Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Acalyptratae" » Sphaeroceroidea » Heleomyzidae » Trixoscelis » nuda species complex (Trixoscelis nuda species complex)
Photo#266664
Heleomyzid-like flies - Trixoscelis - male - female
Copyright © 2009 Emile

Heleomyzid-like flies - Trixoscelis - Male Female
Madrona Marsh Preserve, Torrance, Los Angeles County, California, USA
April 14, 2009
Size: ~ 3 mm
Found a few of these on a cool Spring day on the leaves of a Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia).

They resemble some Heleomyzids, which frequent lush foliage, but also carrion ...
I couldn't find any Heleomyzid-like fly associations with Coast Live Oaks.

Any help towards identification is greatly appreciated.
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Emile on 17 April, 2009 - 2:43pm
Last updated 31 January, 2014 - 7:51pm

Moved
Moved from Trixoscelis.
… John F. Carr, 31 January, 2014 - 7:51pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks a lot for creating a page for this cozy couple, John !
… Emile, 31 January, 2014 - 10:38pm login or register to post comments

T. nuda species complex (see comment below)
They appear to be T. nuda or one of the other 7 species in this group.
… George Foster, 17 July, 2009 - 4:25pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Heleomyzidae.
… v belov, 6 June, 2009 - 11:39am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Trixoscelis.
… v belov, 5 May, 2009 - 11:40pm login or register to post comments

Trixoscelis
The photos are a bit too fuzzy to be sure, but I think these are Trixoscelis (Heleomyzidae).
… Joel Kits, 18 April, 2009 - 8:23pm login or register to post comments

 
T. nuda group?
They ARE a bit too fuzzy to be sure that they are Trixoscelis. If they are Trixoscelis then they key to the T. nuda species complex which is composed of 8 species (4 of which are new). We are in the final stages of a revision of the North American Trixoscelis at this point and will provide a full treatment of this species group.
… George Foster, 17 July, 2009 - 4:23pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks a lot, George !
Much appreciated !

I look forward to your Nearctic Trixoscelis Revision.

May I ask what feature(s) you are looking for, that are too fuzzy in the photos ?
… Emile, 19 July, 2009 - 7:20pm login or register to post comments

 
Awesome ! Thank you much for your help, Joel !
I really appreciate that !

Did you by chance see this dorsal view image, which I had linked to the photo of the couple ?
This individual was sitting on an adjacent leaf and looks like the same species.
The dorsal view and wing veneration might confirm or even narrow the identification.

It seems that the link got lost, perhaps due to these photos residing in the 'ID Request' section.
… Emile, 19 April, 2009 - 12:55pm login or register to post comments

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact