File: <there1.ima.htm> [For educational purposes only] Terminology Glossary <Principal Natural
Enemy Groups > <Citations> |
Immature Stages of Therevidae
Detailed information on immature stages of Therevidae is being
acquired. However, Clausen (1940)
noted that the larvae live in sandy soil and are predaceous ;on earthworms
and various soft-bodied insects. The
larvae of Phycus brunneus Wied. occurring in bat
dung in India are believed to feed on dermestid larvae Isaac 1925). But Goetz
(1932) considered that the supposed predaceous habit of the larvae was
still questionable. The immature stages are similar to Asilidae. The 1st instar larvae are vermiform, with
20 apparent segments, due to Aintersegments@ between the first 6 true
segments of the abdomen. Prothoracic
and caudal spiracles are present.
Mature larvae of Psilocephala
sequa Wlk. (Bhatia 1934) are
also elongated and bear spiracles at the posterior margin of the first
thoracic segment and at the anterior margin of the 4th segment from the end
of the abdomen. Pupae have heavily
sclerotized processes on the antennal sheath and at the base of each wing
sheath. The abdominal segments each
bear a ring of long spines at the posterior margin, and the last segment is
produced into a pair of large, heavily sclerotized processes. References: Please refer
to <biology.ref.htm> [Additional
references may be found at: MELVYL Library] |