Rachicerus

Walker, 1854

Species Guides

4

Rachicerus is a of lower brachyceran flies in the Xylophagidae, established by Walker in 1854. It is the most -rich genus in its family, containing approximately 70 valid species that represent over half of all described Xylophagidae. Species are considered rare in both natural and scientific collections, which limits understanding of their . The genus has been recorded across multiple biogeographical regions except the Afrotropics.

Rachicerus by (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.Rachicerus obscuripennis by (c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug. Used under a CC-BY license.Rachicerus honestus by (c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Don Loarie. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Rachicerus: /ræˈkɪsərəs/

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Identification

identification relies on antennal flagellomere count and color pattern; these characters distinguish closely related species. has been poorly characterized due to rarity of specimens. Brazilian species can be distinguished using the key provided by Pujol-Luz (2019).

Images

Distribution

Recorded from the Neotropical, Nearctic, Palearctic, Oriental, and Australasian regions; absent from the Afrotropics. Brazilian records include the states of Amazonas, Maranhão, São Paulo, and Santa Catarina.

Behavior

are rarely encountered in the field and are uncommon in scientific collections.

Similar Taxa

  • Other Xylophagidae generaRachicerus is distinguished from other xylophagid by its membership in the Rachicerinae and its greater ; other genera in the are less speciose and often have more restricted distributions.

Sources and further reading