Orthonevra

Macquart, 1829

Mucksuckers

Orthonevra is a of () in the tribe Brachyopini, with at least 59 distributed worldwide. The genus is commonly known as "mucksuckers" due to that inhabit -rich mud. Species are concentrated in eastern North America and Europe, with additional diversity in the Neotropics where 20 species occur. are small, often metallic-looking with distinctive morphological features including stripes and elongate .

Orthonevra nitida by (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz. Used under a CC-BY license.

Orthonevra by (c) Douglas Hooper, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Douglas Hooper. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Orthonevra: /ɔɹθəˈnɛvɹə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from other Brachyopini (Melanogaster, Brachyopa, Neoascia, Sphegina) by combination of: black with -purple reflections, elongate with rounded orange third , wrinkled with silvery spots, and M1 curving away from wing tip. Males of closely related distinguished by structures of the terminalia. may be mistaken for Chrysogaster ; O. brevicornis distinguished from other Orthonevra by rounded third antennal segment.

Images

Habitat

inhabit -rich mud (muck). associated with damp including marshes, fens, and damp forests. One (O. nitida) observed visiting flowers of Daisy Fleabane in back yard environments.

Distribution

Worldwide distribution with at least 59 . Concentrated in eastern North America and Europe. European species include O. brevicornis (Central Europe to Transcaucasia), O. atlantica (Atlantic Europe), O. incisa (Poland), O. montana (Poland, Austria, Germany), O. gemmula (Hungary). O. frontalis removed from Polish fauna. Neotropical region holds 20 species. O. brevicornis in England and Wales with rare Scottish records. GBIF records from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Vermont-US, and US generally.

Seasonality

period for O. brevicornis runs from May to September with numbers peaking in June. O. nitida observed in August.

Life Cycle

are aquatic, inhabiting -rich mud. with in spring through summer.

Similar Taxa

Chrysogaster superficially similar; O. brevicornis males can be mistaken for Chrysogaster and may be overlooked due to shared damp
MelanogasterShared tribe Brachyopini; distinguished by Orthonevra's elongate and distinctive structure
BrachyopaShared tribe Brachyopini; distinguished by Orthonevra's metallic reflections and stripes
NeoasciaShared tribe Brachyopini; distinguished by Orthonevra's wrinkled with silvery spots
SpheginaShared tribe Brachyopini; distinguished by Orthonevra's rounded third antennal and

More Details

Taxonomic History

revised multiple times; recent work (2024) split O. brevicornis into two , describing O. atlantica sp. nov. Neotropical fauna revised with 12 new species described. C. lugubris removed from Orthonevra and left incertae sedis.

Genomic Resources

Reference generated for O. brevicornis as part of Darwin Tree of Life project. Genome assembly contains two haplotypes (788.61 Mb and 718.58 Mb), with haplotype 1 scaffolded into 6 chromosomal pseudomolecules including . has X0 karyotype in males.

Identification Resources

Comprehensive available: van Veen (2004) for European ; Seman (1964) for North species; M.C.D. Speight documentation for European species; interactive pictorial key for Neotropical species.