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

Species Pogonortalis doclea - Boatman Fly

Picture-winged Fly? - Pogonortalis doclea Picture-winged Fly? - Pogonortalis doclea Boatman Fly - Pogonortalis doclea Possibly a picture wing fly?  Definite rowing motion of wings when it walked. - Pogonortalis doclea Possibly a picture wing fly?  Definite rowing motion of wings when it walked. - Pogonortalis doclea Possibly a picture wing fly?  Definite rowing motion of wings when it walked. - Pogonortalis doclea Pogonortalis doclea, Boatman Fly - Pogonortalis doclea Fly - Pogonortalis doclea
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon ("Acalyptratae")
Superfamily Tephritoidea
Family Platystomatidae (Signal Flies)
Genus Pogonortalis
Species doclea (Boatman Fly)
Explanation of Names
Pogonortalis doclea Walker 1849
"Boatman Fly" comes from the way they wave their wings, like oars on a rowboat
Range
native to Australia, introduced into California
Food
Adults are attracted to mammalian dung
Remarks
The males wave wings in display and engage in head-to-head combat