Posted by Louis Boumans on 04-09-2010 20:22
#1
Someone showed me a picture of shining blue craneflies lately. I'm quite convinced that the blue colour comes from an infection with Iridovirus. This phenomenon is known from tipulid and chironomid larvae, among others, and is also quite common in adult woodlice (esp. Porcellio scaber).
Has anyone else seen blue diptera that normally have a different colour?
Edited by Louis Boumans on 13-09-2010 16:21
Posted by mwkozlowski on 05-09-2010 12:08
#3
blue accent can be due to extended deposition of wax on cuticule, but not nescesarry in this case
Posted by Louis Boumans on 05-09-2010 12:31
#4
Hi Tony,
I didn't want to publish the picture on internet as it isn't mine. However the photographer and I intend to publish the picture with a short note.
I can send the picture by email, though.
Louis
Posted by Louis Boumans on 13-09-2010 11:38
#5
The photographer, Espen Tangen Aarnes of the BioForsk research station in Pasvik, Finnmark, came back from fieldwork. He agreed to post the picture here.
I also received feedback from Trevor Williams, the most prolific iridiovirus expert. He said that an iridivuris infection is an unlikely explanation, basically because blue adult diptera have not been reported before.
Yet I haven't found a more plausible explanation for the colour.
I think the species depicted is T. (Beringotipula) unca.
Does anyone know of diptera that occur naturally in this colour
Edited by Louis Boumans on 13-09-2010 11:39