Family NEUROCHAETIDAE McAlpine, 1978
Upside-Down Flies
Compiler and date details
July 2011 - Scott Ginn, Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia
2007 - R. Johnson, data taken from Evenhuis, N.L. Catalog of the Diptera of the Australasian and Oceanian Regions (online version, accessed 2007-08)
Introduction
Neurochaetidae are a small family of flies currently known from some 20 species worldwide. McAlpine established the family in 1978 and has subsequently described many of the known fauna (see McAlpine 1988, 1993). Currently, three species in two genera are described from Australia. A fourth undescribed species is known from the Northern Territory (McAlpine, pers. comm.).
Flies in this family display a curious behaviour, whereby individuals will maintain an inverted (head-down) orientation when landed on any vertical plane. They retain this orientation when walking, and so will walk sideways left or right and walk in reverse if ascending. The biology and life history of Neurochaeta inversa and its association with the host plant Alocasia brisbanensis (F.M. Bailey) Domin is well documented (McAlpine 1878; Shaw et al. 1982).
McAlpine (1993) includes a key to known genera; McAlpine (1988) and Woodley (1982) give keys to species for Neurochaeta.
General References
McAlpine, D.K. 1978. Description and biology of a new genus of flies related to Anthoclusia and representing a new family (Diptera, Schizophora, Neurochaetidae). Annals of the Natal Museum 23(2): 273-295 [Date published October]
McAlpine, D.K. 1988. Studies in upside-down flies (Diptera: Neurochaetidae). Part I. Systematics and phylogeny. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 110(1): 31-58 [Date published September]
McAlpine, D.K. 1993. Review of the upside-down Flies (Diptera: Neurochaetidae) of Madagascar and Africa, and evolution of Neurochaetid host plant associations. Records of the Australian Museum 45(2): 221-239 [Date published 30 July]
Shaw, D.E., Cantrell, B.K. & Houston, K.J. 1982. Neurochaeta inversa McAlpine (Diptera: Neurochaetidae) and seed set in Alocasia macrorrhiza (L.) G. Don (Araceae) in southeast Queensland. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 106(1): 67-82 [Date published 27 October]
Woodley, N.E. 1982. Two new species of Neurochaeta McAlpine (Diptera: Neurochaetidae), with notes on cladistic relationships within the genus. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Washington 10: 211-218 [Date published 30 September]
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17-Aug-2011 | 17-Aug-2011 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |
- Neurochaeta McAlpine, D.K. 1978. Description and biology of a new genus of flies related to Anthoclusia and representing a new family (Diptera, Schizophora, Neurochaetidae). Annals of the Natal Museum 23(2): 273-295 [Date published October] [278-281].
Type species:
Neurochaeta inversa McAlpine, 1978 by original designation.
Distribution
States
New South Wales, Queensland
IBRA
NSW, Qld: New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), Sydney Basin (SB), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Wet Tropics (WT)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17-Aug-2011 | 17-Aug-2011 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |
- Neurochaeta inversa McAlpine, D.K. 1978. Description and biology of a new genus of flies related to Anthoclusia and representing a new family (Diptera, Schizophora, Neurochaetidae). Annals of the Natal Museum 23(2): 273-295 [Date published October] [285-294].
Type data:
Holotype AM ♂ (H.G. Cogger & D.K. McAlpine, 2.iv.1961), NSW, The Island Reserve, Belllingen.
Distribution
States
New South Wales, Queensland
IBRA
NSW, Qld: New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), Sydney Basin (SB), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Wet Tropics (WT)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17-Aug-2011 | 17-Aug-2011 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |
- Nothoasteia Malloch, J.R. 1936. Notes on Australian Diptera. XXXVI. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 61(5-6): 259-261 [Date published 15 December] [259].
Type species:
Nothoasteia platycephala Malloch, 1936 by original designation.
Distribution
States
Queensland, Western Australia
IBRA
Qld: South Eastern Queensland (SEQ) ; WA: Jarrah Forest (JF), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Warren (WAR)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17-Aug-2011 | 17-Aug-2011 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |
- Nothoasteia clausa McAlpine, D.K. 1988. Studies in upside-down flies (Diptera: Neurochaetidae). Part I. Systematics and phylogeny. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 110(1): 31-58 [Date published September] [55-57].
Type data:
Holotype AM ♀ (A.C. Postle, 20-27.xi.1980), Western Australia, Yaragil 4P Catchment, via Dwellingup.
Distribution
States
Western Australia
IBRA
WA: Jarrah Forest (JF), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Warren (WAR)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17-Aug-2011 | 17-Aug-2011 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |
- Nothoasteia platycephala Malloch, J.R. 1936. Notes on Australian Diptera. XXXVI. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 61(5-6): 259-261 [Date published 15 December] [259-260].
Type data:
Holotype AM (SPTHM collection), Queensland, Brisbane.
Distribution
States
Queensland
IBRA
Qld: South Eastern Queensland (SEQ)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17-Aug-2011 | 17-Aug-2011 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |