Fly Times Issue 48, April 2012 - North American Dipterists Society

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The Rise of the Mosquitoes and Mosquito-like Flies. 220MYA
• Most likely due to massive volcanic eruptions that also set fire to huge coal deposits causing
extreme changes in global climate, carbon cycles and acidity of the oceans.
• The great radiation of modern insects began within 3-4 Mya of the Permian-Triassic Mass
Extinction 250MYA
• World’s climate was hot and wet. Ave global temperatures went from 12-15oC to 22oC
• The success of mosquitoes and their relatives was due to their adaptive response to the
warm, wet conditions by having aquatic larvae
Rise of the March (Horse) Flies 175MYA: Triassic-Jurassic Mass Extinction 200MYA
• Most commonly accepted explanation is climate change linked to mass volcanism similar to
that which occurred at the end of the Permian (Central Atlantic Magmatic Province)
• World’s climate became hot and dry.
• Terrestrial habitats dried out
• New desiccation resistance mechanisms evolved
• The success of March Flies and their relatives was due to the development of larvae that
avoided desiccation by living in the soil (Soldier Flies and March Flies) or even inside
another insect (Beeflies) and were often predatory (Stiletto Flies). .
Rise of the House and Bush Flies 50MYA: Cretaceous-Paleogene Mass Extinction: 65 MYA
• Asteroid impact with the Earth and associated global climate changes.
• The largest insect radiation of the Tertiary era
• World’s climate became cooler and drier
• The success of this group of flies corresponds to the development of the desiccation
resistant pupal case and “ptilinum” (head sac which is inflated at hatching).
• These flies literally blow open their face to form a battering ram that allows them to break
out of the pupal case to start their adult lives!
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