Unexpected records of spear-winged fly larvae (Diptera: Lonchopteridae) from New Zealand streams

Abstract

The purpose of this note is to report the unexpected finding of dipteran larvae belonging to the family Lonchopteridae in aquatic samples taken from South Island streams. Because lonchopterid larvae are not included in New Zealand keys to either terrestrial or aquatic insects I provide a brief description of a larva and summarise aspects of the larval biology.