Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Smallest fly in the world?

Posted by crex on 20-09-2006 13:17
#1

How small is the worlds tiniest diptera (in mm)?

Posted by Robert Nash on 20-09-2006 16:33
#2

Suggest Cecidomyiidae http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecidomyiidae
many less than 1mm. long. World's smallest insects are in Hymenoptera See
http://ufbir.ifas.ufl.edu/chap38.htm>Home page for other interesting insect records :DRobert

Posted by Paul Beuk on 20-09-2006 17:13
#3

I am sure there are at least some Ceratopogonidae and Phoridae, too, that have similarly small species.

Posted by Robert Nash on 20-09-2006 18:13
#4

So it seems Phoridae especially at (0.5mm) For a fascinating article on one effect of size on tiny insects read Life at Low Reynolds Number http://brodylab.eng.uci.edu/~jpbrody/reynolds/lowpurcell.html:p

Robert

Posted by Paul Beuk on 20-09-2006 18:48
#5

I forgot Psychodidae. And even Agromyzidae have very small species but probably not as small as the other families.

Posted by crex on 20-09-2006 22:21
#6

Thanx for the link tips and suggestions. The people at Guinness World Records apparently has a bit of work left to do finding the tiniest fly B)

Posted by Robert Nash on 21-09-2006 09:53
#7

And we both forgot Sphaeroceridae. Many species less than 1mm. and we must remember also poorly fed larvae become dwarf adults.
Robert

Edited by Robert Nash on 21-09-2006 09:54

Posted by crex on 01-01-2007 21:05
#8

I read there are an american expedition going to Antarctica study the chironomid Belgica antarctica which they think are interesting because it can stand cold weather. Perhaps this is the most cold restistant diptera!? Which diptera can stand most heat then? I guess there can be some species where larva live in hot springs or something like that, otherwise I guess it's hard to tell which place is hotter than the other ...

Posted by rvanderweele on 01-01-2007 23:26
#9

Rather cute: Empidideicus hungaricus Thalhammer, 1911. This is a 0.7-1 mm large or small Bombyliidae. Not the smallest, nevertheless......

Posted by bbrown on 05-11-2011 23:28
#10

I wondered about this, too. I have a phorid of 0.4mm that I will describe as the world's smallest fly. Anyone disagree?

Posted by Nosferatumyia on 06-11-2011 00:54
#11

Ask Wayne Mathis and Chris Borkent. There are some really tiny ephydrids and gnats.

Posted by bbrown on 06-11-2011 01:17
#12

Wayne lists the smallest ephydrids and nannodastiids at 0.7 mm, almost twice the size of my fly. Nevertheless, I'll ask. Thanks for the advice, Val.

Brian

Posted by John Carr on 12-11-2011 03:08
#13

According to the revision by Wirth and Grogan, the smallest Ceratopogonini have wing length 0.4 mm.
http://books.goog...mp;lpg=PA1

Posted by atylotus on 03-01-2012 18:05
#14

To Crex:
world famous I think is the chironomid Polypedilum vanderplanki whose larva is able to resist a temperature from -270 C to +102 C (although this will not occur anywhere in nature, I hope :o
see for instance: http://www.nature...336a0.html

Edited by atylotus on 03-01-2012 18:06