The Blephariceridae, commonly known as net-winged midges, are a nematoceran family in the order Diptera. The adults resemble crane flies except with a projecting anal angle in the wings, and different head shape, absence of the V on the mesonotum, and more laterally outstretched, forward-facing legs. They are uncommon, but dozens of genera occur worldwide, and over 200 species.
One recent classification based largely on fossils treats this family as the sole member of its infraorder, but this has not gained wide acceptance.
Selected genera and species
Subfamily Blepharicerinae Tribe Blepharicerini Agathon Rodor, 1890 Agathon arizonica (Alexander, 1958) Agathon aylmeri (Garrett, 1923) Agathon comstocki (Kellogg, 1903) Agathon dismalea (Hogue, 1970) Agathon doanei (Kellogg, 1900) Agathon elegantulus Roder, 1890 Agathon markii (Garrett, 1925) Agathon sequoiarum (Alexander, 1952) Bibiocephala Bibiocephala grandis Osten Sacken, 1874 Blepharicera Macquart, 1843 Blepharicera appalachiae Hogue and Georgian, 1986 Blepharicera capitata (Loew, 1863) Blepharicera cherokea Hogue, 1978 Blepharicera coweetae Hogue and Georgian, 1985 Blepharicera diminutiva Hogue, 1978 Blepharicera jordani (Kellogg, 1903) Blepharicera micheneri (Alexander, 1959) Blepharicera ostensackeni Kellogg, 1903 Blepharicera similans (Johannsen, 1929) Blepharicera tenuipes (Walker, 1848) Blepharicera williamsae (Alexander, 1953) Blepharicera zionensis (Alexander, 1953) Philorus Philorus californicus Hogue, 1966 Philorus jacinto Hogue, 1966 Philorus vanduzeei Alexander, 1963 Philorus yosemite (Osten Sacken, 1877) Subfamily Edwardsininae Edwardsina Edwardsina gigantea Zwick, 1977 Edwardsina tasmaniensis Tonnoir, 1924 Paulianina
Extinct genera
†Blephadejura Lukashevich et al. 2006 Daohugou, China, Callovian †Brianina Zhang and Lukashevich 2007 Daohugou, China, Callovian †Megathon Lukashevich and Shcherbakov 1997 Daohugou, China, Callovian, Ola Formation, Russia, Campanian †Philorites Cockerell 1908 Green River Formation, Colorado, Eocene †Sinotendipes Hong and Wang 1990 Laiyang Formation, China, Aptian
Larval development The pupae are ovoid and remain firmly attached to rocks that are regularly washed or splashed by water, using paired adhesion disks rather than the more typical suction disks. Upon emergence, adults resemble delicate craneflies, possessing elongated antennae and wings marked by a distinctive network of fissures and folds, somewhat evocative of broken safety glass.
Adult net-winged midges often suspend themselves from vegetation similar to scorpion flies or cling to moist rock faces near the streams and rivers inhabited by their larvae. They obtain food by scraping diatoms and other microorganisms from surfaces. In numerous lineages, females exhibit predatory behaviour, seizing mayflies and other small insects with specialized hind tarsi.
References
Loew H. 1862. Monographs of the Diptera of North America. Part 1. Smithsonian Institution, Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collection 6(1): 1–221, fig. 1-3+1-12, 2 pls.
External links
Tree of Life Blephariceromorpha Iowa State University Biology, Classification, Keys (introductory figure). Video of a Blepharicerid larva