BIOLOGY OF 4 SPECIES OF NOTIPHILA FALLEN (DIPTERA, EPHYDRIDAE) ASSOCIATED WITH THE YELLOW WATER LILY, NUPHAR-LUTEUM (NYMPHAEACEAE)

The life histories of four species of Notiphila, N. bella, N. eleomyia , N. kentensis, and N. nudipes, that feed on anaerobic sediments surro unding roots of the yellow waterlily, Nuphar luteum, are described. Ma les of N. eleomyia and N. nudipes form mating aggregations resembling leks on flower buds, flowers, fruits, and occasionally leaves of the h ost plant, and mating occurs within these aggregations. Females deposi t large clusters of eggs on these plant parts, particularly the flower s and fruits. The incubation period lasts 4-6 days, and newly hatched larvae drop off the egg masses and fall into the underlying sediments where they feed during the summer and fall months. Overwintering occur s as nearly mature larvae. In late May and early June, larvae move to roots of Nuphar and insert their spiracular spines into air spaces wit hin the root tissue. The pupal period lasts 14-22 days. Notiphila bell a is univoltine, but the three other species may be bivoltine. Informa tion is presented on the utilization of wetland plants by different sp ecies of Notiphila, and it is proposed that speciation and adaptive ra diation involved movement onto these different ''host plants'' for the purpose of obtaining oxygen by the larvae.