Members of this family are apterous, spiderlike, pupiparous and, like
the Streblidae, are parasitic exclusively on bats. Both sexes are hematophagous.
The body is compressed dorsoventrally to such a degree that the head and
legs arise from the dorsal surface of the thorax.
Females deposit fully developed prepupae singly. This process may be repeated
several times during the female's lifetime. The puparia are shining black,
strongly flattened, and may easily be mistaken for whitefly (aleyrodid)
nymphs. They are glued to vertical substrata (cave walls, trees, etc.) in
the immediate vicinity of the host bat roosts.
The family is predominantly paleotropical. About 260 species in 13 genera
and 3 subfamilies have been described worldwide. The subfamilies are distinctive
in geographic ranges and host relationships: Archinycteribiinae range from
Malaysia to the Bismarck Archipelago and are restricted to megachiropteran
bats; Cyclopodiinae are widespread throughout paleotropical areas and are
also restricted to Megachiroptera; Nycteribiinae are found worldwide and
are parasitic on Microchiroptera (among which the Vespertilionidae are the
most preferred) and comprise almost 75% of the species of the family. Host
specificity of most species is high.
The nycteribiid fauna of the Australasian/Oceanian Regions is fairly rich.
Most of the species are concentrated on the land masses of New Guinea and
Australia. One of the 9 genera listed in this catalog, Stereomyia is endemic to the regions covered here. Another endemic genus is undescribed.
Refs.: Theodor (1967, world rev.), Maa (1971b, bibliogr.).
ARCHINYCTERIBIA Speiser, 1900b: 30 [1901: 20]. Type species: Archinycteribia
actena Speiser, 1900, mon.
actena Speiser, 1900b: 31 [1901: 21]. PNG (Bismarck Arch); Australia
(Qld), Indonesia (Irian Jaya, Maluku), PNG (PNG), Solomon Is; Indonesia
(Sulawesi).
OXYCEPHALUS Bigot, 1860b: 226. Type species: Nycteribia oxycephala Bigot, 1860, taut. [Preocc. Milne-Edwards, 1830.]
CYCLOPODIA Kolenati, 1863: 82. Type species: Nycteribia sykesii Westwood, 1835, des. Scott, 1917: 607.
albertisii Rondani, 1878: 150. Indonesia (Maluku); Australia (NSW,
NT, Qld, WA), Belau, Indonesia (Irian Jaya), PNG (PNG).
pteropus Rainbow, 1904: 78 (Nycteribia). Australia (Qld).
novaguineae Schuurmans Stekhoven, 1959: 261. Indonesia (Irian Jaya).
albertisi, error for albertisii.
aspinosa Maa, 1966c: 655. PNG (PNG).
australis Theodor, 1959: 258. Australia (Qld); Australia (NSW, NT,
WA).
bougainvillensis Theodor, 1959: 263. PNG (Bougainville I); PNG (PNG),
Solomon Is.
ssp. bougainvillensis s. str. PNG (Bougainville I); Solomon Is.
ssp. petersi Maa, 1962a: 429. PNG (PNG).
dorsinuda Maa, 1966c: 657. PNG (Bougainville I); Solomon Is.
inclita Falcoz, 1927: 5. Western Samoa; American Samoa, Fiji, Tonga.
inflatipes Speiser, 1900a: 291 [1901: 47]. PNG (PNG); Indonesia (Irian
Jaya).
ligula Maa, 1966c: 651. PNG (PNG).
macracantha Theodor, 1959: 267. Solomon Is; PNG (Bougainville I).
ssp. longiseta Maa, 1968: 23. PNG (Bougainville I).
ssp. macracantha s. str. Solomon Is.
minor Speiser, 1900a: 291 [1901: 45]. PNG (Bismarck Arch).
oxycephala Bigot, 1860b: 227 (Nycteribia). New Caledonia (Loyalty
Is); New Caledonia (New Caledonia), Solomon Is, Vanuatu.
pembertoni Scott, 1932b: 27. Fiji; Western Samoa.
planipyga Maa, 1968: 19. Vanuatu.
ponapensis Theodor, 1959: 265. Micronesia.
similis Speiser, 1900a: 292 [1901: 41]. PNG (Bismarck Arch); Indonesia
(Maluku), PNG (PNG).
solomonarum Theodor, 1959: 283. Solomon Is.
sycophanta Maa, 1971a: 23. PNG (PNG); Australia (NSW, Qld), Indonesia
(Irian Jaya).
ssp. euronoti Maa, 1971a: 27. Australia (NSW); Australia (Qld).
ssp. sycophanta s. str. PNG (PNG); Indonesia (Irian Jaya).
tenuis Schuurmans Stekhoven & Hardenberg, 1938: 18. Indonesia
(Java); Indonesia (Maluku); E Oriental Reg.
truncata Theodor, 1959: 282. PNG (Bismarck Arch).
LEPTOCYCLOPODIA Theodor, 1959: 284 (Cyclopodia subg.).
Type species: Nycteribia ferrarii Rondani, 1878, orig. des.
ONCOPOSTHIA Maa, 1966c: 660. Type species: Cyclopodia macrura Speiser, 1900, orig. des.
macrura Speiser, 1900a: 292 [1901: 43] (Cyclopodia). PNG (Bismarck
Arch); Australia (Qld), Indonesia (Maluku), PNG (PNG); Indonesia (Nusa Tenggara).
ssp. ambonae Maa, 1966c: 668. Indonesia (Maluku).
ssp. macrura s. str. PNG (Bismarck Arch); Australia (Qld), Indonesia
(Irian Jaya), PNG (PNG); Indonesia (Nusa Tenggara).
orthotricha Theodor, 1959: 297 (Cyclopodia). Solomon Is; PNG
(Bougainville I).
planiseta Maa, 1966c: 662. PNG (Bismarck Arch).
BASILIA Miranda Ribeiro, 1905: 177. Type species: Basilia ferruginea Miranda Ribeiro, 1905, mon.
PSEUDELYTROMYIA Miranda Ribeiro, 1907: 233. Type species: Pseudelytromyia
speiseri Miranda Ribeiro, 1907, mon.
TRIPSELIA Scott, 1917: 608. Type species: Nycteribia fryeri Scott, 1914 [= Phthiridium blainvillii Leach, 1817], orig. des.
aitkeni Maa, 1971a: 49. Australia (NSW); Australia (Qld).
barbarae Maa, 1971a: 51. Australia (Tas); Australia (ACT, NSW, Vic).
brevicauda Musgrave, 1925: 295 (Nycteribia). Australia (NSW);
Australia (ACT, Qld, Vic, WA).
burrelli Musgrave, 1927: 272 (Nycteribia). Australia (NSW);
Australia (SA).
?varipes Rudow, 1871: 123 [1872: 408] (Nycteribia). Not given
[Australia].
dispar Speiser, 1900b: 42 [1901: 32] (Nycteribia). PNG (PNG);
Indonesia (Irian Jaya).
hirsuta Theodor, 1956: 363 (Tripselia). PNG (PNG).
horrida Schuurmans Stekhoven, 1958: 386 (Tripselia). Indonesia
(Irian Jaya).
falcozi Musgrave, 1925: 292 (Nycteribia). Australia (SA); Australia
(NSW, NT, Qld, WA).
forcipata Ferris--not Australasian/Oceanian.
halei Musgrave, 1927: 271 (Nycteribia). Australia (SA); Australia
(ACT, NT, Qld, WA).
hamsmithi Maa, 1971a: 46. Australia (NSW); Australia (Qld).
longispinosa Musgrave, 1927: 274 (Nycteribia). Australia (NSW);
Australia (Qld).
magnoculus Schuurmans Stekhoven, 1942: 533 (Penicillidia).
Indonesia (Java); Indonesia (Maluku); Indonesia (Kalimantan), Malaysia (Pen).
multispinosa Musgrave, 1927: 268 (Nycteribia). Australia (NSW);
Australia (Qld, Tas).
musgravei Theodor, 1967: 330. Australia (Qld); Australia (NSW).
nodulata Maa, 1971a: 59. Australia (NSW).
techna Maa, 1971a: 38. Australia (Qld); Australia (NT).
transversa Maa, 1971a: 73. Australia (ACT); Australia (Tas).
troughtoni Musgrave, 1927: 265 (Nycteribia). Australia (NSW);
Australia (ACT, SA, Vic, WA).
ventriosa Maa, 1982: 707.
NYCTERIBIA Latreille, 1796: 176. Type species: Nycteribia pedicularia Latreille, 1803, des. I.C.Z.N., 1936: 29.
LISTROPODA Kolenati, 1857: 62. Type species: Nycteribia blasii Kolenati, 1856 [= Nycteribia schmidlii Schiner, 1853], des. Coquillett,
1910: 562.
ACROCHOLIDIA Kolenati, 1857: 62. Type species: Acrocholidia bechsteinii Kolenati, 1857 [= Nycteribia vexata Westwood, 1835], des. Coquillett,
1910: 502.
NYCTERIPHILA Grulich & Povolny, 1955: 116, 128. Type species: Nycteribia schmidlii Schiner, 1853, orig. des.
allotopa Speiser, 1900b: 47 [1901: 37]. Indonesia (Sumatra); Australia
(NSW, Qld), Indonesia (Irian Jaya, Maluku), PNG (PNG); widesp. Oriental
Reg.
ssp. allotopa s. str. Indonesia (Sumatra); Indonesia (Irian Jaya,
Maluku), PNG (PNG); widesp. Oriental Reg.
ssp. meridiana Maa, 1971a: 90. Australia (Qld); Australia (NSW).
alternata Maa, 1962a: 418. "Kamerun," error [= Australia];
Australia (NSW, NT, Qld, WA); PNG (PNG).
spinosa Theodor, 1967: 110. Australia (Qld).
bakeri Scott, 1932a: 21. Vanuatu; ?Australia (Qld).
papuensis Theodor, 1967: 105. PNG (PNG).
parilis Walker, 1861d: 300. Indonesia (Maluku); widesp. Australia,
Indonesia (Irian Jaya), PNG (PNG); Indonesia (Timor).
ssp. parilis s. str. Indonesia (Maluku); Indonesia (Irian Jaya),
PNG (PNG); Indonesia (Timor).
tolisina Muir, 1912: 356, 358 (Lipoptena; as sp.). Indonesia
(Maluku).
tolisima, error for tolisina.
spp. vicaria Maa, 1971a: 90. Australia (SA); widesp. Australia.
parvula Speiser, 1900b: 48 [1901: 38]. Indonesia (Sumatra); Indonesia
(Irian Jaya, Maluku), PNG (PNG); widesp. Oriental Reg.
rothschildi Theodor, 1967: 107. Solomon Is.
sarasini Falcoz, 1921: 237 [1923: 89]. New Caledonia (Loyalty Is);
New Caledonia (New Caledonia).
MEGISTOPODA Kolenati, 1857: 62. Type species: Nycteribia dufourii Westwood, 1835, pres. des. [Preocc. Macquart, 1852.]
PENICILLIDIA Kolenati, 1863: 69. Type species: Nycteribia dufourii Westwood, 1835, des. Speiser, 1900b: 32 [1901: 22].
EREMOCTENIA Scott, 1917: 600 (as gen.). Type species: Penicillidia
progressa Muir, 1912, mon.
progressa Muir, 1912: 356, 357. Indonesia (Maluku).
vandeuseni Maa, 1962a: 423 (Eremoctenia). PNG (PNG); Australia
(NSW, Qld, SA), Indonesia (Irian Jaya).
MEGISTOPODA Kolenati, 1857: 62 (as gen.). Type species: Nycteribia
dufourii Westwood, 1835, pres. des. [Preocc. Macquart, 1852.]
PENICILLIDIA Kolenati, 1863: 69 (as gen.). Type species: Nycteribia
dufourii Westwood, 1835, des. Speiser, 1900b: 32 [1901: 22].
STYLOPENICILLIDIA Speiser, 1908: 438. Type species: Nycteribia
dufourii Westwood, 1835, orig. des.
buxtoni Scott, 1932a: 17. Vanuatu.
dufourii Westwood, 1835a: 138 [1835b: 290] (Nycteribia; [essentially
as] n. n. for vespertilionis Dufour). France; PNG (PNG); Philippines,
Taiwan, widesp. Palearctic Reg.
vespertilionis Dufour, 1831: 381 (Nycteribia). Suppressed
by I.C.Z.N., 1936: 29.
miriamae Theodor, 1967: 387. Solomon Is.
oceanica Bigot, 1885l: 246 (Nycteribia). New Caledonia (New
Caledonia);
widesp. Australia (excl. Tas), New Caledonia (Loyalty Is).
setosala Maa, 1971a: 79. PNG (PNG); Australia (NSW, Qld), Indonesia
(Irian Jaya).
spinifera Theodor, 1967: 395. Solomon Is.
spinosa, error for spinifera.
tectisentis Maa, 1971a: 81. Australia (SA); Australia (NSW, Qld,
Vic).
PHTHIRIDIUM Hermann, 1804: 12. Type species: Phthiridium biarticulatum Hermann, 1804, des. Coquillett, 1910: 590.
CELERIPES Montagu, 1813: 11. Type species: Nycteribia vespertilionis Montagu, 1813 [suppressed by I.C.Z.N., 1936: 29, = Phthiridium biarticulatum Hermann, 1804], mon.
STYLIDIA Westwood, 1840: 154 (Nycteribia subg.). Type species: Phthiridium biarticulatum Hermann, 1804, orig. des.
curvatum Theodor, 1967: 137 (Stylidia). PNG (PNG); Australia
(NSW, Qld, Vic).
phthisicum Speiser, 1907: 295 (Nycteribia). Indonesia (Maluku);
Indonesia (Sulawesi).
torresi Theodor, 1967: 180 (Stylidia). Australia (Qld); Indonesia
(Irian Jaya), PNG (PNG).
STEREOMYIA Theodor, 1967: 338. Type species: Stereomyia armata Theodor, 1967, orig. des.
armata Theodor, 1967: 339. PNG (PNG).
elongata Rudow, 1871: 122 [1872: 408] (Nycteribia). Not
given [Australia].
quadrata Theodor, 1967: 333 (Basilia). PNG (PNG).
TETRAGONIOLA Maa, 1982: 707.
This page last revised 17 April 2016