Observations on hilltopping in thick-headed flies (Diptera: Conopidae)
11Università di Roma “Sapienza”, Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell’Uomo, Entomologia, P.le Valerio Massimo, 6, 00162, Roma, Italia
2Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada
3Department of Biology, 209 Nesbitt Building, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
Abstract
Direct observations of hilltopping behaviour in the thick-headed flies (Diptera: Conopidae) have only been mentioned once in the literature. Hilltop collecting, however, may be an effective way to survey these endparasitoids. The first evidence of hilltopping in species belonging to the subfamilies Myopinae and Dalmanniinae is presented and discussed. Field observations were conducted on Colle Vescovo, Italy and Mount Rigaud, Canada, and museum specimens were examined. Observations and records indicate that four species in the genera Dalmannia, Myopa, and Zodion are hilltoppers on Colle Vescovo, while three species in the genera Myopa and Physocephala are hilltoppers on three hilltops near Ottawa, Canada. Fifteen additional species of conopids have been collected on hilltops and could possibly utilize hilltops in some years as a part of their mating strategy. Detailed phenologies and observations of mating and perching behaviours are given for species in the genera Dalmannia, Myopa, Physocephala, and Zodion. The importance of hilltop habitat preservation is stressed.
Keywords: Canada, Dalmannia, Italy, mating behaviour, Myopa, parasitoid, phenology, Physocephala, Thecophora, Zodion
Correspondence: amaurizio.mei@uniroma1.it,
bjoel.gibson@agr.gc.ca,
cjeffrey.skevington@agr.gc.ca
Associate Editor: Tugrul Giray was editor of this paper.
Received: 10 July 2008 | Accepted: 18 September 2008 | Published: 29 March 2010
Copyright: This is an open access paper. We use the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license that permits unrestricted use, provided that the paper is properly attributed.
ISSN: 1536-2442 | Volume 10, Number 27
Mei M, Gibson JF, Skevington JH. 2010. Observations on hilltopping in thick-headed flies (Diptera: Conopidae). 15pp. Journal of Insect Science 10:27, available online: insectscience.org/10.27
 Figure 1 |
 Figure 2 |
 Figure 3 |
 Figure 4 |
 Figure 5 |