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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Aschiza » Flat-footed Flies (Platypezidae) » Melanderomyia
Photo#8623
Flat-footed Flies on Stinkhorn Mushroom - Melanderomyia
Copyright © 2004 Cotinis

Flat-footed Flies on Stinkhorn Mushroom - Melanderomyia
Durham County, North Carolina, USA
September 21, 2004
These are possibly genus Platypeza, as Brimley (1) lists only that genus for North Carolina at this season (October). This also agrees with seasonal listing for Platypeza at Insects of Cedar Creek, Minnesota. However Jeff Skovington (see comments) believes these to be Melanderomyia

Whole mushroom, with its fly associates:

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Contributed by Cotinis on 15 November, 2004 - 11:21pm
Last updated 7 June, 2005 - 11:46am

Flat-footed flies?
The flies strongly remind me of flat-footed flies (family Platypezidae) of which the larvae live in fungi.

Paul

http://www.diptera.info
… Paul Beuk, 16 November, 2004 - 2:40am login or register to post comments

 
Platypezidae on stinkhorns
Great shots Patrick. This is a very nice find. These flies are platypezids as Paul speculated, but I don't think that they are Platypeza. I believe that they are Melanderomyia kahli Kessel (or an undescribed species of Melanderomyia). These are rarely collected or observed flies that specialize on stinkhorns. We have very few in the Canadian National Insect Collection (6). If you happen across this phenomenon again, please consider collecting some and sending them to me (e-mail me for details). It would be nice to know if they are M. kahli or an undescribed species. Cheers, Jeff Skevington (http://www.canacoll.org/Diptera/Main/diptera.htm)
… Jeff Skevington, 7 June, 2005 - 9:25am login or register to post comments

 
Will do--in fall
I'll keep my eyes open. These stinkhorns grow up on the north side of our office building, in a shady, mossy area. Had another stinkhorn come up this spring, but no flies. I expect we'll have more in the fall--I'll keep my eyes open and be ready to collect--I'll e-mail you for details.

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina
… Cotinis, 7 June, 2005 - 11:21am login or register to post comments

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