Family Mycetophilidae - Fungus Gnats

Classification · Numbers · Identification · Habitat · Food · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

sexually dimorphic Diptera - maybe a midge?

What is this??? Is it a fly - Leia varia

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon ("Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera))

Infraorder Bibionomorpha

Family Mycetophilidae (Fungus Gnats)

Numbers

Over 600 species according to (1), but Keroplatinae is considered as a subfamily of Mycetophilidae in this account rather than a separate family, Keroplatidae.

Identification

"Small, slender to moderately robust flies. Many species are about the same size as a mosquito, but they have simple antennae and a humped thorax that hides the head from above. They have long legs, and strong bristles on the thorax and tibia." From Canadian Biodiversity website.

Habitat

Adults are found in damp places and do not live very long.

Food

"Many species feed at flowers. The larvae feed on decaying vegetation and fungi, and a few are predaceous. Because they feed on fungi some species are pests on mushroom farms." From Canadian Biodiversity website.

Print References

(1)

Internet References

Canada's Biodiversity

Ohio State University Fact Sheet

UC Davis

Virginia Tech.

Works Cited

1.	Borror and DeLong's Introduction to the Study of Insects By Norman F. Johnson, Charles A. Triplehorn

Contributed by Joel Kits on 11 March, 2005 - 9:41pm
Additional contributions by Stephen Cresswell, Beatriz Moisset
Last updated 12 June, 2008 - 2:33pm

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