Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Visual ecology of biting flies.

S A Allan, J F Day, J D Edman

    Annual Review of Entomology
    |January 1, 1987
    PubMed
    Summary

    The evolution of blood-feeding in flies (Nematocera, Brachycera, Cyclorrhapha) shows convergent visual ecology, driven by ecological factors rather than phylogeny. This highlights the need for more research on less-studied blood-feeding fly groups.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Auto-dissemination of commercially available fungal pathogens in a laboratory assay for management of the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus.

    Medical and veterinary entomology·2019
    Same author

    Wingbeat Frequency-Sweep and Visual Stimuli for Trapping Male Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae).

    Journal of medical entomology·2017
    Same author

    Vision in the common bed bug Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae): eye morphology and spectral sensitivity.

    Medical and veterinary entomology·2016
    Same author

    Insecticidal sugar baits for adult biting midges.

    Medical and veterinary entomology·2016
    Same author

    Experience- and age-mediated oviposition behaviour in the yellow fever mosquito Stegomyia aegypti (=Aedes aegypti).

    Medical and veterinary entomology·2015
    Same author

    Can Horton hear the whos? The importance of scale in mosquito-borne disease.

    Journal of medical entomology·2014

    Area of Science:

    • Entomology
    • Evolutionary Biology
    • Visual Ecology

    Background:

    • Similarities in visual ecology among fly groups (Nematocera, Brachycera, Cyclorrhapha) may stem from the evolution of blood-feeding.
    • Blood-feeding in Nematocera and Brachycera likely evolved from predatory or nectar-feeding behaviors, with females associating with hosts near immature aquatic habitats.
    • Cyclorrhapha flies, possibly from compost-feeders, exhibit close host association, diurnal activity, and well-developed visual systems.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To explore the visual ecology of blood-feeding flies.
    • To compare the evolutionary origins and ecological adaptations of hematophagy in different fly groups.
    • To identify convergences in morphology and behavior related to ecological factors in blood-feeding flies.

    Main Methods:

    • Comparative analysis of visual ecology across different fly taxa (Nematocera, Brachycera, Cyclorrhapha).
    • Review of existing literature on blood-feeding behaviors, host associations, and visual systems.
    • Examination of ecological factors influencing host-location strategies and diurnal/nocturnal activity patterns.

    Main Results:

    • Convergent evolution in visual ecology and host-location strategies (e.g., tsetse, tabanids) is observed, driven by ecological pressures rather than strict phylogenetic relationships.
    • Species active in similar times and habitats share more visual ecology traits than closely related species in different environments.
    • Despite different origins of hematophagy, ecological factors shape convergent morphology and behavior.

    Conclusions:

    • Ecological factors play a significant role in shaping the visual ecology of blood-feeding flies, leading to convergent traits.
    • A phylogenetic approach is practical for reviewing the literature, but an ecological perspective offers a more cohesive understanding.
    • There is a substantial need for further research on understudied blood-feeding fly groups and their behaviors.

    Related Experiment Videos