Alderflies are

megaloptera Megaloptera is an order of insects. It contains the alderflies, dobsonflies and fishflies, and there are about 300 known species. The order's name comes from Ancient Greek, from ''mega-'' (μέγα-) "large" + ''pteryx'' (πτέρυξ) "wing ...

insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs ...

s of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Sialidae. They are closely related to the dobsonflies and fishflies as well as to the

prehistoric Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use o ...

Euchauliodidae. All living alderflies – about 66

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

all together – are part of the subfamily Sialinae, which contains between one and seven extant

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial ...

according to different scientists' views.

Description

Sialinae have a body length of less than 25 mm (1 inch), long filamentous antennae, and four large dark

wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is exp ...

of which the

anterior Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position prov ...

pair is slightly longer than the posterior. They lack

ocelli A simple eye (sometimes called a pigment pit) refers to a form of eye or an optical arrangement composed of a single lens and without an elaborate retina such as occurs in most vertebrates. In this sense "simple eye" is distinct from a multi-le ...

and their fourth tarsal segment is dilated and deeply bilobed. Dead alderfly larvae are used as bait in fishing.fly fishing entomology alderfy entry
/ref>

Life cycle

The females lay a vast number of eggs on grass stems near water. When the larvae are born they drop into the water or the ground nearby it and make their way into their new aquatic biome. The

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Th ...

e are aquatic, active, armed with strong sharp mandibles, and breathe by means of seven pairs of abdominal branchial filaments. When full sized, which takes between one and two years, they leave the water and spend a quiescent

pupa A pupa ( la, pupa, "doll"; plural: ''pupae'') is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their ...

l stage on the land before metamorphosis into the sexually mature insect. Adult alderflies stay near to the water in which they had lived when they were younger. Once in their adult stage, they tend to live only 2 to 3 weeks, which they spend mainly in reproducing.

Classification

In addition to the seven living genera, there are several genera of

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...

alderflies. Sialis_larva_Packard

Family Sialidae *Genus †'' Dobbertinia'' Handlirsch 1920 Green Series, Germany, Early Jurassic (

Toarcian The Toarcian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, an age and stage in the Early or Lower Jurassic. It spans the time between 182.7 Ma (million years ago) and 174.1 Ma. It follows the Pliensbachian and is followed by the Aalenian. The Toarc ...

) *Genus †'' Sharasialis'' Ponomarenko 2012 Shar-Teeg, Mongolia, Late Jurassic (

Tithonian In the geological timescale, the Tithonian is the latest age of the Late Jurassic Epoch and the uppermost stage of the Upper Jurassic Series. It spans the time between 152.1 ± 4 Ma and 145.0 ± 4 Ma (million years ago). It is preceded by t ...

) *Subfamily Sialinae **Genus '' Austrosialis'' Tillyard, 919/small> ***Species '' Austrosialis ignicollis'' Tillyard, 919/small> ***Species '' Austrosialis maxmouldsi'' Theischinger, 1983 **Genus †'' Eosialis'' Nel et al., 2002 ***Species †'' Eosialis dorisi'' Nel et al., 2002 **Genus '' Indosialis'' Lestage, 1927 ***Species '' Indosialis bannaensis'' X.-y. Liu et al., 2006 ***Species '' Indosialis beskonakensis'' Nel, 1988 ***Species '' Indosialis indica'' X.-y. Liu et al., 2008 ***Species '' Indosialis minora'' (Banks, 1920) **Genus '' Leptosialis'' Esben-Petersen, 1920 ***Species '' Leptosialis africana Esben-Petersen, 1920'' **Genus '' Nipponosialis'' Kuwayama, 1962 ***Species '' Nipponosialis amamiensis'' Kuwayama, 1964 ***Species '' Nipponosialis jezoensis'' (Okamoto, 1910) ****Subspecies '' Nipponosialis jezoensis jezoensis'' (Okamoto, 1910) ****Subspecies '' Nipponosialis jezoensis kuwayamai'' Hayashi & Suda, 1995 ***Species '' Nipponosialis kumejimae'' (Okamoto, 1910) **Genus †'' Proindosialis'' Nel, 1988 ***Species †'' Proindosialis cantalensis'' Nel, 1988 **Genus '' Protosialis'' van der Weele, 1909 ***Species '' Protosialis afra'' Navás, (1936) ***Species '' Protosialis americana'' (Rambur, 1842) ***Species '' Protosialis australiensis'' (Tillyard, 919) ***Species ''Protosialis australis'' Navás, 1927 ***Species †''Protosialis baltica'' (Wichard, 1997) ***Species ''Protosialis bifasciata'' (Hagen, 1861) ***Species ''Protosialis bimaculata'' Banks, 1920 ***Species ''Protosialis brasiliensis'' Navás, 1936 ***Species †''

Protosialis casca ''Protosialis casca'' is an extinct species of alderfly in the Sialidae subfamily Sialinae. The species is solely known from the early Miocene, Burdigalian stage, Dominican amber deposits on the island of Hispaniola. ''Protosialis casca'' is ...

'' (Engel & Grimaldi, 2007) ***Species '' Protosialis chilensis'' (McLachlan, (1871) ***Species '' Protosialis flammata'' Penny, (1982) ***Species '' Protosialis flavicollis'' (Enderlein, 1910) ***Species '' Protosialis hauseri'' Contreras-Ramos et al., 2005 ***Species '' Protosialis madegassa'' Navás, 1927 ***Species '' Protosialis mexicana'' (Banks, 1901) ***Species '' Protosialis minora'' Banks, 1920 ***Species '' Protosialis nubila'' Navás, 1933 ***Species '' Protosialis ranchograndis'' Contreras-Ramos, 2006 ***Species †'' Protosialis voigti'' (Wichard & Engel, 2006) **Genus '' Sialis'' Latreille, 1802 ***Species Approximately 90 ***Species '' Sialis abchasica'' Vshivkova, 1985 ***Species ''

Sialis aequalis ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Banks, 1920 ***Species ''

Sialis americana ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' (Rambur, 1842) ***Species ''

Sialis annae ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are us ...

'' Vshivkova, 1979 ***Species ''

Sialis arvalis ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Ross, 1937 ***Species ''

Sialis atra ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Navás, (1928) ***Species ''

Sialis bifida ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Hayashi & Suda, 1997 ***Species ''

Sialis bilineata ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Say, 1823 ***Species ''

Sialis bilobata ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Whiting, 1991 ***Species ''

Sialis californica ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Banks, 1920 ***Species '' Sialis chilensis'' McLachlan, (1871) ***Species ''

Sialis concava ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Banks, 1897 ***Species ''

Sialis contigua ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Flint, 1964 ***Species ''

Sialis cornuta ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Ross, 1937 ***Species '' Sialis didyma'' Navás, 1916 ***Species '' Sialis dorochovae'' Vshivkova, 1985 ***Species ''

Sialis dorsata ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Say, 1823 ***Species '' Sialis dreisbachi'' Flint, 1964 ***Species ''

Sialis elegans ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' X.-y. Liu & D. Yang, 2006 ***Species ''

Sialis flavicollis ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Enderlein, 1910 ***Species ''

Sialis formosana ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Esben-Petersen, 1913 ***Species ''

Sialis frequens ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Okamoto, 1905 ***Species '' Sialis fuliginosa'' F. Pictet, 1836 ***Species ''

Sialis fumosa ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Navás, 1915 ***Species ''

Sialis glabella ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Ross, 1937 ***Species '' Sialis gonzalezi'' Vshivkova, 1985 ***Species †''

Sialis groehni ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Wichard, 1997 ***Species ''

Sialis hamata ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Ross, 1937 ***Species '' Sialis hasta'' Ross, 1937 ***Species ''

Sialis henanensis ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' X.-y. Liu & D. Yang, 2006 ***Species †''

Sialis herrlingi ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Wichard, 2002 ***Species ''

Sialis imbecilla ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Say, 1823 ***Species ''

Sialis immarginata ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Say, 1823 ***Species ''

Sialis infumata ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Newman, 1838 ***Species ''

Sialis iola ''Sialis iola'' is a species of alderfly in the family Sialidae Alderflies are megalopteran insects of the family Sialidae. They are closely related to the dobsonflies and fishflies as well as to the prehistoric Euchauliodidae. All living a ...

'' Ross, 1937 ***Species ''

Sialis itasca ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Ross, 1937 ***Species ''

Sialis japonica ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' van der Weele, 1909 ***Species ''

Sialis jianfengensis ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' D. Yang et al., 2002 ***Species '' Sialis joppa'' Ross, 1937 ***Species '' Sialis klingstedti'' Vshivkova, 1985 ***Species ''

Sialis kunmingensis ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' X.-y. Liu & D. Yang, 2006 ***Species ''

Sialis levanidovae ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Vshivkova, 1980 ***Species ''

Sialis longidens ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Klingstedt, (1932) ***Species '' Sialis lutaria'' (Linnaeus, 1758) ***Species ''

Sialis martynovae ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Vshivkova, 1980 ***Species '' Sialis melania'' Nakahara, 1915 ****Subspecies '' Sialis melania kyushuensis'' Hayashi & Suda, 1995 ****Subspecies '' Sialis melania melania'' Nakahara, 1915 ****Subspecies '' Sialis melania tohokuensis'' Hayashi & Suda, 1995 ****Subspecies '' Sialis melania toyamaensis'' Hayashi & Suda, 1995 ***Species '' Sialis mohri'' Ross, 1937 ***Species '' Sialis morio'' Klingstedt, (1933) ***Species ''

Sialis morrisoni ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' K. Davis, 1903 ***Species ''

Sialis muratensis ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Nel, 1988 ***Species ''

Sialis nevadensis ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' K. Davis, 1903 ***Species '' Sialis nigripes'' E. Pictet, 1865 ***Species ''

Sialis nina ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Townsend, 1939 ***Species ''

Sialis occidens ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Ross, 1937 ***Species ''

Sialis rotunda ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Banks, 1920 ***Species '' Sialis sibirica'' McLachlan, 1872 ***Species ''

Sialis sinensis ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Banks, (1940) ***Species '' Sialis sordida'' Klingstedt, (1933) ***Species ''

Sialis spangleri ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Flint, 1964 ***Species ''

Sialis strausi ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Illies, 1967 ***Species ''

Sialis vagans ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Ross, 1937 ***Species ''

Sialis vanderweelei ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' U. Aspöck & H. Aspöck, 1983 ***Species ''

Sialis velata ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Ross, 1937 ***Species ''

Sialis versicoloris ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' X.-y. Liu & D. Yang, 2006 ***Species ''

Sialis yamatoensis ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are ...

'' Hayashi & Suda, 1995 ***Species ''

Sialis zhiltzovae ''Sialis'' is a genus of alderfly belonging to the order Megaloptera family Sialidae. Description These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are u ...

'' Vshivkova, 1985 **Genus '' Stenosialis'' Tillyard, (1919) ***Species '' Stenosialis australiensis'' Tillyard, (1919) ***Species '' Stenosialis hollowayi'' Theischinger, 1983 ''Sialis lutaria'' is the commonest alderfly in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

(2006)
Alderfly - ''Sialis lutaria''
Retrieved 28 June 2006. and across much of Europe.

References

External links

BugGuide

{{Authority control Megaloptera Aquatic insects