Species Odontoloxozus longicornis - Longhorn Cactus Fly

Classification · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Life Cycle · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Fly Seeks ID, #2 - Odontoloxozus longicornis

Longhorn cactus fly confrontation - Odontoloxozus longicornis

Robber Fly???? - Odontoloxozus longicornis

Longhorn Cactus Fly - Odontoloxozus longicornis

Sap-sucking insect - Odontoloxozus longicornis

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon (Acalyptratae)

Family Neriidae (Cactus Flies)

Genus Odontoloxozus

Species longicornis (Longhorn Cactus Fly)

Size

7-12 mm

Identification

Brown, face and lower part of head yellow. Eye has two black spots along front, brown stripe behind. Antennae have broad third segment. Legs yellow-brown, femora with spines. Stem of halteres yellow, knobs brown. (1) Associated with decomposing cactus.

Range

Southwestern United States, south to Mexico and Costa Rica

Habitat

Deserts with cactus.

Life Cycle

Larvae are decomposers of dead cactus.

Print References

Olson, in A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert, pp. 354, 356 (2)

Swan and Papp, p. 624, fig. 1337, (1) have two detailed illustrations of Odontoloxozus longicornis, one from a dorsal view, and one from a lateral. Length is given as 0.3-0.5 inches (7-12 mm)

Arnett, p. 889 (3)

Internet References

Insects and the Saguaro

Works Cited

1.	The Common Insects of North America By Lester A. Swan, Charles S. Papp

2.	A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert By Steven J. Phillips and Patricia Wentworth Comus

3.	American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico By Ross H. Arnett

Contributed by Cotinis on 13 September, 2004 - 11:27am

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