Longlegged Flies (Dolichopodidae) - 266 Species, Identification & Facts

Amblypsilopus bicolor

Identification: One of the most yellow member of the genus, with extensive yellow on first four segments of abdomen, especially sides. Coxae yellow, including on mid leg where many relatives have an extensive dark spot.

Amblypsilopus dorsalis

Identification: Base of antenna yellow. Usual shining color of Sciapodinae obscured by yellowish dusting. Thorax with central metallic stripe.

Amblypsilopus psittacinus

Identification: Wing of male with long hairs on front edge; front edge nearly straight until angular bend before tip of R2+3 (bend less abrupt or after R2+3 in related species). Females are practically unidentifiable unless associated with males.

Amblypsilopus scintillans

Identification: Body shining, legs long and mostly yellow. Distinguished from other Sciapus and Amblypsilopus by the combination of completely dark antennae, coxae 2 and 3 of male black (yellow or weakly darkened in female), costa of wing of normal

Amblypsilopus variegatus

Identification: Distinguished from other North American Amblypsilopus by combination of

Argyra calcitrans

Identification: Legs yellow, base of male abdomen yellow, male hind basitarsus thickened with black bristles.

Argyra diaphana

Males have some white on the abdomen and yellow spots on the side of the abdomen. Argyra diaphana can be distinguished from other Argyra species by the fact that the scutellum is hairy and the thorax is not silvery. The frons and face are blackish. U

Argyra nigriventris

Identification: Abdomen without yellow. Fore and mid femora black with yellow tips. Fore and mid tibiae yellow. Hind leg entirely black with long bristles below basitarsus.

Argyra perplexa

There are a number of similar species in this genus and identification to species level requires detailed examination. Our image is placed in a red box to denote that whilst it is likely to be this species, the image can only be claimed to be represe

Asyndetus latus

Identification: Male with white face as broad as frons, palps black with strong bristles, and tibiae yellow except for darker tip.

Campsicnemus oregonensis

Identification: Apparently keys to C. thersites in Harmston & Knowlton (1942), but most notably, it has a dark spot on the vein M1+2 that the other species lacks. Original description: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/26388950#page/396/mode/1

Chrysotimus delicatus

Identification: Thorax and abdomen green except the second and third segments of the female abdomen. Palps yellow.

Chrysotus affinis

Identification: Halteres pale; third segment of male antenna short, pointed; arista nearly apical and not in a notch; legs almost entirely dark; face of male narrowed below.

Chrysotus arkansensis

Identification: Fore femur yellow, halter black, mid and hind femur black except at tips.

Chrysotus bellus

Identification: Violet abdomen, black legs, pale halteres

Chrysotus blepharosceles

2.5 to 3mm. This species is sexually dimorphic. Chrysotus blepharosceles is very similar to other members of the Dolichopodidae and detailed examination is necessary. It may only be possible to identify males with confidence. Detailed examination of

Chrysotus mundus

Identification: Eyes of male joined broadly on top of head. Legs mostly yellow. Male with enlarged pulvilli on fore and mid legs.

Chrysotus neopicticornis

Identification: Like C. picticornis except the hind femur lacks a black spot at tip and has fewer than 4 preapical anteroventral bristles.

Chrysotus pallipes

Identification: Legs yellow, except tips of tarsi and most of mid and hind coxae, front somewhat shining green, male face narrowed below, third segment of antenna small without apical notch.

Chrysotus picticornis

Identification: Pale legs, base of antenna yellow, hind femur with brown tip and four or more black bristles below (possibly only in male).

Chrysotus simulans

Identification: Femora pale, fore tarsi of male ornamented, fore tibia with black ring.

Chrysotus tarsalis

Published records of Chrysotus tarsalis are from the Southeast. BugGuide photos extend the range to the Northeast (or show a related undescribed specices).

Condylostylus calcaratus

Identification: Distinguished from related species by the mid basitarsus with only straight hairs (not curved), and long bristle at tip of mid tibia.

Condylostylus coloradensis

Identification: Similar to other black-legged Condylostylus with marked wings, but without distinctive bristles on the male fore basitarsus.

Condylostylus comatus

Identification: There is one other similar Eastern species of Condylostylus . Females are indistinguishable. Males of C. comatus differ by having a row of hairs on the mid metatarsus and pale genital appendages. C. crinitus has an all-dark hypopygi

Condylostylus connectans

Identification: Like caudatus except the last hind tarsomere of the male is widened and there is only one pair of long tail hairs instead of two rows of long hairs.

Condylostylus crinitus

Identification: There is one other similar Eastern species of Condylostylus . Females are indistinguishable. Males of C. comatus differ by having a row of hairs on the mid metatarsus and pale genital appendages. C. crinitus has an all-dark hypopygi

Condylostylus flavipes

Identification: Legs mostly yellow and without bristles, mid basitarsus lacking bristles unlike other members of the group, distal segment of hind tarsus enlarged, distal segment of fore and mid tarsi black, abdomen lacking long hairs at the tip. Ver

Condylostylus graenicheri

Identification: Distinguished from other North American members of the Condylostylus caudatus group (in the broad sense used here) by long hairs at tip of abdomen and enlarged segments 4 and 5 of hind tarsi. According to Curran 1934, "The Diptera of

Condylostylus leonardi

Identification: Characters shared with C. quadricolor but unlike all other species: Unlike C. quadricolor :

Condylostylus mundus

Identification: Wings unmarked, legs dark. Males: Females: Females are very similar to the unidentified species A, but can be distinguished by the leg color and chaetotaxy.

Condylostylus nigrofemoratus

Identification: Distinguished from other members of the Condylostylus caudatus group by the combination: dense row of curved bristles on mid basitarsus; tarsi not otherwise modified (hind tarsi not swolled, mid tarsi not elongated); tail hairs not es

Condylostylus quadricolor

Identification: Characters shared with C. leonardi but unlike all other species: Unlike C. leonardi :

Condylostylus scaber

Identification: See species group page for identification information.

Condylostylus sipho

Identification: See species group page for identification information.

Condylostylus tonsus

Identification: Wings similar to caudatus group (unmarked and with rounded M1), face bare, tarsi unornamented, fore basitarsus less than three times as long as second segment, femora and tibiae yellow except tip of hind femur may be darkened. Most si

Condylostylus villosus

Identification: Distinguished from C. crinitus by long, wrinkled hairs near tip of abdomen. Distinguished from C. comatus by lack of row of long setae on mid basitarsus and two long hairs rather than three on mid tibia.

Condylostylus viridicoxa

Identification: See species group page for identification information.

Dactylomyia lateralis

Identification: The only species of Neurigoninae north of Mexico where veins R4+5 and M end very close together, before the tip of the wing. Thorax metallic green (unlike Neurigona , but like Viridigona ).

Diaphorus nigricans

Identification: Black species, including legs and halteres, eyes of male contiguous on top of head.

Diaphorus pseudopacus

This widepsread species (absent from arctic and Pacific states) was only named in 1964 because it had formerly been confused with the even more widespread Diaphorus nigricans . The name means "false opacus" because it had previously been called opac

Dolichopus absonus

Identification: Similar to Dolichopus cuprinus , except in male secondary sexual characters: Female is not distinguishable from species related to cuprinus , except longipennis has wing slightly narrowed at base.

Dolichopus adultus

Identification: In Group B of Van Duzee (1921): Femora, postocular cilia, and squamal cilia dark. Male antennae long with arista beyond middle of third segment.

Dolichopus brevimanus

Identification: Distinguished from Dolichopus albicoxa by the plain fore tarsi of the male.

Dolichopus brevipennis

Identification: One of a small number of species with postocular cilia dark, femora pale, and antennae entirely black.

Dolichopus comatus

Identification: Middle tibia of male with very long bristles; middle basitarsus of male with row of long bristles of decreasing length.

Dolichopus consanguineus

Identification: Orbital cilia black, large, with a conspicuous patch of orange hairs. Antennae long, hairy, black with a large yellow projection below.

Dolichopus crenatus

Identification: Distinguished from other species with lamellicornis -like antennae by the pale setae of the calypters and the thick arista of the male.

Dolichopus cuprinus

Identification: Males distinguishable from other species with similarly ornamented fore tarsi by the long, yellow hairs under the hind femur (shorter or missing in most other species) and the costa not strongly swollen at the tip of R1.

Dolichopus discifer

5-6.5mm. Typical of the genus with a green, metallic body and long legs. It is a predator of aphids, springtails and similar small invertebrates. Males have enlarged front tarsi used in courtship to woo a female. Identification requires close examina

Dolichopus festivus

5-7mm. A typical Dolichopus species with a metallic green body. See ID Guidance: for detail. Unless identified by a recognised expert, a photo is required, and the specimen should be examined with a microscope. In the comments box, state the key or I

Dolichopus footei

Identification: "The wholly black coloration of body and legs together with the black hypopygial lamellae and small jet-black spot at apex of wing will readily distinguish this species from all of the known members of the genus Dolichopus ." (Harmsto

Dolichopus gratus

Identification: One of a few Eastern species with femora, postocular hairs, and hairs of squama all black. Hind tibia black with upper edge yellow at base. Costa of male strongly swollen at tip of R1.

Dolichopus griseipennis

D. griseipennis can be identified by viewing the following combination of features: the lower post-ocular hairs (on the outer rim of the eye) are pale, though dark near the top of the eye; there is a fringe of setae on the inside of the hind femur an

Dolichopus lamellicornis

Identification: Distinguished from most similar species by the tufts of yellow hair on the second tergite. Dolichopus arizonicus has similar hairs and is distinguished by longer antennae and dark hairs on the calypters.

Dolichopus longimanus

" Dolichopus longimanus Loew is a species with much elongated front tarsi, the last joint being black and enlarged. I observed the courtship on the trunks of trees at Simpson Park, Big Stone City, South Dakota, in 1896, and although I have no notes I

Dolichopus longipennis

Identification: Base of male wing modified. See Van Duzee et al. 1921 page 289 and figure 213

Dolichopus mannerheimi

Identification: Black femora, male with dark spot near wingtip, white band on mid tibia, and white spot near tip of mid basitarsus. "The only species known from North America which is at all similar to this one is annulipes Zetterstedt ( stehammari o

Dolichopus pachycnemus

Identification: Postocular cilia black. Fore and mid femora and tibiae yellow, hind with black tips. Male with last segments of fore tarsus black and slightly widened.

Dolichopus pantomimus

Identification: Antennae black, third segment long. Hind legs black from tip of tibia. Mid legs black from tip of first segment of tarsi. Fore legs darkened near tips, but without sharply defined black region and without ornaments. Hind femora wi

Dolichopus plumipes

This is a small dolichopid fly with a metallic green thorax. Males have strangely adorned legs, with which they impress the females. Dolichopus plumipes is very similar to Dolichopus wahlbergi and detailed examination is necessary to distinguish betw

Dolichopus popularis

This species is typical of the genus where males have very large genitalia tucked under the abdomen and it typically rests with its front end raised - like a begging dog. Most species in the genus also have a brassy gold sheen. D. popularis has a who

Dolichopus ramifer

Identification: M with long stump vein at curve. Antennae long, black. Hind legs black from tip of tibiae. Thorax and front dark, shining. Mid tibia with one long bristle below; mid basitarsus without strong bristle above. Mid femora often with

Dolichopus remipes

Identification: Male with long hairs on last three segments of hind tarsi.

Dolichopus stenhammari

Identification: Usually with a white band on the mid tibia. This is the type species of Melanodolichopus , a group of dark-colored Dolichopus .

Dolichopus superbus

Identification: The combination of the fore legs, male genitalia, and general color are distinctive. See Van Duzee 1921, figs. 211-211b .

Dolichopus tenuipes

Dolichopus tenuipes "has the fore tarsi in the male exceedingly elongated, and slender, with the last joint in the shape of a comparatively large, oval black disk... I observed in September the maneuvers of the male in courting the female. He would p

Dolichopus trivialis

4-5 mm. Metallic green abdomen and thorax, yellow legs with dark tarsi. Pale hair fringe under hind femora. Single apical bristle on the front tarsus (basal segment). Grassland, gardens and post industrial sites. Feeds on midges and other small ins

Dolichopus ungulatus

A typical and very common Dolichopid with a metallic green abdomen. See the ID checklist below for the key characteristics. Damp habitats, wet grassland, woodland edge, scrub and hedgerows.

Dolichopus versutus

Identification: The male is distinguished from related species by the combination of

Dolichopus vigilans

Identification: Last three segments of male fore tarsus swollen into a black triangle contrasting with yellow first and second segments. Similar to ornaments of several other species, but different in detail.

Dolichopus wahlbergi

4.5-5.5mm. Metallic green. Legs all yellow. Males have the basal segment of the mid tarsus modified into black pennate extensions, looking like a thick feather. Dolichopus plumipes is similar but has a dark anterodorsal streak down the mid tibia. Gra

Ethiromyia violacea

Identification: Distinguished from similar North American species by the spots on mid and hind legs where major bristles insert.

Gymnopternus exilis

Identification: Antennae long, femora yellow except usually with a prominent dark spot at the tip of the hind femur. If the spot is absent, distinguishable from subulatus by the shorter antenna with more basal arista and from opacus by male genitali

Gymnopternus nigribarbus

Identification: The male has a long arista with a large, swollen tip of the kind often found in Tachytrechus .

Gymnopternus opacus

Identification: Legs entirely pale, except some dark on coxae; antennae large, dark with some reddish marks. See Robinson and Loew for additional details.

Gymnopternus scotias

Identification: Dark femora; dark, shining green thorax; antennae black, male with third segment longer than wide, slightly pointed, with long hairs.

Gymnopternus subulatus

Identification: Long, pointed third segment of antenna ("subulate") with arista nearly apical. Femora yellow.

Hydatostega plumbea

Identification: The white and black wing markings are distinctive according to Justin Runyon, who is an expert on the family.

Hypocharassus pruinosus

Identification: The shape of the antenna is distinctive:

Liancalus virens

Length 7 or 8 mm. This colourful species is the largest of the dolichopodid or long legged flies in north western Europe. It lives amongst the mosses, liverworts and algae growing under bridges and beside waterfalls and fast running water. Scattered

Medetera aberrans

Identification: A relatively shining, green species with yellow legs. Lateral scutellar bristles half as long as apical. Male with modified fore tarsus.

Neurigona aldrichii

Identification: Male with modified second fore tarsomere.

Neurigona carbonifer

Identification: Male fore tarsus with enlarged black tip. See Van Duzee 1913:32 (below) for full description.

Neurigona deformis

Identification: Males have deformed wings and tarsomeres 2-4 of the fore legs with a hairy fringe.

Neurigona dimidiata

Identification: Flat spot on thorax black, usually with black line extending forward. Hairs and bristles on fore and mid coxae whitish yellow. Hypopygium black.

Paraclius pumilio

Identification: The only species in the Eastern US with black femora

Paraclius quadrinotatus

Identification: Mesoscutum with distinct black spots above wing base, completely separated, and with white spots and an additional black spot at the ends of the transverse suture.

Paraphrosylus direptor

Identification: The only species of the genus with a prominent black spot on the wings. Other species may have faint clouding.

Parathalassius abela

Identification: "This relatively large species is characterized by 3–4 notopleural bristles, dark legs, relatively long vein CuA+CuP, males with golden-yellow pruinosity on the face and clypeus, and longer lower male ommatrichia. Parathalassius abela

Parathalassius infuscatus

Identification: "This small distinctive species is characterized by broadly infuscate wings in both the male and female with the base of M2 usually appearing indistinct, uniformly short male ommatrichia, 2 notopleural bristles, and male hypopygium wi

Parathalassius uniformus

Identification: "This relatively small species is characterized by a subtriangular antennal postpedicel, uniformly short male ommatrichia, 2 notopleural bristles, hyaline wing, relatively dark legs, male hypopygium compact, and female sternite 8 with

Pelastoneurus longicauda

Identification: White spot on thorax, bend in M relatively abrupt, dark spots on middle and hind tibiae at insertion of bristles, face of male wide.

Pelastoneurus umbripictus

Identification: Thoracic pattern should be unique, as well as the spots on the wings.

Peloropeodes cornutus

Identification: Males are distinguished from other North American Peloropeodes by the very long antennae with first two segments black. P. magnicornis from Nebraska has the first two segments yellow.

Plagioneurus univittatus

Identification: Thorax metallic green with a strong black stripe in the center. Abdomen black with white pruinose posterior bands. Wings hyaline with vein M converging with R4+5.

Poecilobothrus nobilitatus

This is an attractive fly with a metallic green thorax. The male has conspicuous white wing tips and is easy to identify, the female lacks these white wing tips and looks very similar to many others in the genus. The acrostichal bristles on the thora

Rhaphium appendiculatum

One of many Rhaphium species with enlarged 3rd antennal segment. In R. appendiculatum , the arista is very short - no longer than one eighth the length of the third segment. The genital lamella is long and ribbon-like. Rhaphium caliginosum has a long

Rhaphium browni

Identification: Fore and mid tibiae pale, hind black. Femora black except female hind femora pale basally. Antennae long in both sexes. Female arista less than half as long as first flagellomere. Male arista and fore tarsi apically expanded.

Rhaphium fascipes

Identification: Mid and hind femora black, face black, tibiae yellow except tip of hind tibia thickened and black.

Species in Dolichopodidae (266)

Amblypsilopus bicolor

Amblypsilopus dorsalis

Amblypsilopus psittacinus

Amblypsilopus scintillans

Amblypsilopus variegatus

Argyra calcitrans

Argyra diaphana

Argyra nigriventris

Argyra perplexa

Asyndetus latus

Campsicnemus oregonensis

Chrysotimus delicatus

Chrysotus affinis

Chrysotus arkansensis

Chrysotus bellus

Chrysotus blepharosceles

Chrysotus mundus

Chrysotus neopicticornis

Chrysotus pallipes

Chrysotus picticornis

Chrysotus simulans

Chrysotus tarsalis

Condylostylus calcaratus

Condylostylus coloradensis

Condylostylus comatus

Condylostylus connectans

Condylostylus crinitus

Condylostylus flavipes

Condylostylus graenicheri

Condylostylus leonardi

Condylostylus mundus

Condylostylus nigrofemoratus

Condylostylus quadricolor

Condylostylus scaber

Condylostylus sipho

Condylostylus tonsus

Condylostylus villosus

Condylostylus viridicoxa

Dactylomyia lateralis

Diaphorus nigricans

Diaphorus pseudopacus

Dolichopus absonus

Dolichopus adultus

Dolichopus brevimanus

Dolichopus brevipennis

Dolichopus comatus

Dolichopus consanguineus

Dolichopus crenatus

Dolichopus cuprinus

Dolichopus discifer

Dolichopus festivus

Dolichopus footei

Dolichopus gratus

Dolichopus griseipennis

Dolichopus lamellicornis

Dolichopus longimanus

Dolichopus longipennis

Dolichopus mannerheimi

Dolichopus pachycnemus

Dolichopus pantomimus

Dolichopus plumipes

Dolichopus popularis

Dolichopus ramifer

Dolichopus remipes

Dolichopus stenhammari

Dolichopus superbus

Dolichopus tenuipes

Dolichopus trivialis

Dolichopus ungulatus

Dolichopus versutus

Dolichopus vigilans

Dolichopus wahlbergi

Ethiromyia violacea

Gymnopternus exilis

Gymnopternus nigribarbus

Gymnopternus opacus

Gymnopternus scotias

Gymnopternus subulatus

Hydatostega plumbea