dimorphism in the Drosophilidae, making this species an interesting model organism for the study of sexual selection. Males also display remarkable copulation courtship behaviour.
Sepsis thoracica, more commonly known as the black scavenger fly, a species of fly from the genus Sepsis and the family Sepsidae. It was discovered by Robineau-Desvoidy in 1830. It resembles a small flying ant. The fly is most commonly found inhabiting cow dung.
Teleopsis dalmanni, synonym Cyrtodiopsis dalmanni, also known as the Malaysian stalk-eyed fly, is a species of fly in the family Diopsidae. T. dalmanni flies possess lateral elongations on their head capsules called eyestalks. These eyestalks play an important role in mate selection and as a result physical characteristic of the fly has been the subject of several studies on sexual selection, natural selection, and mating behavior.
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