Abstract
All studies during the last six decades have stated that sciomyzid larvae are strictly malacophagous. However, the Afro-tropical sciomyzid Sepedonella nana species was found in this study to feed only on the small* freshwater oligochaete, Aulophorus furcatus. The divergent oligophagous feeding behaviour of this species was investigated. The physical attributes of the egg, first-, second- and third-instar larvae, and the puparium are described. Four types of sensilla—coeloconi-cum, trichodeum, chaeticum, and styloconicum—are present with a characteristic distribution on each tagma. Each thoracic segment is distinguished by presence of a pair of Keilin's organ on ventral surface. Each abdominal segment has eleven pairs of the same sensilla types; their variable locations are presented. Population dynamics of the adults are shown from our field investigations in permanent and temporary freshwater biotopes during 1996-2008. The life cycle of the species is presented from our field observations and laboratory experiments. Among the 62 species of Afrotropical Sciomyzidae, this is the eighth species for which life-cycle is entirely resolved.
NSTL