Snakefly

Raphidia ophiopsis

The snakeflies ( Raphidioptera ) are an order of insects. Together with the Netzflüglern ( Neuroptera ) and the Großflüglern ( Megaloptera ) they form the group of Netzflüglerartigen ( Neuropterida ).

Features

The body length of snakeflies is between 8 and 18 mm, with a few species beyond, and in one case up to 45 mm. The most striking and eponymous feature of the snakeflies is the greatly prolonged chest first segment ( prothorax ), which is seated a long, flattened head. Both this segment and the head are remarkably mobile, a modification that can be seen otherwise only in the mantises ( Mantodea ), and the capture Stick ( Mantispa spec.). He is often slightly raised and carried bent. The front legs sit in contrast to the Mantodea or Mantispidae at the end of the prothorax.

The body is usually black or dark brown in color (some also with blue coating ) and also has some metallic luster. At the head, the thorax and the abdomen ( tummy) yellow, brown or white spots may be present. The compound eyes forwardmost emerge hemispherical and are in most species also colored black. Between them, the bristle- shaped, consisting of 35 to 75 members sensor are inflected.

The wings are large and richly veined, they also carry a distinct and characteristic Flügelmal ( pterostigma ). That is usually one color, usually dark brown to light yellowish, with a few species even in two colors. In the resting position the wings are like a roof worn on the abdomen. The animals have their legs five foot members ( tarsi ), the third is enlarged lobed.

The females have a conspicuous ovipositor ( ovipositor ), which is about as long as the abdomen itself Two paired and fused into a tube trailer ( Gonapophysen ) of the eighth abdominal segment of two Gonapophysen of the ninth segment are wrapped. The ovipositor is very flexible and mobile, fitted at the top with tactile organs.

Occurrence

All of the 200 known species of snakeflies live in the northern hemisphere. The southernmost occurrence of this group of animals are in the south of Mexico, and Taiwan, the northernmost Lapland.

In Europe, you will find about 75 species, mainly in the mountains of southern Europe. In Central Europe, only 16 species live mainly in sunny habitats of the herb layer, in bushes up to the crown of trees.

Way of life

Flight time of most snakeflies is in the months from May to June, so they are classified as spring active, moreover, they are diurnal. The adult animals live mainly in the foliage of various trees and shrubs and where they feed on prey on various insects, especially aphids. They catch their prey with biting mouthparts mainly by visually oriented, actively looking at the vegetation. The great mobility of the head and the extended front chest facilitate the acquisition of food.

The pair determination takes the time being probably chemically via pheromones and visually at close range. Before mating occurs a characteristic and crucial prelude, in which the partners are facing in order to register with the antennas and visually clearly agitated and stimulate. The female finally signaled readiness to mate in the best case by gently spreading of the wings and lifting the abdomen ( especially the ovipositor ), while it turns to the mating position in front of the male. This pushes up under the back of the female and try to reach the abdomen of the female with the extremely upturned abdomen. If it succeeds, it gets stuck with a paired organ clip at the genital opening of the female. As a result, the male hangs during the often lengthy copulation with her back down on the Bitch ( Raphidiidae ).

Eggs are laid in bark columns, where the ovipositor is inserted at least halfway into the substrate.

Larval development

The elongated larvae live under the bark or in the soil and feed on also predatory. They have a strong chitinisierten front body from head and prothorax, the rest of the body is rather weichhäutig. They are relatively fast runners, and they can also run backwards. They have made themselves especially a reputation as Borken and longhorn beetle hunters as well as destroyer of the eggs of nuns, a forest- damaging species of butterfly.

The larval development takes two to three years in most species. In a few species, it can also be a year, take other up to six years, with the animals 9 - Peel to 13 times. After the larval period, some rindenbewohnende species pupate in a gnawed into the softer bark substrate dolls cave in which the doll until shortly before the end of the pupa is motionless. This looks already very similar to the adult insect with the exception of the still existing as attachments wings. However, shortly before the end of the pupal period it begins to move inside the cave and eventually hatches as a complete insect from the pupa ( exuvia ).

Nomenclature of snakeflies

The systematics of the order snakeflies based amongst a number of other criteria on the possession of simple eyes ( ocelli ). In this case, only (currently about 180 species worldwide ), the point Raphidiidae eyes, at the Inocelliidae (worldwide currently over 20 species) they are missing. Below those species ( species and subspecies ) are listed that were ( east to the Ural Mountains, including the entire Crimean peninsula between 45 ° N and 60 ° N ) found so far in Europe and are classified both tart represented families only:

• Snakeflies - Raphidioptera Raphidiidae Phaeostigma ( Phaeostigma ) notata
• Phaeostigma ( Magnoraphidia ) major
• Phaeostigma ( Pontoraphidia ) setulosa setulosa
• Dichrostigma flavipes
• Dichrostigma Mehadia
• Turcoraphidia amara
• Subilla confinis
• Ornatoraphidia flavilabris
• Xanthostigma xanthostigma
• Xanthostigma aloysiana
• Raphidia ( Raphidia ) ophiopsis ophiopsis ( Otter head )
• Raphidia ( Raphidia ) ophiopsis mediterranea
• Raphidia ( Raphidia ) beieri
• Raphidia ( Raphidia ) ulrikae
• Raphidia ( Raphidia ) euxina
• Raphidia ( Raphidia ) ligurica
• Atlantoraphidia maculicollis
• Puncha ratzeburgi
• Venustoraphidia nigricollis

• Inocellia crassicornis
• Parainocellia ( Parainocellia ) bicolor
• Parainocellia ( Parainocellia ) braueri

The closest relatives of snakeflies are the lacewings ( Neuroptera ) and the Big Wings ( Megaloptera ).