Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Distribution of Rhinophoridae

Posted by Tony Irwin on 17-04-2009 21:55
#2

The family is named after the genus Rhinophora, erected by Robineau-Desvoidy in 1830 for Meigen's species Tachina lepida. I think Rhinophora literally means "nose-bearer" - and the species does have a slightly protruding mouth-edge - but I don't have R-D's original description to hand, so cannot say whether this is why it was so-named. Often the early Dipterists didn't bother to say why they had chosen a particular name - you had to work out why for yourself!

The family distribution is Nearctic, Palaearctic (particularly rich in Southern Europe), African, with fewer species in the Oriental and Neotropical regions. At one time they were thought to be absent from the Australasian region, but Colless's family Axiniidae is now thought to be a subfamily of Rhinophoridae, so they are there after all!

In Europe, I believe that all the species that were known to breed in anything other than woodlice (Isopoda) have been moved into the Tachinidae or Calliphoridae. I don't think any other hosts are recorded.

The best diagnostic account that I know of is that by Thomas Pape, in the Manual of Palaearctic Diptera.

Edited by Tony Irwin on 17-04-2009 22:02