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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Alderflies, Dobsonflies, and Fishflies (Megaloptera) » Dobsonflies and Fishflies (Corydalidae) » Fishflies (Chauliodinae) » Chauliodes » Spring Fishfly (Chauliodes rastricornis)
Photo#22102
Fisher fly - summer or spring? - Chauliodes rastricornis - male
Copyright © 2005 Jennifer Forman Orth

Fisher fly - summer or spring? - Chauliodes rastricornis - Male
Framingham, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA
June 25, 2005
Size: 4-5cm
Found this on the side of my house near the back porchlight. I have gone back and forth between your discussions about Chauliodes pectinicornis vs. C. rastricornis and I am still not sure what I have here. Maybe someone can tell with a quick look :-).

Also, what is the white spot between the eyes? Some of the photos here have the same thing. It looks like a depression, perhaps a parasite?

Images of this individual: tag all
Fisher fly - summer or spring? - Chauliodes rastricornis - male Fisher fly - summer or spring? - Chauliodes rastricornis - male
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Contributed by Jennifer Forman Orth on 26 June, 2005 - 10:41pm
Last updated 4 July, 2005 - 1:58pm

Chauliodes rastricornis (spring Fishfly), I think
Well, a dorsal view would help, but I think I see dark marks on the head, which indicates C. rastricornis. (C. pectinicornis has yellowish marks.) The feathery antennae indicate it is a male. (Female of that species has saw-like antenna.) Amazing, these things have quit flying here in NC back in late April.

The white spot is a simple eye, an ocellus (plural ocelli). These things have three, I believe, in the middle of the head. If you use a flash sometimes you get a glint off of them. They fooled me for a long time--I believe it was Tom Murray set me straight on what I was seeing.

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina
… Cotinis, 27 June, 2005 - 1:37pm login or register to post comments

 
dorsal view
I tried to get an overhead shot, but he kept moving closer into the seam you can see there. I did upload a slightly better view, except the focus is not as good - I hope it helps.

Thank you for the information about the ocellus, I was using a flash of course.
… Jennifer Forman Orth, 27 June, 2005 - 11:21pm login or register to post comments

 
That's very good
Yes, that new photo shows the dark marks on the head quite well, so this should be a male C. rastricornis, the so-called "Spring Fishfly". Perhaps it should be renamed the "Spring and mid-summer (if you live in the Northeast) Fishfly".

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina
… Cotinis, 28 June, 2005 - 1:27pm login or register to post comments

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