Family NANNOCHORISTIDAE
Compiler and date details
K.J. Lambkin, Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (1996) Updated (1998) by S. Shattuck, CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Introduction
The Nannochoristidae is a small family based on the genus Nannochorista Tillyard. They are known from south-eastern Australia (including Tasmania), the south island of New Zealand, southern Chile and south-eastern Argentina. Adults are small (forewing ‹13 mm); the wing venation is open with few crossveins and RS is three-branched.
Adults are found amongst vegetation near the edges of small streams or lakes during late spring and summer. Eggs are laid in wet litter near the water's edge. The aquatic larvae are elongate and campodeiform, and live in the fine sediment of the lake margin or stream. They apparently feed mostly on chironomid larvae. Pupation occurs near the water's edge in damp vegetation, soil or under the bark of rotting logs.
General References
Byers, G.W. 1989. The Nannochoristidae of South America (Mecoptera). University of Kansas Science Bulletin 54: 25-34
Kristensen, N.P. 1989. The New Zealand scorpionfly (Nannochorista philpotti comb. n.): wing morphology and its phylogenetic significance. Zeitschrift für Zoologische Systematik und Evolutionsforschung 27: 106-114
Pilgrim, R.L.C. 1972. The aquatic larva and the pupa of Choristella philpotti Tillyard, 1917 (Mecoptera: Nannochoristidae). Pacific Insects 14: 151-168
Riek, E.F. 1954. The Australian Mecoptera or scorpion-flies. Australian Journal of Zoology 2: 143-168
Riek, E.F. 1970. Mecoptera. pp. 636-646 in CSIRO (ed.). The Insects of Australia. A textbook for students and research workers. Carlton : Melbourne University Press 1029 pp.
Tillyard, R.J. 1917. Studies in Australian Mecoptera. No. i. The new family Nannochoristidae, with descriptions of a new genus and four new species: and an appendix descriptive of a new genus and species from New Zealand. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 42: 284-301
History of changes
Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
12-Feb-2010 | (import) |
- Nannochorista Tillyard, R.J. 1917. Studies in Australian Mecoptera. No. i. The new family Nannochoristidae, with descriptions of a new genus and four new species: and an appendix descriptive of a new genus and species from New Zealand. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 42: 284-301 [292].
Type species:
Nannochorista dipteroides Tillyard, 1917 by original designation. - Choristella Tillyard, R.J. 1917. Studies in Australian Mecoptera. No. i. The new family Nannochoristidae, with descriptions of a new genus and four new species: and an appendix descriptive of a new genus and species from New Zealand. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 42: 284-301 [299] [junior homonym of Choristella Bush, 1897 (Mollusca)].
Type species:
Choristella philpotti Tillyard, 1917 by original designation. - Microchorista Byers, G.W. 1974. New generic names for Mecoptera of Australia and New Zealand. Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 13: 165-167 [165] [nom. nov. for
Choristella Tillyard, 1917].
Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy
- Kristensen, N.P. 1989. The New Zealand scorpionfly (Nannochorista philpotti comb. n.): wing morphology and its phylogenetic significance. Zeitschrift für Zoologische Systematik und Evolutionsforschung 27: 106-114 [113]
Distribution
States
Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria
Extra Distribution Information
New Zealand and South America
IBRA
ACT, NSW, Tas, Vic: Australian Alps (AA), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Ben Lomond (BEL), Broken Hill Complex (BHC), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Mulga Lands (ML), Nandewar (NAN), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Riverina (RIV), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE), Victorian Midlands (VM)
Original AFD Distribution Data
Australian Region
- Australia
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales: Murray-Darling basin, SE coastal
- Tasmania
- Victoria: Murray-Darling basin
- New Zealand
Neotropical Region
Distribution References
- Byers, G.W. 1989. The Nannochoristidae of South America (Mecoptera). University of Kansas Science Bulletin 54: 25-34
- Kristensen, N.P. 1989. The New Zealand scorpionfly (Nannochorista philpotti comb. n.): wing morphology and its phylogenetic significance. Zeitschrift für Zoologische Systematik und Evolutionsforschung 27: 106-114
History of changes
Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
08-Jan-2013 | MODIFIED |
- Nannochorista dipteroides Tillyard, R.J. 1917. Studies in Australian Mecoptera. No. i. The new family Nannochoristidae, with descriptions of a new genus and four new species: and an appendix descriptive of a new genus and species from New Zealand. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 42: 284-301 [293].
Type data:
Holotype BMNH Tillyard Coll. ♂ (according to Riek, E.F. 1954. The Australian Mecoptera or scorpion-flies. Australian Journal of Zoology 2: 143–168 [152], in the original description Tillyard stated only 'Types, and series of paratypes in Coll. Tillyard'), Hobart, between Huon Road and Strickland Avenue, TAS (as specified by Riek (op. cit.)—in the original description Tillyard simply stated 'Hobart').
Distribution
States
Tasmania
Extra Distribution Information
Australian Endemic.
IBRA
Tas: Ben Lomond (BEL), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE)
Original AFD Distribution Data
Australian Region
- Australia
- Tasmania
Ecological Descriptors
Adult: volant.
General References
Mickoleit, G. 1975. Die Genital- und Postgenitalsegmente der Mecoptera-Weibchen (Insecta, Holometabola) I. Das Exoskelet. Zeitschrift für Morphologie der Tiere 80: 97-135
Mickoleit, G. 1976. Die Genital- und Postgenitalsegmente der Mecoptera-Weibchen (Insecta, Holometabola) II. Das Dach der Genitalkammer. Zoomorphology (Berlin) 85: 133-156
Willmann, R. 1981. Das Exoskelett der männlichen Genitalien der Mecoptera (Insecta). I. Morphologie. Zeitschrift für Zoologische Systematik und Evolutionsforschung 9: 96-150
History of changes
Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
12-Feb-2010 | (import) |
- Nannochorista eboraca Tillyard, R.J. 1917. Studies in Australian Mecoptera. No. i. The new family Nannochoristidae, with descriptions of a new genus and four new species: and an appendix descriptive of a new genus and species from New Zealand. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 42: 284-301 [295].
Type data:
Holotype BMNH Tillyard Coll. ♀ (see Riek, E.F. 1954. The Australian Mecoptera or scorpion-flies. Australian Journal of Zoology 2: 143–168 [153]), Ebor scrub, NSW.
Distribution
States
Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Victoria
Extra Distribution Information
Australian Endemic.
IBRA
ACT, NSW, Vic: Australian Alps (AA), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Broken Hill Complex (BHC), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Mulga Lands (ML), Nandewar (NAN), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Riverina (RIV), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Victorian Midlands (VM)
Original AFD Distribution Data
Australian Region
- Australia
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales: Murray-Darling basin, SE coastal
- Victoria: Murray-Darling basin
Ecological Descriptors
Adult: volant.
General References
Riek, E.F. 1954. The Australian Mecoptera or scorpion-flies. Australian Journal of Zoology 2: 143-168 [152] (as a subspecies of
Smithers, C.N. 1987. Synopsis of Australian scorpionflies (Mecoptera). General and Applied Entomology 19: 31-44 [37] (synonymised with Nannochorista dipteroides Tillyard, 1917 without explanation)
History of changes
Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
12-Feb-2010 | (import) |
- Nannochorista holostigma Tillyard, R.J. 1917. Studies in Australian Mecoptera. No. i. The new family Nannochoristidae, with descriptions of a new genus and four new species: and an appendix descriptive of a new genus and species from New Zealand. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 42: 284-301 [294].
Type data:
Status unknown, BMNH Tillyard Coll. (stated as 'Types, ♂ ♀, and series of paratypes, in Coll. Tillyard' in original description, and not further clarified by Riek, E.F. 1954. The Australian Mecoptera or scorpion-flies. Australian Journal of Zoology 2: 143–168 [154]; Byers, G.W. (pers. comm.) says ♂ ♀ in type collection in 1964), 'Hab. - Shores of Lakes Lilla and Dove, Cradle Mountain, N.W. Tasmania'.
Distribution
States
Tasmania
Extra Distribution Information
Endimic to Tasmania.
Australian Endemic.
IBRA
Tas: Ben Lomond (BEL), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE)
Original AFD Distribution Data
Australian Region
- Australia
- Tasmania
Ecological Descriptors
Adult: volant.
History of changes
Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
12-Feb-2010 | (import) |
- Nannochorista maculipennis Tillyard, R.J. 1917. Studies in Australian Mecoptera. No. i. The new family Nannochoristidae, with descriptions of a new genus and four new species: and an appendix descriptive of a new genus and species from New Zealand. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 42: 284-301 [294].
Type data:
Holotype BMNH Tillyard Coll. ♂ (see Riek, E.F. 1954. The Australian Mecoptera or scorpion-flies. Australian Journal of Zoology 2: 143–168 [153]), Crater Lake Creek, Cradle Mtn, TAS.
Distribution
States
Tasmania
Extra Distribution Information
Endemic to Tasmania.
Australian Endemic.
IBRA
Tas: Ben Lomond (BEL), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE)
Original AFD Distribution Data
Australian Region
- Australia
- Tasmania
Ecological Descriptors
Adult: volant.
General References
Evans, J.W. 1942. The morphology of Nannochorista maculipennis Tillyard (Mecoptera). Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 66: 218-255
Willmann, R. 1981. Das Exoskelett der männlichen Genitalien der Mecoptera (Insecta). I. Morphologie. Zeitschrift für Zoologische Systematik und Evolutionsforschung 9: 96-150
History of changes
Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
30-Sep-2015 | MODIFIED |