Misplaced Pages

#862137

80-458: Among the Hopi , Kokopelli carries unborn children on his back and distributes them to women; for this reason, young girls often fear him. He often takes part in rituals relating to marriage , and Kokopelli himself is sometimes depicted with a consort , a woman called Kokopelmimi by the Hopi . It is said that Kokopelli can be seen on the full and waning moon, much like the " man " or the " rabbit " on

160-708: A raptorial function. The wings are well developed, often relatively narrow for speedy flight; the alula is generally well developed, with the exception of the Leptogastrinae and part of Dasypogoninae. The venation is much as in the Rhagionidae , Tabanidae , and Therevidae; the radial R is always four-branched, with R2+3 unbranched. Details of wing venation determine subfamilies and lower taxa. The wings are most often hyaline, but sometimes smoky or dark colored, or partly infuscated in many genera or completely darkened. The abdomen consists of six to eight visible segments preceding

240-448: A convex profile with a characteristic dense bundle of bristles, called a "mystax". The mystax helps protect the head and face when the fly encounters prey bent on defense. Other bristles are arranged on the ocellar tubercle. The antennae are of the aristate type, composed typically of five segments but sometimes from three to four, depending on the structure of the stylus. The scape and pedicel are generally relatively short and hairy;

320-411: A cultural heroine or founding ancestor, and may also reflect concepts related to the life-giving blessings of water and fertility. Hopi mythology The Hopi maintain a complex religious and mythological tradition stretching back over centuries. However, it is difficult to definitively state what all Hopis as a group believe. Like the oral traditions of many other societies, Hopi mythology

400-465: A food canal, the labrum and a piercing organ, the hypopharynx . The proboscis is rounded in cross section or laterally or dorsoventrally compressed and is usually stout, and straight and sometimes able to penetrate through the hard integument of Coleoptera. The maxillary palpi are at the base beside the labium, two-segmented in all Dasypogoninae or single segmented in Asilinae and Leptogastrinae. The thorax

480-631: A great drought, they heard singing and dancing coming from the San Francisco Peaks . Upon investigation, they met the Kachinas who returned with the Hopi to their villages and taught them various forms of agriculture. The Hopi believe that for six months of the year, Kachina spirits live in the Hopi villages. The nine day Niman or Going Home ceremony concludes the Kachina season with an outdoor Kachina Dance where

560-557: A hummingbird brought them a fire drill . Two main versions exist as to the Hopis' emergence into the present Fourth World. In one version, after evil broke out amongst the people in the Third World, with the help of Spider Grandmother, or bird spirits, a hollow bamboo reed grew at the opening of the Third World into the Fourth World. This opening, sipapu , is traditionally viewed to be

640-479: A large bamboo shoot, climbing to the top, and looking about. Spider Woman then told the people to make boats out of more reeds, and using island "stepping-stones" along the way, the people sailed east until they arrived on the mountainous coasts of the Fourth World. While it may not be possible to positively ascertain which is the original or "more correct" story, Harold Courlander writes, at least in Oraibi (the oldest of

720-401: A representation of Aztec traders, known as pochtecas , who may have traveled to this region from northern Mesoamerica . These traders brought their goods in sacks slung across their backs and this sack may have evolved into Kokopelli's familiar hump; some tribes consider Kokopelli to have been a trader. These men may also have used flutes to announce themselves as friendly as they approached

800-483: A settlement. This origin is still in doubt, however, since the first known images of Kokopelli predate the major era of Mesoamerican-Ancestral Pueblo peoples trade by several hundred years, as well as the Aztec Empire and its pochtecas . Many believe that Kokopelli was more than a trader, and more significantly, an important conveyor of information and trinkets from afar. As a storyteller par excellence, Kokopelli had

880-470: A short skirmish at Awatovi before the Hopis capitulated. The 1982 art film / avant-garde opera Koyaanisqatsi references both the Hopi term Ko.yan.nis.qatsi ("life out of balance"), and three Hopi prophecies —i.e. warnings or eschatology . David Lanz and Paul Speer 's 1987 new-age album Desert Vision has a track named "Tawtoma." The novel by Tony Hillerman , The Dark Wind , first published in 1982, discusses Hopi mythology throughout

SECTION 10

#1732876459863

960-425: A suitable size. Some Asilidae do, however, specialize in smaller prey, and this is reflected in their more gracile build. In general, the family attacks a very wide range of prey, including other flies, beetles , butterflies and moths , various bees , ants , dragonflies and damselflies , ichneumon wasps , grasshoppers , and some spiders . They do so apparently irrespective of any repugnatorial chemicals

1040-681: A sword-like ovipositor . Others, for instance Laphria , are fat-bodied bumblebee mimics. Female robber flies deposit whitish-colored eggs on low-lying plants and grasses, or in crevices within soil, bark, or wood. Egg-laying habits depend on the species and their specific habitat; most species lay their eggs in masses, which are then covered with a chalky protective coating. After hatching, robber fly larvae generally seem to live in soil, rotting wood, leaf mold, and similar materials, some being predatory and others detrivorous . Larvae are also predacious, feeding on eggs, larvae, or other soft-bodied insects. Robber flies overwinter as larvae and pupate in

1120-422: A unified community, but almost inevitably a disagreement would occur, the clan would split and each portion would go its separate way. However, as the clans traveled, they would often join together forming large groups, only to have these associations disband, and then be reformed with other clans. These alternate periods of harmonious living followed by wickedness, contention, and separation play an important part of

1200-506: A usually dense moustache of stiff bristles on the face; this is called the mystax , a term derived from the Greek mystakos meaning "moustache" or "upper lip". The mystax has been suggested to afford some protection for the head and face when the flies deal with struggling prey ; various Asilidae prey on formidable species including stinging Hymenoptera , powerful grasshoppers , dragonflies and even other Asilidae, in fact practically anything of

1280-609: Is also noticeable on the wall by the swimming pool on the home of Walter White ( Bryan Cranston ) in several episodes of Breaking Bad . A bicycle trail between Grand Junction, Colorado , and Moab, Utah , is now known as the Kokopelli Trail . Kokopelli has been revered since at least the time of the Hohokam , Yuman , and Ancestral Puebloan peoples. The first known images of him appear on Hohokam pottery dated to sometime between 750 and 850 AD. Kokopelli may have originally been

1360-462: Is amphineustic, with two pairs of spiracles , one thoracic and one abdominal. Also, rudimentary and nonfunctional stigmata occur in other abdominal segments. The pupa is naked, as in the majority of the Orthorrhapha, exarate and therefore able to move. The Asilidae are predators , in both the juvenile and the adult stages, and feed on small arthropods, mainly insects. Although predatory forms in

1440-415: Is followed by the injection of saliva, whose active components perform two functions: neurotoxins cause paralysis of the victim, while proteolytic enzymes lead to the breakup and liquefaction of internal tissues. In a short time, the predator is able to feed by sucking the internal fluids through the alimentary canal. With regards to interspecific trophic relationships, a large number of reports exists on

1520-407: Is generally elongated, due to the conformation of the long tapering abdomen , however there are also compact species with broad abdomens. The integument is covered with thick hair, especially on the head and thorax and liveries are often showy, with colors ranging from brown to black to grey, sometimes in contrast with other colors such as red and yellow. Frequently they are aposematic , imitating

1600-516: Is lower in forested ecosystems, and where asilids do occur in such environments, they tend to concentrate in the glades and margins. In those conditions, the interrupted canopy leaves space for various species of shrubs and herbaceous plants suited to asilid styles of predation. In general, the biology of the Asilidae is still poorly known, but various authors have studied the population distribution in particular regions and ecosystems. They have classified

1680-404: Is not always told consistently and each Hopi mesa , or even each village, may have its own version of a particular story, but "in essence the variants of the Hopi myth bear marked similarity to one another." It is also not clear that the stories told to non-Hopis, such as anthropologists and ethnographers, represent genuine Hopi beliefs or are merely stories told to the curious while keeping safe

SECTION 20

#1732876459863

1760-492: Is robust and compact. Unlike in other lower Brachycera, it bears long bristles (macrochaeta) useful as taxonomic characters. Bristles of this type are always present on the notopleuron (notopleural bristles) and, in two series, on mesonotum (dorsocentral, supralar and postalar). Other bristles are present on the metanotum (dorsocentral bristles on the ventral episternum and at the apex of the mesoscutellum. The legs are relatively long and strong, with many macrochaetes performing

1840-472: Is smooth or bears microsculptures , which are generally polygonal and visible only in the electron microscope. The larva is apodous, cylindrical, and elongated, more or less flattened dorsoventrally and tapered at the cephalic and caudal ends. The colour is white or yellowish. The head is small, rugged, dark-pigmented and hypognathous, the abdomen is composed of eight apparent urites, with the last two often fused and more or less reduced. The respiratory system

1920-503: Is that Kokopelli means literally " kachina hump". Because the Hopi were the tribe from whom the Spanish explorers first learned of the god, their name is the one most commonly used. Kokopelli is one of the most easily recognized figures found in the petroglyphs and pictographs of the Southwest. The earliest known petroglyph of the figure dates to about 1000 AD. The Spanish missionaries in

2000-511: Is the Mother in the truest sense that people take in the corn and the corn becomes their flesh, as mother milk becomes the flesh of the child." Barry Pritzker writes: "According to Hopi legend, when time and space began, the sun spirit (Tawa) created the First World, in which insectlike creatures lived unhappily in caves. With the goal of improvement, Tawa sent a spirit called Spider Grandmother to

2080-561: The Grand Canyon . According to Barry Pritzker, "the people with good hearts (kindness) made it to the Fourth World." The other version (mainly told in Oraibi) has it that Tawa destroyed the Third World in a great flood. Before the destruction, Spider Grandmother sealed the more righteous people into hollow reeds which were used as boats. On arrival on a small piece of dry land, the people saw nothing around them but more water, even after planting

2160-585: The Zuni , also associate Kokopelli with the rains . He frequently appears with Paiyatamu, another flutist, in depictions of maize -grinding ceremonies. Some tribes say he carries seeds and babies on his back. In recent years, the emasculated (i.e. non-ithyphallic) version of Kokopelli has been adopted as a broader symbol of the Southwestern United States as a whole. His image adorns countless items such as t-shirts, ball caps, key-chains, and patio decor. He

2240-514: The ancient Egyptian god Thoth ) discusses the reluctance of scientists to accept evidence of pre-Columbian visitors to the Americas, and refers to the sipapu story as historical fact: "Heaven knows what'll happen if they ever actually find the Hopi emergence tunnels. That'll shake a few things up, you just wait." In the Jordan Peele film Us , Addy as a little girl in 1986 walks up to and into

2320-761: The 12th edition (1767). Asilus crabroniformis (1758) is the type of the genus. The rank of family is credited to Leach in Samouelle (1819). Johan Christian Fabricius in five publications dated from 1775 to 1805, erected the genus Damalis and described 76 exotic and European species. Wiedemann , in publications appearing between 1817 and 1830, described 235 species, many exotic. Johann Wilhelm Meigen in an early work of 1803 erected four genera, three of which now represent subfamilies. He also described many species in Systematische Beschreibung der bekannten europäischen zweiflügeligen Insekten (1800 to 1838). During

2400-661: The 16th century, and some believe that European Christian traditions may have entered Hopi cosmology at some point. Indeed, Spanish missions were built in several Hopi villages starting in 1629 and were in operation until the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. However, after the revolt, it was the Hopi alone of all the Pueblo peoples who kept the Spanish out of their villages permanently, and regular contact with whites did not begin again until nearly two centuries later. The Hopi mesas have therefore been seen as "relatively unacculturated" at least through

2480-415: The 19th century, based on the findings of larvae of asilids associated with larvae of other insects, but Melin (1923) asserted that, in reality, predation was occasional and secondary to the plant-based diet. More recent studies have confirmed the entomophagy of some asilids without extending this species' feeding behavior for the whole family. Less certain, however, is the mechanism of entomophagy: in general,

Kokopelli - Misplaced Pages Continue

2560-515: The Asilidae the depression on the vertex between the eyes tends to be more obvious than in the Therevidae. The fly attacks its prey by stabbing it with its short, strong proboscis, injecting the victim with saliva containing neurotoxic and proteolytic enzymes which very rapidly paralyze the victim and soon digest the insides; the fly then sucks the liquefied material through the proboscis. Many Asilidae have long, tapering abdomens , sometimes with

2640-502: The Fire Clan worried that his people would not recognize the Pahana when he returned from the east. He therefore etched various designs including a human figure into a stone, and then broke off the section of the stone which included the figure's head. This section was given to Pahana and he was told to bring it back with him so that the Hopi would not be deceived by a witch or sorcerer. One of

2720-482: The Fourth World, the Hopis divided and went on a series of great migrations throughout the land. Sometimes they would stop and build a town, then abandon it to continue on with the migration. They would leave their symbols behind on the rocks to show that Hopi had been there. Long the divided people wandered in groups of families, eventually forming clans named after an event or sign that a particular group received upon its journey. These clans would travel for some time as

2800-456: The Fourth World. "Back Door" could refer to the Bering land bridge , which connected Asia with North America. The Hopi were led on their migrations by various signs, or were helped along by Spider Woman. Eventually, the Hopi clans finished their prescribed migrations and were led to their current location in northeastern Arizona. Most Hopi traditions have it that they were given their land by Masauwu,

2880-459: The Hopi mythos. This pattern seemingly began in the First World and continues even into recent history. In the course of their migration, each Hopi clan was to go to the farthest extremity of the land in every direction. Far in the north was a land of snow and ice which was called the "Back Door", but this was closed to the Hopi. However, the Hopi say that other peoples came through the Back Door into

2960-462: The Hopi religious societies is the katsina society. According to Barry Pritzker, "Reflecting the close association between the world of the living and that of the dead, spirits play an integral role in the land of the living. They are associated with clouds and with benevolent supernatural entities called katsinam (the plural of katsina), which inhabit the San Francisco Peaks just north of Flagstaff, Arizona ." According to Susanne and Jake Page,

3040-488: The Hopi villages), little children are often told the story of the sipapu , and the story of an ocean voyage is related to them when they are older. He states that even the name of the Hopi Water Clan (Patkinyamu) literally means "a dwelling-on-water" or "houseboat". However, he notes the sipapu story is centered on Walpi and is more accepted among Hopis generally. According to Barry Pritzker, "In this Fourth World,

3120-499: The Lost White Brother. Other important deities include the twin war gods, the kachinas , and the trickster, Coyote . Maize is vital to Hopi subsistence and religion. "For traditional Hopis, corn is the central bond. Its essence, physically, spiritually, and symbolically, pervades their existence. For the people of the mesas corn is sustenance, ceremonial object, prayer offering, symbol, and sentient being unto itself. Corn

3200-455: The Shaman's Vision Quest attraction, the entrance of which is topped by a Native American man with a headdress on and his right hand pointing at potential questers. Underneath him, just above the entrance, light bulbs form the words "FIND YOURSELF" and an arrow slowly flashing on and off. Although difficult to hear, closed captioning makes clear that a recorded narration on the speaker system for

3280-490: The South American Andes, the ' Ekeko ' character functioned in much the same way. Upon arrival, his banging and clanging of his wares dangling all about his person signaled to all that a night of entertainment and trade of his goods and talismans was at hand. Even today, occasional outside visitors may be called or referred to as 'Kokopelli' when they bring news, stories, and trinkets from the outside world to share with

Kokopelli - Misplaced Pages Continue

3360-428: The Spanish were not the Pahana based upon the destruction of a Hopi town by the Spanish. Thus when the Spanish arrived at the village of Awatovi , they drew a line of cornmeal as a sign for the Spanish not to enter the village, but this was ignored. While some Hopi wanted to fight the invaders, it was decided to try a peaceful approach in the hope that the Spanish would eventually leave. However, Spanish accounts record

3440-455: The Spirit of Death and Master of the Fourth World. Hopi tradition tells of sacred tablets which were imparted to the Hopi by various deities. Like most of Hopi mythology, accounts differ as to when the tablets were given and in precisely what manner. Perhaps the most important was said to be in the possession of the Fire Clan, and is related to the return of the Pahana. In one version, an elder of

3520-523: The adult stage are present in other taxonomic groups of Diptera, the Asilidae are the most representative for the number of species and for uniformity of feeding behavior (>7000 species, all of which are predatory). The combination of high biodiversity and high predatory activity leads to this family playing an important role in the ecological stability of entomofauna. The life cycle takes place in 1–3 years. The postembryonic development consists of four larval stages ( instars ) and one pupa. The larvae of

3600-603: The area convinced the Hopi craftsmen to usually omit the phallus from their representations of the figure. As with most kachinas, the Hopi Kokopelli was often represented by a human dancer. A similar humpbacked figure is found in artifacts of the Mississippian culture of the United States southeast. Between approximately 1200 to 1400 AD, water vessels were crafted in the shape of a humpbacked woman. These forms may represent

3680-411: The attraction is recounting aspects of the Hopi creation story: Decades later, when the adult Addy, with her husband and children, return to the same boardwalk where Shaman's Vision Quest was, it is now called Merlin's Forest. Asilidae The Asilidae are the robber fly family, also called assassin flies . They are powerfully built, bristly flies with a short, stout proboscis enclosing

3760-401: The behavior is cited as predation, but for some species may be ectoparasitoids. Musso (1983) described the feeding behavior of the larvae of Machimus rusticus : the larvae of the first instar does not feed on insects, those of the second instar feed on secretions by larvae of beetles (and may cause death), while the larvae of the third and fourth instars actually behave like predators. In short,

3840-593: The behavioral patterns in terms of microenvironments, ecological, and trophic factors, showing how different species of Asilidae favour particular habitats suited to particular patterns of reproduction and predation. Specific studies show correlations between the floristic composition and predatory behaviour. Asilidae occur in all zoogeographical regions except Antarctica. In the Northern Hemisphere, some species are even adapted to tundra. Alpine species occur at altitudes exceeding 4000 meters/13,000 feet. However,

3920-423: The continued harmony and balance of the world. It serves the further and vital purpose of bringing rain to the Hopi's parched homeland. The true Pahana (or Bahana) is the Lost White Brother of the Hopi. Most versions have it that the Pahana or Elder Brother left for the east at the time that the Hopi entered the Fourth World and began their migrations. However, the Hopi say that he will return again and at his coming

4000-405: The detection of prey and their capture. The prey is caught with the tarsi and injected with a paralyzing saliva. The asilid pierces the integument of the prey with the prepharyx (hyopharynx) in preferential points of least resistance such as the eyes, the membranous area of transition between the head and thorax (neck) or between thorax and abdomen, or between the last abdominal tergites . Puncture

4080-406: The diversity of myths among the Hopi, Masauwu was alternately described as a handsome, bejewelled man beneath his mask or as a bloody, fearsome creature. He is also assigned certain benevolent attributes. One story has it that it was Masauwu who helped settle the Hopi at Oraibi and gave them stewardship over the land. He also charged them to watch for the coming of the Pahana (see section below),

SECTION 50

#1732876459863

4160-601: The early 20th century, and it may be posited that the European influence on the core themes of Hopi mythology was slight. Most Hopi creation stories center around Tawa, the sun spirit. Tawa is the creator, and it was he who formed the "First World" out of Tokpella, or endless space, as well as its original inhabitants. It is still traditional for Hopi mothers to seek a blessing from the sun for their newborn children. Other accounts have it that Tawa, or Taiowa, first created Sotuknang, whom he called his nephew, and sent him to create

4240-469: The family is Araripogon from the Early Cretaceous ( Aptian ) Crato Formation of Brazil.  ? Scenopinidae and Therevidae  ? Mydidae and Apioceridae  ? Asilidae   Bombyliidae Clade showing relationship of Asiloidea Carl Linnaeus (Linné; 1758), in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae , erected the genus Asilus , including 11 species, and added four others in

4320-527: The feeding behavior of larval asilids can be intermediate between predation and ectoparasitism. Much better known and described in detail is the behavior of adults. In general, predation in adults is concentrated in the hottest hours in open, sunny spaces, while at night, they take refuge in dense vegetation. The Asilidae are excellent flyers, and in most of the family, capture prey in flight. They are often seen stationed to ambush prey at strategic points. This behavior signifies that sight plays an essential role in

4400-514: The first instar differ from other stages in both ethology and trophic regime. The larvae of most known asilids live in the soil or in the case of some taxonomic groups, in rotting organic material, usually wood and the bark of dead trees. With regards to feeding behavior, most of the literature describes Asilidae larvae as entomophagous , but doubts remain about the real nature of the trophic regime and its mechanisms. The entomophagy of some species had indeed been already hypothesized by some authors of

4480-482: The genitalia in males, but the eighth segment is sometimes entirely or partially concealed, and terminal forming the ovipositor. It is long and narrow conical in most species, but wide, dorsoventrally flattened and short in bee mimics. In the Leptogastrinae, the abdomen is extremely long and slender. In some tribes, the male undergoes axial torsion of 180°. The egg is hyaline or pigmented and of variable shape from spherical to oval and up to 2 mm in length. The surface

4560-405: The gift of languages, with a formidable repertoire of body-language storytelling skills to complement his many talents. Kokopelli's usual noisy announcement upon arrival secured both the identity, and therefore the safety, of his unique presence into a community. Often accompanied by an apprentice in his travels and trade, Kokopelli was important in linking distant and diverse communities together. In

4640-449: The highest levels of biodiversity are in warm climates; tropical or subtropical and arid or semi-arid regions tend to have the greatest variety of species, followed by areas where rainfall is highly seasonal. The Asilidae currently include over 7500 described species in about 556 genera . Their taxonomy is still under study in the light of new specimens and cladistic analysis. The 14 accepted subfamilies are: The oldest known member of

4720-409: The katsinam are "the spirits of all things in the universe, of rocks, stars, animals, plants, and ancestors who have lived good lives." Around 1325  CE Kachina masks and Kachina dancers appear as rock art. Raymond Friday Locke discusses the Hopi legend of the Pahana writing that "The Hopis...had long anticipated the coming of Pahana and, either by coincidence or because of a common root of

4800-637: The legends, Pahana was due to visit the Hopi in the very same year that Quetzalcoatl was expected to return to the Aztecs. He arrived some twenty-one years later in the person of the Spaniard Pedro de Tovar , one of Coronado's conquistadors , and was the first white man to be seen by the Hopis and very probably the Navajo. Unlike the Aztecs, the Hopis put this Spanish Pahana to a series of tests, and when he failed them they sent him on his way." The Hopi say that during

4880-584: The line of Kachinas bring harvest gifts for the spectators and Kachina dolls for the young girls. Different sets of Kachinas perform each year. Most favored is the Hemis group of Kachinas who perform accompanied by a variety of Kachina manas. After the Going Home Dance in late-July or early-August, the Kachinas return to the San Francisco Peaks for six months. The Hopi believe that these dances are vital for

SECTION 60

#1732876459863

4960-429: The little pueblos or villages. Another theory is that Kokopelli is actually an anthropomorphic insect. Many of the earliest depictions of Kokopelli make him very insect-like in appearance. The name "Kokopelli" may be a combination of "Koko", another Hopi and Zuni deity, and "pelli", the Hopi and Zuni word for the robber fly , an insect with a prominent proboscis and a prominently rounded back. A more recent etymology

5040-423: The livery of Hymenoptera. The head is free and mobile and dichoptic in both sexes and has three ocelli arranged in a characteristic depression formed by the elevation of the compound eyes . This feature is clearly visible in the front view and is a morphological peculiarity of Asilidae. The occipital region has one or more rows of bristles aligned behind the posterior margin of the eye. The facial region has

5120-447: The moon. Kokopelli also presides over the reproduction of game animals , and for this reason, he is often depicted with animal companions such as rams and deer . Other common creatures associated with him include sun-bathing animals such as snakes , or water-loving animals such as lizards and insects . In his domain over agriculture, Kokopelli's flute-playing chases away the winter and brings about spring . Many tribes, such as

5200-444: The more sacred Hopi teachings. As folklorist Harold Courlander states, "there is a Hopi reticence about discussing matters that could be considered ritual secrets or religion-oriented traditions." In addition, the Hopis have always been willing to assimilate foreign ideas into their cosmology if they are proven effective for such practical necessities as bringing rain. The Hopi had at least some contact with Europeans as early as

5280-493: The nine universes according to his plan. Sotuknang also created Spider Woman , who served as a messenger for the creator and was an intercessor between the deity and the people. In some versions of the Hopi creation myth, she creates all life, under the direction of Sotuknang. Yet other stories tell that life was created by Hard Being Woman of the West and Hard Being Woman of the East, while

5360-500: The people learned many lessons about the proper way to live. They learned to worship Masauwu, who ensured that the dead return safely to the Underworld and who gave them the four sacred tablets that, in symbolic form, outlined their wanderings and their proper behavior in the Fourth World. Masauwu also told the people to watch for the Pahána , the Lost White Brother." Upon their arrival in

5440-778: The predator. Egg-laying takes place, according to the species, with three different behaviors that relate to the structure and the morphology of the abdomen. Females with an undifferentiated ovipositor release eggs randomly and independently from the substrate. In other cases, however, the abdomen bears a differentiated, specialized ovipositor to lay eggs in the soil or sand, or lay them in cavities within plant tissues. Asilidae generally occur in habitats that are open, sunny, and dry, even arid. They favour open or scattered vegetation, and some species even frequent bare ground. Typical habitats include savannah , forest steppe , open steppe , semi desert , maquis shrubland , and related shrubland types such as fynbos and chaparral . Their biodiversity

5520-668: The prey captured by the Asilidae. Lavigne (2003) has developed a database comprising over 13,000 reports. The prey of Asilidae are predominantly represented by other insects, mostly winged, but several cases in which they have attacked spiders have also been reported. Within the insects, orders that include the most frequent prey of asilids include a wide range of families within the Coleoptera , Hymenoptera , other Diptera , Hemiptera , and Lepidoptera ; prey belonging to various other orders ( Odonata , Neuroptera , Isoptera , Thysanoptera , Blattodea , etc.) are also mentioned. With regards to

5600-433: The prey may have at their disposal. Many Asilidae when attacked in turn do not hesitate to defend themselves with their probosces and may deliver intensely painful bites to humans if handled incautiously. The antennae are short, have three segments, and sometimes bear a bristle-like structure called an arista . Though they are a very characteristic group for such a large family, the Asilidae may easily be confused with

5680-407: The related and less widely known family Therevidae . Some points of contrast between the families include that the labium in the Therevidae is not a piercing, predatory organ, but ends in two fleshy labella adapted to the sucking of liquid foods. Again, the Therevidae commonly have fluffy setae above the mouthparts, unlike the stiff chaetae comprising the mystax of the Asilidae. Furthermore, in

5760-429: The sharp, sucking hypopharynx . The name "robber flies" reflects their expert predatory habits; they feed mainly or exclusively on other insects and, as a rule, they wait in ambush and catch their prey in flight. The Asilidae are a family in the order Diptera , the true flies. The common name for members of the family is the robber flies. The Asilidae are cosmopolitan , with over 7000 described species . Latreille

5840-433: The soil. Pupae migrate to the soil surface and emerge as adults, often leaving behind their pupal casing. Complete development ranges from one to three years, depending on species and environmental conditions. Adults are generally medium to large in size, with an average body width of 1 to 1.5 cm (0.39 to 0.59 in), but with a range of 3 mm (0.12 in) to more than 5 cm (2.0 in) in length. The shape

5920-472: The specificity of the trophic relationship, Wood (1981) mentions some studies in the literature on the subject. Some genera have been found to be monophagic, but more generally Asilidae are polyphagic, with behaviors that vary from narrow specialization to broad prey choice. Other studies have shown that the ratio between the size of the prey and the asilid varies from 1.8:1 to 3.7:1, with an average of 2.6:1. The ratio tends to increase with decreasing size of

6000-463: The story, as key characters are Hopi men, and events of the story occur near important shrines or during an important ceremony. The fictional Navajo sergeant Jim Chee works with fictional Hopi Albert "Cowboy" Dashee, who is a deputy for Coconino County, Arizona, and speaks Hopi and English, translating for Chee on occasion, as well as explaining shrines and ceremonies to him. In the 2001 novel American Gods by Neil Gaiman , Mr. Ibis (an incarnation of

6080-669: The sun merely observed the process. Masauwu (Maasaw, Mausauu), Skeleton Man, was the Spirit of Death, Earth God, door keeper to the Fifth World, and the Keeper of Fire. He was also the Master of the Upper World, or the Fourth World, and was there when the good people escaped the wickedness of the Third World for the promise of the Fourth. Masauwu is described as wearing a hideous mask, but again showing

6160-434: The third segment (or first flagellomere) has an oval or oblong shape, is generally longer than the two basal segments, and bears a stylus generally composed of two segments, of which the basal is very short. In some asilids, the stylus can be monoarticolate or absent. The mouthparts are short and modified for piercing-sucking. They consist of a strongly sclerotized proboscis which includes the labium and maxillae which form

6240-456: The wicked will be destroyed and a new age of peace, the Fifth World , will be ushered into the world. As mentioned above, it is said he will bring with him a missing section of a sacred Hopi stone in the possession of the Fire Clan, and that he will come wearing red. Traditionally, Hopis are buried facing east in expectation of the Pahana who will come from that direction. The Hopi realized that

6320-490: The world below. Spider Grandmother led the first creatures on a long trip to the Second World, in which they took on the appearance of wolves and bears. As these animals were no happier than the previous ones, however, Tawa created a new, Third World, and again sent Spider Grandmother to convey the wolves and bears there. By the time they arrived, they had become people." Spider Grandmother taught them weaving and pottery, and

6400-451: Was the authority for establishing the family in 1802. The Asilidae, together with Bombyliidae and Therevidae , are the most representative families of the superfamily of Asiloidea and they form one of the most characteristic groups of the lower Brachycera . Robber flies have stout, spiny legs and three simple eyes ( ocelli ) in a characteristic depression on the tops of their head between their two large compound eyes . They also have

#862137