Lonchoptera bifurcata

Lonchoptera bifurcata is a species of spear-winged or pointed-winged flies in the family Lonchopteridae. It has a Holarctic distribution and is present in Europe, Asia and North America.

Lonchoptera bifurcata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Lonchopteridae
Genus:	Lonchoptera
Species:	L. bifurcata
Binomial name
Lonchoptera bifurcata (Fallen, 1810) [1]
Synonyms
Lonchoptera dubia Curran, 1934 Lonchoptera pseudotrilineata Strobl, 1899 Lonchoptera cinerella Zetterstedt, 1838 Lonchoptera lacustris Meigen, 1824 Lonchoptera rivalis Meigen, 1824 Lonchopteryx leachii Stephens, 1829 Dipsa furcata Fallen, 1823

Description

An adult Lonchoptera bifurcata is about 2-5mm (0.08-0.2in) long. In North America it can be distinguished from closely related species by having pale-coloured bristles behind the eyes, several bristles on the front of the tibiae of the first pair of legs (other species have a single bristle), and wings with fairly sharp points.[2] There are two colour phases, light tan and black. Dark phase individuals may have a completely dark abdomen or may have pale longitudinal markings on the abdomen.[3]

Habitat

Adults of Lonchoptera bifurcata are typically found around damp lawns and in ditches, while the larvae develop in decaying organic matter.[3]

Biology

In North America, males of this species are very seldom seen, the females producing young by parthenogenesis. This seems also to be the case in other parts of the insect's distribution.[4]

References

1. "Lonchoptera bifurcata (Fallen 1810)". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
2. "Lonchoptera bifurcata". American Insects. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
3. Bayless, Keith (2009-07-06). "Species Lonchoptera bifurcata". BugGuids. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
4. Klymko, John; Marshall, S.A. (2008). "Review of the Nearctic Lonchopteridae (Diptera), including descriptions of three new species". The Canadian Entomologist. 140 (6): 649–673. doi:10.4039/n08-034.