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Genus Forcipomyia

Biting Midge - Forcipomyia glauca - male

Biting Midge - Forcipomyia brevipennis - male

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon ("Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera))

Infraorder Culicomorpha (Mosquitoes and Midges)

Family Ceratopogonidae (Biting Midges)

Subfamily Forcipomyiinae

Genus Forcipomyia

Explanation of Names

Forcipomyia Meigen, 1818

Numbers

The most speciose genus of the family, with >60 spp. in 12 subgenera in our area(1) and 1125 spp. in 36 subgenera worldwide(2)

Identification

Adult: Males antennae typically have long hair, while females have short hair. (See John Carr's comments)

Larva: "The dorsal long setae [of the larva] are diagnostic." -- Dr. Art Borkent

Range

Worldwide

Habitat

Eggs are deposited in manure, decaying bark, and similar locations.

Remarks

Members of this genus pollinate a number of plants such as cacao, rubber, avocado, mango, celery, elderberry, etc.

One species has some of the fastest wing beats known, reaching a frequency of 1046-2200 Hz (Sotavalta, 1953).

Print References

Sotavalta, O. 1953. Recordings of high wing-stroke and thoracic vibration frequency in some midges. The Biological Bulletin 104: 439-444.

Internet References

Journal of the Kansas Entomol. Soc.

NIH

Works Cited

1.	American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.

2.	Borkent A. (2012) World species of biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Contributed by tom murray on 29 September, 2005 - 8:16pm
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, Beatriz Moisset, Vox Sciurorum, Robert Lord Zimlich, v belov, Arturo Santos
Last updated 8 January, 2024 - 1:24pm

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