| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication: | 2007 |
| Authors: | D. P. Koenig, Young C. W. |
| Journal: | Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington |
| Volume: | 109 |
| Pagination: | 52-65 |
| Keywords: | Diptera, host records, larva, Nephrocerus, parasitoids, Pipunculidae, puparium, Tipula, Tipulidae |
| Abstract: | Nephrocerus atrapilus Skevington 2005 (Diptera: Pipunculidae) and Nephrocerus daeckei Johnson 1903 were reared as endoparasitoids of three species of adult crane flies in the genus Tipula Linnaeus (Diptera: Tipulidae). Two additional Tipula species were observed to host pipunculid larvae presumed to be species of Nephrocerus. Pipunculid larvae are known to parasitize auchenorrhynchous Hemiptera, particularly Cicadellidae, Delphacidae and Cercopidae but this is the first report of hosts for Nephrocerus, and the first recorded instance of adult Tipulidae being parasitized by another true fly. The rate of pipunculid parasitism of female crane flies in this study from all collecting sites was 42% (82/193), but the rate for males was 0.008% (1/119). Endoparasitoid pipunculid larvae undergo a rapid active feeding stage for less than 20 days, and then enter an intensive diapause for ten months before pupariation. External anatomical features of larvae and puparia of Nephrocerus are described and illustrated. Techniques for collecting and rearing Nephrocerus are described. |