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A characteristic feature of rat-tailed maggots is a tube-like, telescoping breathing siphon located at its posterior end. [2] This acts like a snorkel, allowing the larva to breathe air while submerged. The siphon is usually about as long as the maggot's body (20 mm (0.79 in) when mature), but can be extended as long as 150 mm (5.9 in).
The larva of E. tenax is a rat-tailed maggot, which is saprophagous. It lives in drainage ditches, pools around manure piles, sewage, and similar places where water is polluted with organic matter. [10] The larvae likely feed on the abundant bacteria living in these places.
The "tail" is actually an extendable breathing tube often used to extend above the waterline. This tube allows the larvae to live in oxygen-depleted water such as sewage and stagnant pools where most other larvae cannot exist. Rat tailed larvae also exploit wet mud, manure and moist rotting vegetation. Many species of Eristalis remain unknown. [12]
Eristalina is a subtribe of hoverflies with 17 genera. [1] Several species are well-known bee mimics, such as the drone fly (Eristalis tenax).The larvae live in aquatic and moist organic material, often with low oxygen levels using a posterior breathing tube, thus the common name—the "rat-tailed maggot".
A characteristic feature of this tribe is the "rat-tailed maggot" with a rear positioned telescopic breathing tube, allowing the larvae to breathe while living submerged in water or mud. This feature is also shared with another hoverfly tribe the Sericomyiini though those flies do not share the characteristic eristaline dip in wing vein R4+5.
An example of a well-known hoverfly maggot is the rat-tailed maggot of the drone fly, Eristalis tenax. It has a breathing siphon at its rear end, giving it its name. [6] The species lives in stagnant water, such as sewage and lagoons. [15] The maggots also have a commercial use, and are sometimes sold for ice fishing. [16]
Eristalis pertinax is a hoverfly in the family Syrphidae.It was first described by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1763 and is found in Asia and Europe. Like Eristalis tenax, the larvae of E. pertinax are rat-tailed maggots living in drainage ditches, pools around manure piles, sewage, and similar places containing water with high organic load and low oxygen concentration.
Rat tail or rat's tail may refer to: The tail of a rat; Rat-tailed maggot, a maggot with the tail of a rat; Rattail, fish of the family Macrouridae; Rattail (casting), a defect in metal casting; Rattail (haircut) Rattail skate (Dipturus lanceorostratus), a fish endemic to Mozambique; Rat-tail splice, a type of electrical splice