Family BITTACIDAE

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Introduction

The Bittacidae is the second largest family of the Mecoptera, comprising over 130 described species in 17 genera. The Australian fauna comprises 16 described species in six genera, all of which are endemic except for the cosmopolitan Bittacus Latreille. Adults are of variable size (forewing length of Australian species from 13 to 27 mm) and are distinguished by the presence of raptorial tarsi with a single claw, and narrow subpetiolate wings. They are active predators, using the raptorial tarsi to grasp their mostly insect prey. Complex courtship behaviour has been recorded in many species with males providing captured prey to females as nuptial gifts.

Habitat and seasonality of the adults of Australian species varies considerably. The monotypic Symbittacus Byers and Tytthobittacus Smithers are rainforest inhabitants encountered mostly in the summer months; the monotypic Austrobittacus Riek and Edriobittacus Byers fly in the more open understorey of eucalypt woodland in autumn; the one species of Bittacus Latrielle is known from two specimens collected in February in the understorey of moist eucalypt forest; and the species of the dominant genus, Harpobittacus Gerstaecker, live in the more open understorey of coastal heathland and of the moister zones of eucalypt woodland, flying in spring and/or autumn.

Bittacid eggs are cuboidal, polyhedral, or subspherical and are dropped randomly to the ground by the female while she 'hangs' by her foretarsi from foliage. Larvae are eruciform and are characterised by the presence of pairs of fleshy dorsal protuberances on most segments. They live under leaf litter and are saprophagous. Pupation occurs in an earthern cell just beneath the surface of the soil.

General References

Bornemissza, G.F. 1966. Observations on the hunting and mating behaviour of two species of scorpion flies (Bittacidae: Mecoptera). Australian Journal of Zoology 14: 371-382

Byers, G.W. & Thornhill, R. 1983. Biology of the Mecoptera. Annual Review of Entomology 28: 203-228

Currie, G.A. 1932. Some notes on the biology and morphology of the immature stages of Harpobittacus tillyardi (Order Mecoptera). Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 57: 116-122

Lambkin, K.J. 1988. An Australian species of the genus Bittacus Latreille (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 25: 439-444

Lambkin, K.J. 1993. New information on the Australian small bittacids (Mecoptera). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 33: 253-257

Lambkin, K.J. 1994. Revision of the Australian scorpion-fly genus Harpobittacus (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 8: 767-808

Setty, L.R. 1940. Biology and morphology of some North American Bittacidae (Order Mecoptera). American Midland Naturalist 23: 257-353

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