Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Predatory larva from India
#1
Hi
I came across this larvae feeding on Daphnia in rice fields hyderbad, India. Can you identify the larvae? I could not rear it to the adult stage succesfully. The pictures are screenshots from video. So please forgive the quality
Thank you
Chitra
#2
One more photo of the peculiar tail
#3
looks like an Ephydridae. If it was somewhere in Europe I would say Ephydra, but in India, I wouldn't know? Does it has something like small scale-like hairs on the dorsal side? And I guess this rice field is brackish?
#4
I did run the aquatax and digital key to aquatic insects but got stuck with Ephydridae coz the image and description shows a lot of setae on the body which I did not find in this case. Posting a closer look of the tail
#5
Ephydra has prolegs with rather large black spines ventrally. Dorsal setae very short but form distinct dark spots.

#6
P.S. Ephydra is not predatory

. Ochthera possibly?
#7
I have video of this larvae feeding on Daphnia. Hope that accounts as predatory. But the prolegs is what I did not see clearly. The tail like extensions were visble in continuation from the body. The body was as translucent as that. Can I post a bigger size image