Bittacidae is a family of
scorpionflies commonly called hangingflies or hanging scorpionflies.
The genus ''Bittacus'', comprising approximately 75% of all species within the family, occurs worldwide. Other genera are mostly confined to South America or Australia. Members of this family may be confused with
crane flies
Crane fly is a common name referring to any member of the insect family Tipulidae. Cylindrotominae, Limoniinae, and Pediciinae have been ranked as subfamilies of Tipulidae by most authors, though occasionally elevated to family rank. In the ...
, in the order
Diptera, but can be distinguished by their two pairs of wings and lack of
haltere
''Halteres'' (; singular ''halter'' or ''haltere'') (from grc, ἁλτῆρες, weights held in the hands to give an impetus in leaping) are a pair of small club-shaped organs on the body of two orders of flying insects that provide infor ...
s.
They are distinguished in the fact that during mating the male captures a prey insect and offers it to the female as a
nuptial gift
A nuptial gift is a nutritional gift given by one partner in some animals' sexual reproduction practices.
Formally, a nuptial gift is a material presentation to a recipient by a donor during or in relation to sexual intercourse that is not simp ...
. The larger the prey item is, the more receptive the female will be to mating.
Genera
This list is based on ''The World Checklist of extant Mecoptera Species''.
Presumably complete up to 1997, it is updated as needed. The number of species in each genus are in parentheses. A number of extinct(†) genera have been described from the fossil record.
* ''
Anabittacus'' (1)
Kimmins, 1929 (Chile)
* ''
Anomalobittacus'' (1)
Kimmins, 1928 (South Africa)
* ''
Apterobittacus'' (1)
MacLachlan, 1893 (
Southern United States
The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
)
* ''
Austrobittacus'' (1)
Riek, 1954 (Australia)
* ''
Bittacus'' (124)
Latreille, 1805 (worldwide)
* ''
Edriobittacus'' (1)
Byers, 1974 (Australia)
* ''
Harpobittacus
''Harpobittacus'' is a genus of hangingfly
Bittacidae is a family of scorpionflies commonly called hangingflies or hanging scorpionflies.
The genus ''Bittacus'', comprising approximately 75% of all species within the family, occurs worldwid ...
'' (12)
Gerstaecker, 1885 (Australia)
* ''
Hylobittacus
''Hylobittacus apicalis'' is a species of hangingfly in the order Mecoptera, and the only species within the genus ''Hylobittacus''.Byers, G. W. and Thornhill, R. 1983. Biology of The Mecoptera. Annual Review of Entomology 28: 203-228.
Descrip ...
'' (1)
Byers, 1979 (United States, Mexico + fossil species from the
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', " ...
Bitterfield and
Baltic amber
The Baltic region is home to the largest known deposit of amber, called Baltic amber or succinite. It was produced sometime during the Eocene epoch, but exactly when is controversial. It has been estimated that these forests created more than 1 ...
of Europe)
* ''
Issikiella'' (5)
Byers, 1972 (South America)
* ''
Kalobittacus'' (8)
Esben-Petersen, 1914 (Central America)
* ''
Nannobittacus'' (4)
Esben-Petersen, 1927 (Brazil to Panama)
* ''
Neobittacus'' (2)
Esben-Petersen, 1914 (Brazil)
* ''
Orobittacus''
Villegas & Byers, 1982 (California)
* ''
Pazius'' (8)
Navás, 1913 (Brazil to Panama)
* ''
Symbittacus''
Byers, 1986 (Australia)
* ''
Tytthobittacus''
Smithers, 1973 (Australia + fossil species from the Early Cretaceous (
Berriasian
In the geological timescale, the Berriasian is an age/ stage of the Early/Lower Cretaceous. It is the oldest subdivision in the entire Cretaceous. It has been taken to span the time between 145.0 ± 4.0 Ma and 139.8 ± 3.0 Ma (million years a ...
) aged
Purbeck Group
The Purbeck Group is an Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous lithostratigraphic group (a sequence of rock strata) in south-east England. The name is derived from the district known as the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset where the strata are exposed in the ...
)
Extinct genera
* †''
Antiquanabittacus'' (1)
Petrulevicius and Jarzembowski 2004 Weald Clay
Weald Clay or the Weald Clay Formation is a Lower Cretaceous sedimentary rock unit underlying areas of South East England, between the North and South Downs, in an area called the Weald Basin. It is the uppermost unit of the Wealden Group of ro ...
, United Kingdom, Early Cretaceous (
Barremian
The Barremian is an age in the geologic timescale (or a chronostratigraphic stage) between 129.4 ± 1.5 Ma ( million years ago) and 121.4 ± 1.0 Ma). It is a subdivision of the Early Cretaceous Epoch (or Lower Cretaceous Series). It is pre ...
)
* †''
Archebittacus'' (1)
Riek, 1955 (
Mount Crosby Formation
Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest.
Mount or Mounts may also refer to:
Places
* Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England
* Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish ...
, Australia,
Late Triassic
The Late Triassic is the third and final epoch (geology), epoch of the Triassic geologic time scale, Period in the geologic time scale, spanning the time between annum, Ma and Ma (million years ago). It is preceded by the Middle Triassic Epoch ...
(Norian)
* †''
Asiobittacus'' (1)
Novokshonov 1993 Sagul Formation, Kyrgyzstan, 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 ...
)
* †''
Baissobittacus'' (1)
Novokshonov 1997 Zaza Formation
The Zaza Formation is a geological formation located in Buryatia (Russia). It dates to the Lower Cretaceous period. It is Aptian in age and consists of sandstones, siltstones, marls and bituminous shales
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic se ...
, Russia, Early Cretaceous (
Aptian
The Aptian is an age in the geologic timescale or a stage in the stratigraphic column. It is a subdivision of the Early or Lower Cretaceous Epoch or Series and encompasses the time from 121.4 ± 1.0 Ma to 113.0 ± 1.0 Ma (million years ag ...
)
* †''
Burmobittacus'' (1)
Zhao et al. 2016 Burmese amber
Burmese amber, also known as Burmite or Kachin amber, is amber from the Hukawng Valley in northern Myanmar. The amber is dated to around 100 million years ago, during the latest Albian to earliest Cenomanian ages of the mid-Cretaceous period. ...
, Myanmar, mid Cretaceous (
Albian
The Albian is both an age of the geologic timescale and a stage in the stratigraphic column. It is the youngest or uppermost subdivision of the Early/Lower Cretaceous Epoch/ Series. Its approximate time range is 113.0 ± 1.0 Ma to 100.5 ± ...
-
Cenomanian)
* †''
Composibittacus'' (2)
Liu et al. 2016 Daohugou
The Haifanggou Formation (), also known as the Jiulongshan Formation (), is a fossil-bearing rock deposit located near Daohugou () village of Ningcheng County, in Inner Mongolia, northeastern China.
The formation consists of coarse conglomerate ...
, China, Middle Jurassic (
Callovian
In the geologic timescale, the Callovian is an age and stage in the Middle Jurassic, lasting between 166.1 ± 4.0 Ma (million years ago) and 163.5 ± 4.0 Ma. It is the last stage of the Middle Jurassic, following the Bathonian and preceding the ...
)
* †''
Cretobittacus'' (1)
Novokshonov 1993 Zaza Formation, Russia, Aptian
* †''
Decoribittacus'' (2)
Li and Ren 2009 Daohugou, China, Callovian
* †''
Exilibittacus'' (3)
Yang et al. 2012 Daohugou, China, Callovian
* †''
Formosibittacus
''Formosibittacus'' is an extinct genus of hangingfly in the family Bittacidae and containing a single species ''Formosibittacus macularis''. The species is known only from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation, part of the Daohugou Beds, ...
'' (1)
Li, Ren & Shih, 2008 Daohugou, China, Callovian
* †''
Haplobittacus'' (1)
Bode 1953 Posidonia Shale
The Posidonia Shale (german: Posidonienschiefer, also called Schistes Bitumineux in Luxembourg) geologically known as the Sachrang Formation, is an Early Jurassic (Toarcian) geological formation of southwestern and northeast Germany, northern Swi ...
, Germany, Toarcian)
* †''
Jurahylobittacus
''Jurahylobittacus'' is an extinct genus of hangingfly in the family Bittacidae and containing a single species ''Jurahylobittacus astictus''. The species is known only from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation, part of the Daohugou Beds ...
'' (1)
Li, Ren & Shih, 2008 Daohugou, China, Callovian
* †''
Karattacus'' (2)
Novokshonov 1997 Daohugou, China, Callovian
Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic
* †''
Liaobittacus'' (1)
Ren 1993 Haifanggou Formation
The Haifanggou Formation (), also known as the Jiulongshan Formation (), is a fossil-bearing rock deposit located near Daohugou () village of Ningcheng County, in Inner Mongolia, northeastern China.
The formation consists of coarse conglomerate ...
, China, Callovian
* †''
Mesobittacus'' (4)
Handlirsch 1939 Posidonia Shale
The Posidonia Shale (german: Posidonienschiefer, also called Schistes Bitumineux in Luxembourg) geologically known as the Sachrang Formation, is an Early Jurassic (Toarcian) geological formation of southwestern and northeast Germany, northern Swi ...
, "
Green Series", Germany, Toarcian,
Itat Formation
The Itat Formation ( Russian: итатская свита) is a geologic formation in western Siberia. It was deposited in the Bajocian to Bathonian ages of the Middle Jurassic. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from ...
, Russia, Middle Jurassic (Bathonian)
* †''
Mongolbittacus
''Mongolbittacus'' is an extinct genus of hangingfly in the family Bittacidae and containing a monotypic, single species ''Mongolbittacus daohugoensis''. The species is known only from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation, part of the Daohu ...
'' (3)
Petrulevicius, Huang & Ren, 2007 Daohugou, China, Callovian
* †''
Neorthophlebia'' (12)
Handlirsch 1906 Dzhil Formation Dzhil may refer to:
* Jil, Armenia
* Cil, Azerbaijan
Cil (also, Kazımlı Cil and Dzhil’) is a village and municipality in the Lankaran Rayon of Azerbaijan. It had a population of 2,279 as of 2007.
Notable natives
* Allahshukur Pashazadeh, ...
, Kyrgyzstan, Early Jurassic (
Hettangian
The Hettangian is the earliest age and lowest stage of the Jurassic Period of the geologic timescale. It spans the time between 201.3 ± 0.2 Ma and 199.3 ± 0.3 Ma (million years ago). The Hettangian follows the Rhaetian (part of the Triassi ...
-
Sinemurian
In the geologic timescale, the Sinemurian is an age and stage in the Early or Lower Jurassic Epoch or Series. It spans the time between 199.3 ± 2 Ma and 190.8 ± 1.5 Ma (million years ago). The Sinemurian is preceded by the Hettangian an ...
) Posidonia Shale, "Green Series", Germany, Sulyukta Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Toarcian,
Tugnuy Formation
Tugnuy (russian: Тугнуй; bua, Тγгнэ, ''Tügne'') is a rural locality (a selo) in Mukhorshibirsky District, Republic of Buryatia, Russia. The population was 740 as of 2010. There are 12 streets.
Geography
Tugnuy is located 40 km nor ...
, Russia, Upper Jurassic,
Tuodian Formation, China, Late Jurassic (
Oxfordian)
* †''
Orobittacus'' (2)
Villegas and Byers 1981 Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic,
Sharteg, 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 ...
)
* †''
Orthobittacus'' (4)
Willmann 1989 Kyzyl-Kiya, Kyrgyzstan, Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian), Daohugou, China, Callovian, Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic
* †''
Palaeobittacus'' (1)
Carpenter 1928 Green River Formation
The Green River Formation is an Eocene geologic formation that records the sedimentation in a group of intermountain lakes in three basins along the present-day Green River in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. The sediments are deposited in very fine ...
, Colorado,
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', " ...
* †''
Parabittacus'' (2)
Handlirsch 1939 Posidonia Shale, "Green Series", Germany, Toarcian
* †''
Pleobittacus'' (1)
Bode 1953 Posidonia Shale, Germany, Toarcian
* †''
Plesiobittacus'' (1)
Novokshonov 1997 Sagul Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Toarcian
* †''
Preanabittacus'' (2)
Novokshonov 1993 Daohugou, China, Callovian Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic
* †''
Probittacus'' (1)
Martynov 1927 Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic
* †''
Prohylobittacus'' (1)
Novokshonov 1993 Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic
* †''
Scharabittacus'' (3)
Novokshonov 1993 Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic Sharteg, Mongolia, Tithonian
* †''
Sibirobittacus'' (3)
Sukacheva 1990 Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic
Glushkovo Formation, Russia, Tithonian,
Yixian Formation
The Yixian Formation (; formerly transcribed as Yihsien Formation) is a geological formation in Jinzhou, Liaoning, People's Republic of China, that spans the late Barremian and early Aptian stages of the Early Cretaceous. It is known for its ...
, China, Aptian
References
Mecoptera
Taxa named by Anton Handlirsch
{{Mecoptera-stub