Pontomyia ist eine zu der Familie der Zuckmücken (Chironomidae) gehörende Gattung der Zweiflügler (Mücken und Fliegen). Sie ist im West-Pazifik weit verbreitet. Die Typusart Pontomyia natans wurde zuerst in den Lagunen der Samoa-Inseln entdeckt. Die weiblichen Imagines sind flügellos, haben nur rudimentäre Mittel- und Hinterbeine und leben untergetaucht im Meer. Die Männchen haben zwar gut ausgebildete Halteren, aber ebenfalls reduzierte Flügel. Die Gattung hat im Gegensatz zu anderen Zuckmücken glatte, büschellose Antennen.
Die Imagines leben nur ein bis zwei Stunden. Die Weibchen schlüpfen erst aus der Puppe, wenn Männchen anwesend sind. Diese tragen dann die Weibchen mit zwei Beinpaaren mit sich und schwimmen umher, während sie sich paaren. Die Eier werden an geeigneten Stellen auf abgestorbenen Korallen oder Pflanzen abgelegt.
Es sind vier Arten der Gattung Pontomyia beschrieben:
Pontomyia ist eine zu der Familie der Zuckmücken (Chironomidae) gehörende Gattung der Zweiflügler (Mücken und Fliegen). Sie ist im West-Pazifik weit verbreitet. Die Typusart Pontomyia natans wurde zuerst in den Lagunen der Samoa-Inseln entdeckt. Die weiblichen Imagines sind flügellos, haben nur rudimentäre Mittel- und Hinterbeine und leben untergetaucht im Meer. Die Männchen haben zwar gut ausgebildete Halteren, aber ebenfalls reduzierte Flügel. Die Gattung hat im Gegensatz zu anderen Zuckmücken glatte, büschellose Antennen.
Die Imagines leben nur ein bis zwei Stunden. Die Weibchen schlüpfen erst aus der Puppe, wenn Männchen anwesend sind. Diese tragen dann die Weibchen mit zwei Beinpaaren mit sich und schwimmen umher, während sie sich paaren. Die Eier werden an geeigneten Stellen auf abgestorbenen Korallen oder Pflanzen abgelegt.
Pontomyia is a genus of flightless marine midges belonging to the subfamily Chironominae in the Chironomidae family. Insects in marine environments are extremely rare while flightlessness, extreme sexual dimorphism, and an extremely short adult life span (of less than 3 hours) contribute to making these midges unusual among insects. They are known from the shores of islands in the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
The genus was described by Edwards in 1926 from Samoa. They were originally described as being submarine midges.[1] Four species were described in the genus P. natans (Edward 1924), P. cottoni (Wormersley 1937), P. pacifica (Tokunaga 1964), and P. oceana (Tokunaga 1964) but DNA analysis determined that cottoni was not distinguishable from natans. Larvae from Puerto Rico were found to be close enough to P. natans based on DNA sequences. This suggests that species in the genus are capable of being dispersed widely across oceans. Algae attached to sea turtles have been found carrying Pontomyia larvae and this form of hitch-hiking can potentially serve as means of dispersion.[2][3][4]
P. natans is widely distributed around the Indian and Pacific Oceans and its life history is slightly better known than other species. The adults live less than three hours long with males dying shortly after mating and females after laying eggs. Males have long antennae with the mid legs short and tipped in claws. The stubby wings are used like oars to swim at the surface of sea-water. The females are larviform, without wings or functional legs. The eggs are laid in coils in rockpools where they sink to the bottom. The larvae feed on algae and marine vegetation. Adult emergence is linked to lunar cycles, mainly at low tide, and midges are attracted to lights.[5][6]
Pontomyia is a genus of flightless marine midges belonging to the subfamily Chironominae in the Chironomidae family. Insects in marine environments are extremely rare while flightlessness, extreme sexual dimorphism, and an extremely short adult life span (of less than 3 hours) contribute to making these midges unusual among insects. They are known from the shores of islands in the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
The genus was described by Edwards in 1926 from Samoa. They were originally described as being submarine midges. Four species were described in the genus P. natans (Edward 1924), P. cottoni (Wormersley 1937), P. pacifica (Tokunaga 1964), and P. oceana (Tokunaga 1964) but DNA analysis determined that cottoni was not distinguishable from natans. Larvae from Puerto Rico were found to be close enough to P. natans based on DNA sequences. This suggests that species in the genus are capable of being dispersed widely across oceans. Algae attached to sea turtles have been found carrying Pontomyia larvae and this form of hitch-hiking can potentially serve as means of dispersion.
P. natans is widely distributed around the Indian and Pacific Oceans and its life history is slightly better known than other species. The adults live less than three hours long with males dying shortly after mating and females after laying eggs. Males have long antennae with the mid legs short and tipped in claws. The stubby wings are used like oars to swim at the surface of sea-water. The females are larviform, without wings or functional legs. The eggs are laid in coils in rockpools where they sink to the bottom. The larvae feed on algae and marine vegetation. Adult emergence is linked to lunar cycles, mainly at low tide, and midges are attracted to lights.
Muỗi nước (Danh pháp khoa học: Pontomyia) là một loài muỗi trong chi Pontomyia thuộc phân họ Chironominae, đây là một chi đơn loài chỉ gồm một loài này. Chúng chuyên sống ở môi trường trôi nổi trên nước.
Muỗi nước đực di chuyển trên mặt nước bằng cách đứng thẳng trên hai chân sau và dùng hai chân trước như mái chèo nhỏ giúp chúng lướt về phía trước. Chân của loài muỗi nước cùng có cấu tạo gần giống với nhện nước với hàng nghìn lông nhỏ bao phủ trên chân giúp lùa không khí vào bên trong và tạo lớp đệm ngăn cách chân với mặt nước. Từ đó, những chiếc lông sẽ là trợ thủ khiến muỗi nổi và dễ dàng đi lại trên mặt nước.
Muỗi cái thậm chí còn không có cả cánh lẫn chân, chúng chỉ đơn giản là nổi trên mặt nước và chờ muỗi đực tới kéo chúng đi. Khi còn là ấu trùng chúng sống ẩn mình trong những vũng nước mặn, ăn tảo và mảnh gỗ mục.
Muỗi nước (Danh pháp khoa học: Pontomyia) là một loài muỗi trong chi Pontomyia thuộc phân họ Chironominae, đây là một chi đơn loài chỉ gồm một loài này. Chúng chuyên sống ở môi trường trôi nổi trên nước.
