Diagnosis. Dixidae (meniscus midges) are medium-sized (less than 5.0 mm), yellow-brown to grey culicoid Nematocera. Head with dichoptic compound eyes; ocelli absent; antennae elongate, 16-segmented. Thorax with colour patterns of yellow and brown stripes on scutum and pleurae. Wing translucent and without scales; veins with a radial and medial fork. Legs elongate, fore and mid tibiae with short spurs; claws simple, empodium small, no pulvilli. Abdomen elongate greyish brown. Male genitalia rotated by torsion of segments 5-8; shape of gonocoxite and gonostyles specific. Lateral and ventral view of female terminalia specific. The lack of scales on the wings and non-funtional mouthparts are distinctive features.
Larvae eucephalic, head non-retractile and heavily sclerotized. Ventral side of the abdominal segments with ambulatory combs, dorsal sides of some species with 'crowns' of setae. Terminal complex covers a pair of open spiracles. Shape and numbers of crowns, combs and the terminal complex allows the distinction of species groups; species distinction is more difficult, but sometimes possible, in pupae almost impossible.
Biology. Larvae are restricted to the edge of water. They rest in a very characteristic U-shaped position at the water meniscus or just above the waterline on emergent structures. Dixa larvae prefer running waters; Dixella larvae predominate on stagnant waters. Pupae also rest in a U-shaped position on the banks. Several generations seem to develop in a year. On springs often a spring and an autumn generation are found. Adults are bad flyers. Females deposit greyish, disk-shaped egg-masses at the water's edge.
General references. Disney (1999b [keys, ecology]), Peters (1981 [general, keys to genera]), Rozkošný (1990 [catalogue]), Wagner (1997b [general, keys to genera]).
References to the local fauna. Cuppen (1979, 1980, 2009), Cuppen & Moller Pillot (1978), Van Dael (1982), Higler et al. (1981), Krebs (1982), De Meijere (1950a), Mol (1984), Mulder & Cuppen (2005), Popma (1982), Rozkošný (1990), Van der Wulp & De Meijere (1898).
How to quote this page: Wagner, R., & P.L.Th. Beuk, 2019. Family Dixidae. In: Beuk, P.L.Th. (Ed.): Checklist of the Diptera of the Netherlands, https://diptera-info.nl/news.php?fam=Dixidae (date accessed: 26/12/2024).
NL: 16
B: 11
D: 17
UK: 15
World: 400
DIXIDAE
Dixa Meigen, 1818
dilatata Strobl, 1900
added by Cuppen (1979: tab. 11)
maculata Meigen, 1818
provisionally added by De Meijere (1950a: 1); confirmed by Van Dael (1982: 26) and Popma (1982: 99, bijl. V)
nebulosa Meigen, 1830
N; added by Cuppen (2009: 11)
nubilipennis Curtis, 1832
added by Higler et al. (1981: 18)
puberula Loew, 1849
= maculata Meigen, 1818: misident.
submaculata Edwards, 1920
N; added by Cuppen (2009: 11)
Dixella Dyar & Shannon, 1924
aestivalis (Meigen, 1818)
Note 1
= aprilina (Meigen, 1818)
amphibia (De Geer, 1776)
attica (Pandazis, 1933)
added by Cuppen (1979: tab. 11)
autumnalis (Meigen, 1838)
added by Cuppen (1980: 36)
filicornis (Edwards, 1926)
added by Cuppen (1980: 36, 103, 111)
Note 2
graeca (Pandazis, 1937)
added as filicornis by Cuppen (1980: 36, 103, 111)
Note 2
= filicornis (Edwards, 1926): misident. sensu Cuppen (1980)
martinii (Peus, 1934)
added by Cuppen & Moller Pillot (1978: 19)
nigra (Staeger, 1840)
obscura (Loew, 1849)
added by Van Dael (1982: 26)
serotina (Meigen, 1818)
Notes
Note 1
Wagner & Beuk (2002b: 102) erroneously listed D. aprilina as a valid species.
Note 2
The material on basis of which D. filicornis was recorded from the Netherlands was re-identified as D. graeca by Mulder & Cuppen (2005). Since they also found other material of D. filicornis the latter species can be maintained on the Dutch list.
The latest revisions at different levels
Dixella aestivalis was the last (sub)species to be edited on 19-03-2019 11:23
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