Dixidae

Dixa nebulosa

The probe flies ( Dixidae ) are a family in the order of (Diptera ) and belong to the mosquitoes ( Suborder: Nematocera ). Worldwide, about 175 species of this group of animals, of which only 16 species of the genus Dixa with body sizes of three to four millimeters from Germany known.

Features

The adults are delicate and long legs and resemble small crane flies ( Tipulidae ). The proboscis is very short. Button mosquitoes live in damp places near water and are flower visitors, they do not sting. Occasionally, lead the mosquitoes of dance flights.

Development

Eggs are laid as a clutch in the form of a boat, glued with curd on stones.

The larvae are water living / aquatic and do not have a breathing tube / siphon (unlike the mosquitoes of the subfamily Culicinae, for example, Culex or Aedes with breathing tube, which enables them in brackish water enough oxygen from the surface to obtain ). This suggests that the larvae are adapted to clear, clean water. At rest, they take a typical U -shaped posture. One finds the larvae especially at Wassersaum and in shallow water. Here, the head in the water, the rear unwettable Stigmenfeld with the Tracheenöffnungen the surface pellicle and usually covered by a film of water curved central body portion is out of the water. The advancing movement is carried out with the bend formed by alternately pushing together of the segments of the front and rear body. A Hibernation takes place as a larva. The doll is often in the lateral position.

European species ( selection)

  • Genus Dixa Dixa dilata
  • Dixa maculata
  • Dixa nebulosa
  • Dixa puberula
  • Dixa submaculata
  • Dixella aestivallis
  • Dixella amphibia
  • Dixella borealis
  • Dixella dyari
  • Dixella filicornis
  • Dixella hyperborea
  • Dixella nigra
  • Dixella obscura

Fossil evidence

Fossil evidence of button mosquitoes are scarce. From eozänem Baltic amber species of the genera Dixa and Paradixa are described. In addition, the family is detected in the slightly younger Dominican amber. The previously oldest fossil evidence of this family goes back to a detection in the Lower Cretaceous of Australia

242424
de