Sialis lutaria
Template:Short description Template:Speciesbox
Sialis lutaria, common name alderfly, is a species of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae.[1]
Distribution
This species is mainly present in Austria, Belgium, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Romania and Switzerland.[2]
Habitat
Adults of this species usually inhabits ponds and slow-flowing streams, while the larvae live in mud and detritus under water.[3]
Description
Adults can reach Script error: No such module "convert". of length, with a wingspan of Script error: No such module "convert"..[4] They have a stocky body with a black or dark brown basic coloration, including head and legs. The wings are greyish, membranous and translucent, with pronounced dark venation. At rest they are held roof-like over their body.[3]
The flat larvae reach approximately Script error: No such module "convert"..[5] They have large heads, powerful jaws and three pairs of legs. Furthermore, they show feathery gills on the abdominal segments. The abdomen terminates with a long gill.[3][4]
Biology
Adults are most often encountered from May through June on vegetation near slow-flowing streams or close to ponds. They are bad fliers and never leave the waters where the larvae have developed.
Females lay a large quantity of eggs on plants overhanging the waters, where larvae will fall after hatching. Larvae are aquatic predators of small invertebrates and usually wait for their prey in silt or under stones just emerging from the water. The life cycle in this species lasts about one-two years, but the adults live two-three days only, without feeding.[5][6][7]
Gallery
-
Mating
-
Oviposition on Juncus
-
Female laying eggs
-
Eggs
-
Larva
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
- ↑ Biolib
- ↑ Fauna Europaea
- ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Olsen, L., Sunesen, J., & Pedersen, B. V. (1999) Small freshwater creatures. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
- ↑ a b Macan, T. T. (1959) A guide to freshwater invertebrate animals. Longmans, Green & Co Ltd., London.
- ↑ O'Tool, C. (2002) The new encyclopedia of insects and their allies. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
- ↑ Giani, N., & Laville, H. (1973, January). Cycle biologique et production de Sialis lutaria L.(Megaloptera) dans le lac de Port-Bielh (Pyrenees Centrales). In Annales de Limnologie-International Journal of Limnology (Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 45-61). EDP Sciences
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".