Genus Helicobia

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Remarks · Print References

Helicobia - NEW GENUS - Helicobia rapax - female

Helicobia - NEW GENUS - Helicobia rapax - male

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon (Calyptratae)

Superfamily Oestroidea

Family Sarcophagidae (Flesh Flies)

Subfamily Sarcophaginae

Genus Helicobia

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Helicobia has formerly been considered a subgenus of Sarcophaga, but is now considered more likely the sister group of Sarcophaga + Peckia

Remarks

A genus of snail parasites, the name derived from the land snail genus Helix. Some species are not restricted to snails and Barker (2004) described them as facultative parasitoids.

Three species are known north of Mexico:

H. rapax is the common species, ranging from Canada to Argentina.

H. morionella occurs in southern USA.

H. stellata is a neotropical species that ranges north to Arizona. It is very similar to rapax, differing only in the shape of the juxta (part of the male sexual apparatus of Sarcophagidae).

There are many more species in the tropics.

Print References

Barker, G. M. 2004. Natural Enemies of Terrestrial Molluscs. CABI.

Contributed by John F. Carr on 6 November, 2014 - 6:23am
Last updated 11 November, 2014 - 2:49pm

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