Sialis
Common Wasserflorfliege ( sialis lutaria )
Silais is a genus of mud flying or Wasserflorfliegen ( Sialidae ) within the Big Wings ( Megaloptera ). You are Holarctic spread with about 40 species and thus constitute the largest genus of mud flying dar.
Features
The animals are, as is typical for mud flying, relatively small and have a plump physique with forewing length 10-20 mm. The females are larger than males usually. The animals are mostly brown in color and do not have simple eyes ( ocelli ). The pronotum is relatively broad and less long than wide. The legs are strongly built and have five Tarsenglieder. The fourth element is widened lobed. Like the other Big Wings have sialis species a very projecting Flügeladerung on their large wings that are placed in the position of rest roof-like over the body.
Within the genus, the species can only genitalmorphologisch certainly different.
The larvae on the abdomen of seven pairs of characteristic, feathery gills and a long, tapered rear body end. They have large mandibles.
Dissemination
The genus is Holarctic spread. In Europe, 10 species occur in Central Europe four.
The most common is in Central Europe, the kind sialis lutaria, which is found mainly in standing and slowly flowing waters. Sialis fuliginosa, however, prefers flowing waters with relatively good water quality. Far rarer is sialis nigripes, which can probably live only in large river systems. Sialis sordida has so far been found only once in the lower reaches of the Isar.
Way of life
The adults are diurnal and fly sluggishly. They are found in Central Europe from May to June on the riverbank vegetation, they live only briefly.
The females lay up to 2000 eggs in groups of about 200 pieces from the riparian vegetation of various types of waters. The resulting hatching larvae can fall into the water. Initially live in water, buried in the mud later and occur in up to 18 meters depth. The larvae feed on prey on insect larvae, worms and small clams. You need to usually two years to develop, overwinter as larvae and both times by live 10 larval stages. Pupation takes place on the shore under the earth. The doll digs before hatching of the imago to the surface.
Systematics ( Europe)
Sialis is with about 40 species the largest genus within the family about 60 species counted the mud flies ( Sialidae ). For species widespread in Europe are the following:
- Common Wasserflorfliege ( lutaria sialis ) (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Sialis fuliginosa Pictet, 1836
- Sialis nigripes Pictet, 1865
- Sialis abchasica Vshivkova, 1985
- Sialis dorochovae Vshivkova, 1985
- Sialis gonzalezi Vshivkova, 1985
- Sialis klingstedti Vshivkova, 1985
- Sialis morio Klingstedt, 1932
- Sialis sibirica McLachlan, 1872
- Sialis sordida Klingstedt, 1932
From Baltic amber from the Eocene ( Protosialis ) baltica are also the fossil species sialis sialis groehni and described. This is the so far oldest fossil record of this family.