4315 Tiny Iridescent Fly
Female Condylostylus, one genus of long-legged flies. Tiny, less than 1/4 inch long, iridescent bronze and green fly perched on a Wild Cucumber leaf. Home, Regina, Saskatchewan. 29 July 2018. Finally got an ID today on 6 Nov 2021!
Numbers
About eight North American species. The caudatus group in a stricter sense contains three species, one each for North, Central, and South America (with some overlap).
Identification
Wings unmarked. Branch of M right angled. Vein M1 more gradually curved than in most species of the genus. Male femora usually black except at tips, occasionally yellow. Female femora yellow. Tibiae yellow, except hind tibia darkened at tip. Face usually with white hair. Mid basitarsus of male usually with dense row of curved bristles. Tail of male with conspicuous long hairs in some species. Males have a more tapering abdomen than is typical in the genus. Female tibia usually with a strong bristle near one third of length, and another bristle or set of bristles at tip. Males of most species with a very long bristle near tip of mid tibia.
In the stricter sense, the caudatus group refers to the species with bristles on mid basitarsus and long hairs on tail (caudatus and graenicheri in North America).
Range
Eastern North America to South America. Also recorded from California, but probably absent from mountains of West.
Female Identification
Tapering abdomen and yellow femora. At the moment, we have almost no knowledge of how to identify these to species. bugguide.net/node/view/479965
4315 Tiny Iridescent Fly
Female Condylostylus, one genus of long-legged flies. Tiny, less than 1/4 inch long, iridescent bronze and green fly perched on a Wild Cucumber leaf. Home, Regina, Saskatchewan. 29 July 2018. Finally got an ID today on 6 Nov 2021!
Numbers
About eight North American species. The caudatus group in a stricter sense contains three species, one each for North, Central, and South America (with some overlap).
Identification
Wings unmarked. Branch of M right angled. Vein M1 more gradually curved than in most species of the genus. Male femora usually black except at tips, occasionally yellow. Female femora yellow. Tibiae yellow, except hind tibia darkened at tip. Face usually with white hair. Mid basitarsus of male usually with dense row of curved bristles. Tail of male with conspicuous long hairs in some species. Males have a more tapering abdomen than is typical in the genus. Female tibia usually with a strong bristle near one third of length, and another bristle or set of bristles at tip. Males of most species with a very long bristle near tip of mid tibia.
In the stricter sense, the caudatus group refers to the species with bristles on mid basitarsus and long hairs on tail (caudatus and graenicheri in North America).
Range
Eastern North America to South America. Also recorded from California, but probably absent from mountains of West.
Female Identification
Tapering abdomen and yellow femora. At the moment, we have almost no knowledge of how to identify these to species. bugguide.net/node/view/479965