unknown insect - Trophodeinus

Moved

… Ken Wolgemuth, 25 December, 2021 - 1:55pm

Female Trophodeinus sp.

… Brian V. Brown, 25 December, 2021 - 1:33pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

Trophodeinus looks like a good possibility. Given the images here I feel safe in moving it this far at least. I'll let the fly experts decide whether or not to take it further.

… Ken Wolgemuth, 4 January, 2020 - 8:22am

After additional

searching I think I found it. Went to Google and typed in wingless Phoridae and got what is at least a close match. Possible genus and species is: Trophodeinus fulgorke. Thanks to all who took the time to comment.

… Glenn A. Salsbury, 4 January, 2020 - 8:14am

This insect

after looking at it again may indeed be some sort of fly. Here is some additional info: tarsi 5 segmented with the first segment swollen; antennae swollen at base with the "arista?" fairly long and with setae; the "palps?" are the long elongated structues; the dark mass below the head I have no idea. With my equipment this is the best photo I can get.

… Glenn A. Salsbury, 4 January, 2020 - 7:27am

most likely a dipteran

not a flea. There are some very weird wingless flies ....

… J. H. Epler, 3 January, 2020 - 1:29pm

Phoridae?

I can see a general resemblance to a wingless phorid, except for the head. It is unusually elongated for a fly, and the eye is minute. Flies generally have large eyes with many facets. This one looks virtually blind.

… Edward L. Ruden, 3 January, 2020 - 1:57pm

That's the family I came to as well

but I'm sure there are other weird fly families/genera that I'm not aware of.

… Tyler Hedlund, 3 January, 2020 - 2:09pm

I couldn't say ...

I couldn't say if it is a flea or not. Fleas usually have bristles on their head and/or thorax that this lacks, and the head is not very flea-like. I don't know if this is decisive, though. Fleas are parasites of mammals and birds. If it is one, it probably dropped off a bat or rodent that came to feed on bugs in and around your trap. I often see such when I go black lighting. If it is indeed a flea, it is an interesting one, and should be kept in the guide (not frassed).

… Edward L. Ruden, 3 January, 2020 - 10:56am

Bristles can help

But there are large numbers of species that don't have the bristles, which is kind of a bummer because many can be IDed to genus/species by that character. The head was throwing me as well, it doesn't look like a typical flea. Could the ball towards the front perhaps be the first antennomere of some kind of fly then?

I agree, whatever it ends up being it's worth keeping in the guide.

… Tyler Hedlund, 3 January, 2020 - 11:11am

Thank you

for your comment about this insect. Yes, it is laterally flattened. I think you may be correct that it is a species of flea. I found another specimen in the sample I was sorting. It would be interesting to know what the host is and how it found it's way into a Malaise trap.

… Glenn A. Salsbury, 2 January, 2020 - 11:12pm

More pics?

Any chance you could take more pics of this individual or add some of the other specimen? If of this specimen, could you try to move the front legs down so they aren't obscuring part of the head?

… Tyler Hedlund, 3 January, 2020 - 11:12am

Flea?

Could be a type of flea, but I wouldn't be terribly surprised if I was wrong and it was one of the weird wingless flies. Was it laterally flattened?

… Tyler Hedlund, 2 January, 2020 - 8:41am