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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Orthorrhapha » Empidoidea » Dance Flies (Empididae) » Empidinae » Rhamphomyia » Long-tailed Dance Fly (Rhamphomyia longicauda)
Photo#8949
Long-tailed Dance Fly - Rhamphomyia longicauda - female
Copyright © 2004 Robin McLeod

Long-tailed Dance Fly - Rhamphomyia longicauda - Female
near Ailsa Craig, Ontario, Canada
June 25, 2004
Similar photos taken in 2003 were IDed as Rhamphomyia longicauda (Empididae) by Dr. Jeff Cumming in Ottawa, so I assume this is the same species. They're common in May & June in wooded areas near water. Females congregate in a swarm, and inflate abdominal air sacs (not visible here) in an attempt to fool males into thinking the swollen abdomens are full of ripe eggs. The hairy legs supposedly accentuate abdominal size. More info and a photo of the bizarre air sacs is in a PDF doc (186kb) here.

Update 14 March 2006: image moved from genus page to species page, based on IDed images here.
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Contributed by Robin McLeod on 7 December, 2004 - 9:27pm
Last updated 14 March, 2006 - 9:59am

Another reference on mating in this species
FEMALEMATING SWARMS INCREASE PREDATION RISK...

Looks like this species has a really interesting mating system, where females swarm and males come in to select the most attractive female--the reverse of the usual system in flies, birds, etc.

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina
… Cotinis, 23 May, 2005 - 11:16am login or register to post comments

 
Yes
I referenced that PDF doc under the image of a male here. It's the most bizarre insect story I've read: to male Rhamphomyia longicauda, the most attractive female is the one with the fattest abdomen and hairiest legs (slightly different than the situation in Homo sapiens).
… Robin McLeod, 23 May, 2005 - 3:42pm login or register to post comments

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