Bibiodes

Coquillett, 1904

March flies

Bibiodes is a of ( ) established by Coquillett in 1904. The genus contains eight described , including two extinct species known from Baltic amber (B. balticus and B. nanus) and one from Florissant shale (B. intermedia). Most extant species are found in the Northern Hemisphere, with records from North America, Europe, and China.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Bibiodes: //baɪˈbaɪoʊdiːz//

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Identification

of Bibiodes can be distinguished from other by examination of , leg coloration, and body proportions. B. halteralis, the species, has distinctive reduced . B. femoratus and B. aestivus show pronounced femoral enlargement in males. The extinct species B. balticus and B. nanus are known only from compression fossils and are distinguished by size differences and details preserved in amber.

Distribution

Extant occur in North America (B. halteralis, B. aestivus, B. femoratus), southern France (B. provincialis), and China (B. sinensis). Fossil species are known from Eocene Baltic amber (B. balticus, B. nanus) and Oligocene Florissant Formation, Colorado (B. intermedia).

Similar Taxa

  • BibioLarger of with more body form and different patterns; males often have unlike Bibiodes
  • PleciaRelated with similar body plan but distinct genitalic structures and typically darker coloration

More Details

Fossil record

Bibiodes has a significant fossil record with three described extinct , making it one of the better-documented in the paleontological record. The Baltic amber species (B. balticus, B. nanus) date to approximately 48-34 million years ago, while B. intermedia from Florissant is approximately 34 million years old.

Taxonomic history

The was established by Daniel William Coquillett in 1904 with B. halteralis as . Species have been added sporadically, with the most recent description being B. provincialis in 2017 from French Eocene amber.

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