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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Orthorrhapha » Empidoidea » Hybotid Dance Flies (Hybotidae) » Tachydromiinae » Tachydromiini » Platypalpus

Genus Platypalpus

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Remarks · Works Cited
Fly with big eyes (or small head) - Platypalpus Fly - Platypalpus Hybotid Dance Fly - Platypalpus Orange Platypalpus - Platypalpus Hybotid Dance Fly - Platypalpus - female Hybotidae - Hybotid Dance Flies dark species from eastern Canada - Platypalpus Diptera sp. - Platypalpus Hybotid Dance Fly? - Platypalpus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon (Orthorrhapha)
Superfamily Empidoidea
Family Hybotidae (Hybotid Dance Flies)
Subfamily Tachydromiinae
Tribe Tachydromiini
Genus Platypalpus
Explanation of Names
Platypalpus Macquart 1827
Numbers
Over 100 species in North America (some undescribed), about 30-35 species in Eastern USA
Identification
Characters include swollen middle femur.
Remarks
The large mid legs hold prey while the fly feeds.
Species of Platypalpus are considered difficult to identify. Some species with yellow thorax or dark legs are distinctive. Most species have yellow legs, a dark thorax, and generally require shots from top and side to see enough features to identify them. A key to nearctic species begins at page 317 of Genera Insectorum volume 185.(1) Many photos here fail to run through the key even when characters are visible.
Works Cited
1.Genera Insectorum 185
A. L. Melander. 1928. P. Wytsman.
Contributed by tom murray on 23 May, 2005 - 6:57am
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Vox Sciurorum, v belov
Last updated 27 March, 2017 - 1:16am

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