Corononcodes
This week, we have chosen a delicate (but courageous) small fly, a species of Corononcodes of the Dipteran family Acroceridae, commonly known as small-headed flies. All known observations of Acroceridae indicate that members of the family are exclusively parasitoids of spiders (hence the “courage”). Of Corononcodes, nothing is known of their biology except for their geographic distribution. Species are known from South Africa and the Palearctic (Italy, Spain and Iran), although one worker has suggested that the Europaean fauna likely represent a different, undescribed genus. With no evidence to suggest otherwise, Corononcodes are also thought to be spider parasitoids. In Kenya, icipe’s Biosystematics Unit (BSU) has collected two species of Corononcodes, the first records of the genus from East Africa. Both species were captured in Malaise traps set in hot and dry habitats of eastern Kenya. Interestingly, one of the species closely resembles a Corononcodes species from southern Europe (Italy and Spain) while the second appears to be closely related to the South African species. Like several other examples, East Africa appears to be the meeting place for Palearctic and Afrotropical faunas.
Credits: Dr Robert Copeland