Species Pogonortalis doclea - Boatman Fly

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Range · Food · Remarks · Internet References

Picture-winged Fly? - Pogonortalis doclea

Boatman Fly Series - Pogonortalis doclea

Boatman Fly for California in May - Pogonortalis doclea

Boatman Fly for California in June - Pogonortalis doclea

Fly waves its wings back and forth a lot - Pogonortalis doclea

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon (Acalyptratae)

Superfamily Tephritoidea

Family Platystomatidae (Signal Flies)

Genus Pogonortalis

Species doclea (Boatman Fly)

Explanation of Names

Common name: they wave their wings like oars on a boat

Numbers

This is the only species in its genus found in our area

Range

Australia. Introduced into California

Food

Adults are attracted to mammalian dung to feed.

Remarks

The males wave their wings in display and engage in head-to-head combat.

Internet References

Review of the Australasian Genera of Signal Flies(Diptera: Platystomatidae) by David K. McAlpine (PDF format)

Contributed by Chuck Entz on 29 March, 2006 - 10:16pm

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