Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The origin of the word "dobsonfly" is unclear. John Henry Comstock used the term in reference to these insects in his 1897 book Insect Life, [1] but did not explain it. He also mentioned that anglers used the word "hellgrammite" for the aquatic larvae they used as bait, but the origin of this term is also unknown.
Eastern Dobsonfly (Corydalus cornutus) female. The adult dobsonfly is a large insect up to 140 millimetres long with a wingspan of up to 125 millimetres. [8] The female has short powerful mandibles of a similar size to those of the larva while the mandibles of the male are sickle-shaped and up to 40 millimetres long, half as long as the body. [1]
The eastern dobsonfly, Corydalus cornutus, is the most well-known North American species among the dobsonflies. These genera have distinctive elongated mandibles in males and form the subfamily Corydalinae. The genera in which the males have normal mandibles, called fishflies, form the subfamily Chauliodinae.
Corydalus is a transliteration from the Greek κορδαλος (korúdalos) [3] meaning a crested lark or the flower, larkspur, apparently related to Greek corys (κορυς) a helmet crest. [4]
Corydalus cornutus - MHNT. Megaloptera is an order of insects.It contains the alderflies, dobsonflies and fishflies, and there are about 300 known species.. The order's name comes from Ancient Greek, from mega-(μέγα-) "large" + pteryx (πτέρυξ) "wing", in reference to the large, clumsy wings of these insects.
Their entire lifespan is several years, but most of this time is spent as larvae. There are about 15 genera with nearly 110 species. The New World genera include Dysmicohermes , Orohermes , Neohermes , Nothochauliodes , Protochauliodes , Archichauliodes , Chauliodes and Nigronia .
Corydalus affinis is a species of dobsonfly in the genus Corydalus. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela. It is found mainly in Amazonian lowlands. Forewing length ranges from 32-58 millimeters, with the females slightly larger than the males. [1] [2] [3]
Protohermes grandis is a species of dobsonfly occurring in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, as well as South and North America, South Africa, Madagascar, Australia, and New Zealand. [1] They are closely related to P. immaculatus. [2] They are the smallest species of Protohermes fly. [2]