Coelopa frigida
Coelopa frigida | |
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File:Coelopidae.jpeg | |
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C. frigida
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Binomial name | |
Coelopa frigida (Fabricius, 1805)
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Coelopa frigida is a species of seaweed fly or kelp fly. It is the most widely distributed species of seaweed fly.[1] It can be found on most shorelines in the temperate Northern Hemisphere.[1] Other species of seaweed flies include Coelopa pilipes.[2]
The fly has a grayish black body and yellow-brown legs.[1]
The fly oviposits in dead kelp that washes up on beaches.[3] This is the only place it lays eggs, and it can do so on many species of kelp and seaweed,[4] including species of Laminaria and Fucus.[5] A female fly lays up to five clutches of 80 eggs each.[6] The larvae feed upon the bacteria coating the dead kelp.[4] The life cycle is about 11[1] or 12[6] days long.
"Blooms" of the flies occur at times, possibly when temperatures and amounts of kelp increase.[3]
This fly is sometimes cultured in the laboratory.[6] Its behavior is studied in an effort to understand sexual selection, especially the topic of female choice.[7] Studies suggest that female flies of this species prefer larger males to smaller.[8][9] The species engages in sexual conflict.[10] Females perform rejection behaviors when mounted by males, and may mate with larger males because larger males are better able to force the mating.[10] As females are more likely to successfully reject smaller males, sexual selection favors larger ones.[10] Mating behaviors are genetically influenced, as evidenced by a preference for smaller males among females of a certain genotype.[11]
This fly is host to the mite Thinoseius fucicola.[2] It provides food for seabirds such as the purple sandpiper (Calidris maritima).[12] It competes with another seaweed fly, C. pilipes, for resources.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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Further reading
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.