Sepsis punctum
This record describes Sepsis punctum (species). Recorded family: Sepsidae. Recorded order: Diptera.
Identification and Appearance
There has been long-standing confusion over the identity of this species and the closely related Sepsis violacea Meigen. The latter does not occur in North America , so presumably all records of it in North America refer to Sepsis punctum (Fabricius).
Wikipedia reference for Sepsis punctum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepsis_punctum.
Classification
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
All of USA and Canada, and into Mexico. Also widely distributed in Palaearctic and Oriental regions.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Diptera, the group containing Sepsis punctum. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Diptera includes over 150,000 described species of flies, mosquitoes, and midges. Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on Earth (CDC). Malaria alone causes ~249 million cases and over 608,000 deaths annually, mostly children under 5 (WHO). Vector-borne diseases account for over 17% of all infectious diseases, causing 700,000+ deaths per year.
Ecological role of the group
Despite their disease impact, flies are critical decomposers and pollinators. Hoverflies alone pollinate hundreds of crop and wildflower species. Flies are also the primary food source for many birds, bats, and fish. Forensic entomology relies heavily on fly species for crime scene analysis.
Economic and practical significance of the group
In the U.S., vector-borne disease cases tripled between 2004-2016, with over 640,000 cases reported in that period (CDC). Tickborne diseases doubled from 22,000 to 48,000 annual reports. Globally, mosquito-borne diseases cost billions in healthcare and lost productivity.
Recorded sources for this group: WHO, CDC, PNAS. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Sepsis punctum (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Brad Barnd