Editing Halteres (section)

====Strepsipteran haltere====

[[Strepsiptera]]ns are a unique group of insects with major sexual dimorphism. The females spend their entire lives in a grub-like state, [[parasitism|parasitizing]] larger insects. The only time they ever come out of their host insect is to extend their fused heads and [[thorax|thoraces]] for males to notice. The males are also parasites, but they eventually will leave their [[host (biology)|host]] to seek their female counterparts. Because of this, they still retain the ability to fly. Male strepsipterans uniquely possess two hindwings, while their forewings have taken on the club-like form of halteres.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Proffitt|first1=F.|title=PARASITOLOGY: Twisted Parasites From|journal=Science|date=21 January 2005|volume=307|issue=5708|pages=343|doi=10.1126/science.307.5708.343|pmid=15661988|s2cid=28071190 }}</ref> Though strepsipterans are very difficult to locate and are additionally rather short-lived, Pix ''et al.'' (1993) confirmed that the specialized forewings that male Strepsiptera possess perform the same function as dipteran halteres. Rotational movements of the body combined with the oscillating halteres produce Coriolis forces that can be detected by fields of mechanosensors (campaniform sensilla) located at the base of the halteres. Using functional morphology and behavior studies, Pix ''et al.'' showed that these sensors then transmit body position information to the head and abdomen to produce compensatory movements.<ref name="Pix 1993" /> For simplicity, the remainder of this article will refer only to dipteran halteres.