Empis poeciloptera
Loew, 1861
Empis poeciloptera is a of dance fly in the Empididae, described by Loew in 1861. Males of this species possess distinctive enlarged teeth on the hind , a sexually dimorphic trait absent in females. The species belongs to the large Empis, which contains over fifty species in the subgenus Enolempis (also known as Anacrostichus). Like other empidid flies, it is predatory and associated with terrestrial .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Empis poeciloptera: //ˈɛmpɪs ˌpɛkɪləˈptɛrə//
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Identification
Males can be recognized by a pair of prominent opposing teeth on each hind leg at the "knee" joint (femoro-tibial junction), a character not included in standard dichotomous keys for this group. Females lack these leg modifications. -level identification within the subgenus Enolempis/Anacrostichus requires specialized keys and is challenging due to the large number of similar species.
Similar Taxa
- Other Empis speciesOver fifty exist in the subgenus Enolempis/Anacrostichus; males of E. poeciloptera are distinguished by the specific configuration of hind leg teeth, though detailed comparison requires examination of or specialized literature
More Details
Taxonomic note
The Catalogue of Life lists this as a synonym, while GBIF and iNaturalist treat it as accepted. The subgenus has been referred to as both Enolempis and Anacrostichus in different sources.