Coenosia attenuata

Coenosia attenuata (also sometimes cited as Coenosia attenuate), commonly called "hunter fly" or well known under the name "killer fly", is a predatory fly belonging to the family Muscidae.[1]

Coenosia attenuata
Coenosia attenuata. Male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Diptera
Family:
Muscidae
Genus:
Coenosia
Species:
C. attenuata
Binomial name
Coenosia attenuata
Stein, 1903

Distribution

This species is native to Southern Europe, where it is present in Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Greece. It has now a worldwide distribution and it can also be found in the Afrotropical realm, in the Australasian realm, in the East Palearctic realm, in the Near East, in the Nearctic realm, in the Neotropical realm, in North Africa and in the Oriental realm.[2]

It was first discovered in the United States in 2001 by an Integrated Pest Management scout in a greenhouse in New York State. It has since been found throughout North and South America.

Description

Adults of Coenosia attenuata can reach a length of 2.5–4 millimetres (0.098–0.157 in). These tiny killer flies have a pale brownish or greyish body, with big reddish eyes. Antennae and legs are yellow in males. Females have brownish frons, with a golden ocellar triangle. Antennae and femora are black and the abdomen shows distinct black bands, that are missing in the males.[3]

Biology

Coenosia attenuata is a very effective generalist predator of insects, usually small flies (Bemisia tabaci, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, Bactericera cockerelli, Bradysia species, Liriomyza species, Drosophila species),[3] but also small hymenoptera (Encarsia formosa). Potential prey are caught only in mid-air with its front legs. The preferred prey in greenhouses is the dark-winged fungus gnat (Sciaridae)

This species is considered an important biological control mechanism against some plant pests, including fruit flies and other common greenhouse pests. It has also shown promise as a biological control agent of fungus gnats, shore flies.[4][5][6][7]

References
  1. BioLib
  2. Fauna europaea
  3. Yohan Solano-Rojas, Adrian Pont, José De Freitas, Gustavo Moro & Yaritza Goyo First record of Coenosia attenuata Stein, 1903 (Diptera: Muscidae) in Venezuela Anales de Biología 39: 223-226, 2017
  4. Hoebeke, E.R., Sensenbach, E.J., Sanderson, J.P., Wraight, S.P. First Report of Coenosia attenuata Stein (Diptera: Muscidae), an Old World 'Hunter Fly,' in North America. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 2003. v. 105. p. 769-775.
  5. Webb, Jonathan. "How tiny killer flies pounce on prey". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  6. Wardill, T.J.; Knowles, K.; Barlow, L.; Tapia, G.; Nordström, K.; Olberg, R.M.; Gonzalez-Bellid, P.T. (2015). "The Killer Fly Hunger Games: Target Size and Speed Predict Decision to Pursuit" (Online). Brain, Behavior and Evolution. Karger. 86 (1): 10. ISSN 1421-9743. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  7. Suvák, Martin (2008). "Coenosia attenuata can behave like a falconers bird". Diptera.Info. Paul Buick. Retrieved 30 September 2015.


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