Chauliodes

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Megaloptera
Family: Corydalidae
Subfamily: Chauliodinae
Genus: Chauliodes

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Chauliodes: //kaʊliˈəʊdiːz//

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Summary

Chauliodes is a genus in the family Corydalidae, consisting of two species in North America, with C. pectinicornis known as the Summer fishfly. The species is characterized by its body size, distinctive mandibles, and ecological role in freshwater environments.

Physical Characteristics

Body length 21-46 mm; mandibles of larvae are prominent; pronotum differently shaped compared to Corydalus; jaws less prominent than Corydalus.

Identification Tips

Distinguished from Corydalus by the shape of the pronotum and the less prominent jaws; Neohermes have bead-like (moniliform) antennae, not serrate or pectinate.

Habitat

Larvae found in slow-moving waters with a lot of detritus, especially decaying logs; adults are also closely associated with streams.

Distribution

C. pectinicornis is widely distributed in eastern Canada and the United States, from Maine to Florida's Alachua, Liberty, and Santa Rosa counties, and as far west as Kansas.

Diet

Larvae are aquatic and omnivorous; adults have been recorded feeding on sugary and fermented solutions in laboratory settings.

Life Cycle

Both species are univoltine; larvae leave the water to pupate under bark or in rotting wood; pupal period lasts approximately 10 days; adults live for a week or less.

Reproduction

Eggs are laid in masses on vegetation near water; larvae hatch and crawl to water.

Ecosystem Role

C. pectinicornis has a commensal relationship with Plecoptcracoluthus downesi larvae, which undergo their entire life cycle including pupation on the fishfly's mesothorax.