Protopiophila_litigata

<i>Protopiophila litigata</i>

Protopiophila litigata

Species of fly

Protopiophila litigata, also known as the antler fly, is a small species of fly in the family Piophilidae.[1] It is native to North America.[2]

Quick Facts Protopiophila litigata, Scientific classification ...

Range

Antler flies are found in Canada, and range from Newfoundland west to Alberta.[3] The species was originally described from Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario.[2]

Ecology

The antler fly breeds on discarded antlers of moose and other deer.[4] As adaptations to such a scarce and scattered resource, they have several unusual behaviour patterns. For one thing, the males are astonishingly bellicose; the specific epithet litigata reflects the fact — in context it means "aggressive", as in the English word "litigious". On discarded antlers, the males form complex, highly structured aggregations in which a great deal of territorial competition occurs. Some individuals defend stable territories, while others wander in search of females that arrive on antlers to feed, mate, and oviposit. In prime areas of the antler, near oviposition sites (cracks in the antler surface), males spend much of their time battling rival males. They even attack insects much larger than themselves.[5] Another adaptation to life on discarded antlers is an astonishing degree of site fidelity: males spend their entire lives competing on the same antler (only leaving to spend the night in nearby vegetation), making it possible to mark flies individually and obtain longitudinal field data on these tiny insects. This unique ecology made it possible to document senescence in wild insects for the first time.[6]

References

  1. [1]
    "Antler Fly (Protopiophila litigata)". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  2. [2]
    Bonduriansky, Russell (December 1995). "A new Nearctic species of Protopiophila Duda (Diptera: Piophilidae), with notes on its behaviour and comparison with P. latipes (Meigen)". The Canadian Entomologist. 127 (6): 859–863. doi:10.4039/Ent127859-6. ISSN 0008-347X.
  3. [3]
    Rochefort, Sabrina (2015). Taxonomy and phylogeny of Piophilidae (Diptera) (MSc thesis). Terry A. Wheeler (Internal/Supervisor). McGill University. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  4. [4]
    Bonduriansky, Russell. "Antler flies". bonduriansky.net. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  5. [5]
    Bonduriansky, R.; Brooks, R.J. (July 1999). "Why do male antler flies (Protopiophila litigata) fight? The role of male combat in the structure of mating aggregations on moose antlers". Ethology Ecology & Evolution. 11 (3): 287–301. doi:10.1080/08927014.1999.9522829. ISSN 0394-9370.
  6. [6]
    Bonduriansky, Russell; Brassil, Chad E. (November 2002). "Rapid and costly ageing in wild male flies". Nature. 420 (6914): 377–377. doi:10.1038/420377a. ISSN 0028-0836.
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