New Species of Parasitic Spider Flies Discovered in Australia

Posted on March 2, 2012

Four new species of spider flies of the genus Panops have been discovered in Australia. The flies are described in a study published in ZooKeys: doi: 10.3897/zookeys.172.1889. Adult spider flies are considered important pollinators of flowers. It is the larvae that acts as a spider parasite. The larvae live as internal parasitoids of juvenile spiders.

The newly discovered flies have large round bodies covered with dense hairs and black or metallic green to blue coloration, giving a jewel-like appearance. The larvae of these flies specialize in parasitizing mygalomorph spiders such as the trap door and Sydney funnel web spiders. Panops austrae is pictured above and Panops jade is pictured below.

The researchers say the flies internally parasitize juvenile spiders. The maggot may live inside the spider for years, prolonging the life of the spider and preventing it from developing into an adult. Eventually, the spider fly maggot will eat the spider from the inside out, leaving only the skin behind. Then it will pupate to develop into an adult.



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