Rioxa is a genus of tephritid (fruit flies) in the family Tephritidae.[1] The genera Rioxa and related Hexacinia and Cribrorioxa are distributed in South and Southeast Asia from India and Sri Lanka in the west to the Philippines. Only a few species extend east of Borneo to New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. Rioxa breeds on fallen logs inside forests.[2]
| Rioxa | |
|---|---|
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| Male Rioxa sexmaculata from India showing odour glands everted | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Tephritidae |
| Subfamily: | Phytalmiinae |
| Tribe: | Acanthonevrini |
| Genus: | Rioxa Walker, 1856 |
| Species | |
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See text | |
Male Rioxa sexmaculata display on suitable fallen logs with bark beetle holes by inflating pleural vesicles at the base of abdominal segment 5 and raising their abdomen and walk in circle around a spot. They are thought to exude pheromones which attract females. After copulation the male guards the female which lays its eggs in the holes made by bark beetles.[3]
Species edit
- Rioxa discalis (Walker, 1861)
- Rioxa erebus Rondani, 1875
- Rioxa lanceolata Walker, 1856
- Rioxa lucifer Hering, 1941
- Rioxa manto (Osten Sacken, 1882)
- Rioxa megispilota Hardy, 1970
- Rioxa sexmaculata (Wulp, 1880)
- Rioxa vinnula Hardy, 1973
References edit
- ^ "Rioxa - Nomen.at - animals and plants".
- ^ Hancock, David L. (2014). "An annotated key to the 'Rioxa' complex of genera (Diptera: Tephritidae: Acanthonevrini)". Australian Entomologist. 41 (1): 45–54.
- ^ Kovac, D.; Dohm, P.; Freidberg, A. (2010). "Field observations on the mating behaviour of the Oriental Rioxa sexmaculata(van der Wulp)(Diptera: Tephritidae) and a review of the reproductive behaviour patterns in Acanthonevrini". Biosystematica. 4 (1): 5–14.