Genus Brachydeutera

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Habitat · Food · Print References · Works Cited

Floating Fly - Brachydeutera sturtevanti

Unknown Diptera - Brachydeutera argentata

fly who hops on water surface - Brachydeutera

Brachydeutera from Florida - Brachydeutera neotropica

Hydrellinae? - Brachydeutera sturtevanti

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon ("Acalyptratae")

Superfamily Ephydroidea

Family Ephydridae (Shore Flies)

Subfamily Ephydrinae

Genus Brachydeutera

Explanation of Names

Brachydeutera Loew 1862

Numbers

3 native species, widespread(1) plus the adventive Oriental B. longipes in the east(2)

Habitat

Adults are accomplished water-skaters usually found on the surface of small, quiet, ephemeral bodies of water, incl. water accumulated in tree holes, discarded containers & the like.(3)

Food

"Adults feed on microscopic particles, especially decomposing organic matter, which they skim from the water's surface with their labella. The aquatic larvae prefer shallow water and feed primarily as scavengers on decaying microscopic plant or animal material (3)".

Print References

Wirth (1964) A revision of the shore flies of the genus Brachydeutera Loew (Diptera: Ephydridae). Ann. Ent. Soc. Am. 57: 3-12.

Mathis (1983) Notes on Brachydeutera Loew (Diptera: Ephydridae) from North America. Entomological News 94: 177-180.

Mathis & Steiner (1986) An adventive species of Brachydeutera Loew in North America (Diptera: Ephydridae). J. N.Y. Ent. Soc. 94: 56-61.

Works Cited

1.	Manual of Nearctic Diptera Volume 2 Varies for each chapter; edited by J.F. McAlpine, B.V. Petersen, G.E. Shewell, H.J. Teskey, J.R. Vockeroth, D.M. Wood. 1987. Research Branch Agriculture Canada.

2.	An adventive species of Brachydeutera Loew in North America (Diptera: Ephydridae) Mathis, W.N. and W.E. Steiner, Jr. 1986. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 94 (1): 56-61.

3.	Studies of Parydrinae (Diptera: Ephydridae), I: A Review of the Genus Brachydeutera Loew from the Oriental, Australian... Wayne N. Mathis and Kumar D Ghorpade. 1985. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology.

Contributed by Matthias Buck on 11 May, 2007 - 4:51pm
Additional contributions by Bbarnd, kschnei, v belov
Last updated 22 June, 2023 - 6:33am

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