cf. Liohippelates sp. - Eye Gnat (Duda, 1929)

Eye Spy

Description: Identified by Alessandre Colavite (www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001358912639&ref=b...) and Cesar of Insetologia.

Liohippelates is a genus of eye gnats in the order Diptera, suborder Brachycera, infraorder Muscomorpha (in which the section Schizophora and subsection Acalyptratae are included), superfamily Carnoidea, family Chloropidae and subfamily Oscinellinae.

There is no guarantee this is a Liohippelates but due to distribution and how widespread they are here, along with visual attributes that are reminiscent of the genus, I'll leave the genus Liohippelates as a hunch. Similar genera do exist within Oscinellinae, such as Hippelates, so at the very least it is something really close to the genus chosen. This is a male.

The adults breed in moist environments, usually those containing organic matter, where the larvae develop. The adult females of Oscinellinae in general feed on the bodily secretions of animals such as blood, pus, sweat and sebaceous secretions. The eye gnats do not bite, instead absorbing those substances through "sponges" on their mouthparts. These secretions possess proteins that are fundamental to the production of the eggs. A notorious behaviour to female eye gnats is that they scrape the surface of the skin of animals through curved spurs on the hind legs to act as stimuli for the production of those substances.

5 to 8 days after eclosing the females will start to lay eggs inside organic, moist soil in groups of up to 50 eggs. Eggs are laid consecutively through days, possibly reaching a sheer amount of 200 to 400 eggs in 2 or 3 days. The eggs are reminiscent of pearls with a white coloring and measure around 0.5mm in length. Offspring are born between 2 and 4 days after the oviposition; the larvae will proceed to burrow into the soil and feed on the organic matter and roots. 5 to 20 days later, the larvae pupate closer to the surface. The pupa stage lasts from 5 to 10 days.

The following morphology is attributed to Liohippelates peruanus (Becker, 1912), thus it may not be on point on everything, but it's the closest to the subject portrayed I could find; if I would risk high, I'd even say this is a Liohippelates sp., which is probably a tightest fit than are Hippelates and other genera.

The venation of the wings are reduced, and Oscinellinae possess large compound eyes. The subject portrayed measured more or less around 1,5mm in length with a black, polished, sparsely haired thorax, red bulging eyes and three dark bands on the abdomen; the band that is most distal to the thorax and closer to the tip of the abdomen measured the least, while the central band increased in size and the proximal band to the thorax measured the most. Females possess 4 bands on the tergites, while males possess three, to which I conclude this is a male.

Morphology of Liohippelates peruanus (Becker, 1912):

Males possess the oceli triangle with a brownish-red margin with the first and second tergites being yellow. The other three tergites present the dark band mentioned before. The gena and prosternum are yellow. All legs are yellow, with the last metatarsi being brownish-black. A subtle spot on the second third of the hind tibia is present. The tibial spur of the hind tibia is short. Females possess a black spot on the third segment of the antennae, located on the base of the aristae.

General morphology to the genus Liohippelates, taking away the intraspecific traits:

Oceli triangle and dorso of the thorax are very shiny, polished and black, except in a few places interrupted with holes where the setae are inserted. The tibial spur is shorter than half of the tibia's length.

Liohippelates are widespread in the world, save some regions.

Sources:

www.repositorio.unicamp.br/bitstream/REPOSIP/314070/1/Fra...

www.ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74164.html

PROJECT NOAH (Português): www.projectnoah.org/spottings/1388333559

Taken in: Brasil / Ceará / Fortaleza / Estância (show map)

Taken on: March 10, 2018

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