Diptera.info

Posted by cyprinoid on 07-11-2009 15:12

Edit: I have been told it is probably a beetle

Sorry if it's something else, please move if I am in the worng forum.

Norway, 07.11, 5mm edit: I went out again and collected it, it s over 10mm streched out

It came crawling out of a mushroom.

Edited by cyprinoid on 10-11-2009 16:23

Posted by Cranefly on 08-11-2009 12:22

Very strange larva. Looks like something close to Mycetophilidae, fully grown larva shortened before pupation. Other opinions??

Posted by atylotus on 09-11-2009 10:21

I also think it looks very much like a Mycetophilidae. Very dark head, no thoracic legs or any other rudimentary legs/pseudopods. first thoracic segement as well as at least 4 (-6?) abdominal segments with a pair of lateral spiracles (black dots). I don�t think it is a beetle larva, for most families have segmented (thoracic) legs, and if not (for instance Curculionidae) most terrestrial species have something like a pygopodium (an unsegmented walking leg at the last abd. segment). But I do not know every beetle-larvae. A detailed photo of the head in ventral view would help. The shape of the head capsule and its mandibles are quit unique. If this turned out to be a Diptera, then it must be a Mycetophilidae.

Posted by atylotus on 10-11-2009 09:26

Mycetophilidae. At the base of the head capsule you'll see a yellow 'hole' which is in fact an unchitinized part of the head capsule. This is unique for fungus gnat larvae.

Posted by cyprinoid on 10-11-2009 12:14

Interesting, I did collect with the idea of rearing, but with my 0 insight, it dried up within a day. Can't say I really made a huge effort though.

Paul, would you be interested in adding pics to gallery?

Posted by cyprinoid on 10-11-2009 12:47

Do you want me to submit, or do you just pick them off here?

I don't know if it is even remotely interesting but here's a pic of the mushrooms.
Diameter of the hats are 20-30 cm.

PS: While photographing the mushrooms today, I found another larva half-way emerged and frozen stiff.

Edited by cyprinoid on 10-11-2009 12:50

Posted by atylotus on 10-11-2009 13:56

#11

Sorry for the inconvenience, but I think I made a mistake. A Sciaridae larvae may also be one of the possibilities. I have edited the head capsule of the norwegian specimen and this is what I mean by a hole in the headcapsule. In the next reply you'll see what is meant from the publication by Smith (1989). In Sciaridae there is a complete or nearly complete posterior tentorial bridge (p.t.

, which is lacking in Mycetophilidae. In Sciaridae larvae it seems as if there is an extra hole. So the mistake is, that I thought this was present in Mycetophilidae, but it isn't. So If you see this hole and the ptb, and I think this is present in the Norwegian specimen, then it is a Sciaridae. If not then it is a Mycetophilidae.
Sorry for my mistake.
Ton

Edited by atylotus on 10-11-2009 13:57

Posted by atylotus on 10-11-2009 13:59

#12

and here is a excerpt from Smith (1989) with the headcapsules in Mycetophilidae (fig. 86 or left) and Sciaridae (fig 87) with the characteristic Posterior tentorial bridge (pt

, forming an extra gap or hole.

Edited by atylotus on 10-11-2009 14:03

Posted by cyprinoid on 10-11-2009 16:40

#13

Thank you!

The larva is now history as my 18 month old son hit the (open) container with what can be best described as some kind of karate chop, and the dried up thing fell on the floor ...somewhere.

Edited by cyprinoid on 10-11-2009 16:41