Cavognathidae

Turienzo, Paola & Iorio, Osvaldo Di, 2008, Insects found in birds’ nests from Argentina: Anumbius annumbi (Vieillot, 1817) (Aves: Furnariidae), Zootaxa 1871, pp. 1-55 : 36

Cavognathidae

Cavognatha sp.

The family Cavognathidae comprises four genera, found in Australia [ Cavognatha Crowson , 3 spp.], South America [ Taphropiestes Reitter , 1 sp.], and New Zealand [ Neocercus Broun ; Zeonidicola Watt ] ( Lawrence & Newton, 1995). All species with known habitats have been found as adults and larvae in nests of diverse birds. Larvae of Cavognatha pullivora Crowson have been observed to feed on nestlings of the bird Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham) [Aves: Cracticidae ] from Australia ( Crowson, 1981). The monotypic Taphropiestes fusca Reitter is present in southern Chile; the biological antecedents of this species are unknown ( Elgueta & Arriagada 1989).

Finding an undetermined species of Cavognatha (probably a new species) in nests of A. annumbi from Argentina ( Table 2) is a new record of Cavognathidae for both Argentina and South America .