Family STREBLIDAE Kolenati, 1863

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• Streblidae Kolenati, 1863.

Introduction

Streblidae are a small family of flies found in tropical and subtropical habitats. To date, around 220 species have been described worldwide. The Australian fauna is relatively small with only 5 species in 3 genera. Collectively, Streblidae and the closely related family Nycteribiidae are known as the Bat Flies due to their exclusively parasitic association with bats.

Adults are pupiparous, and puparia are often found on the ground in caves beneath where bats have been roosting. Sexual dimorphism is strong in the subfamily Ascodipterinae with males having heavily reduced mouthparts, and females encysting themselves in host tissue and shedding their wings and legs.

Maa's 1971 publication is the only significant work carried out on the Australian streblid fauna.

General References

Maa, T.C. 1971. Studies in batflies (Diptera: Streblidae; Nycteribiidae). Part 1. Revision of the Australian batflies (Diptera: Streblidae and Nycteribiidae). Pacific Insects Monographs 28: 1-118 [Date published 20 June]

Maa, T.C. 1996. Family Streblidae. In Evenhuis, N.L.(ed.) Catalog of the Diptera of the Australasian and Oceanian Regions. online version last updated 2 September 1996. http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/aocat/streblidae.html

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