Long-legged-flies
Guides
Achradocera
Achradocera is a genus of long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae: Diaphorinae) distributed across the Americas and Polynesia. The genus was restored from subgenus status in 1975 and currently comprises 12 recognized species. Phylogenetic analysis identifies two species groups: the Nearctic barbata group and the Neotropical femoralis group. Biogeographic studies indicate vicariance as the primary driver of speciation in this genus.
Achradocera arcuata
Achradocera arcuata is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae, first described by Van Duzee in 1924. The species belongs to a New World genus revised in 2024, with confirmed records from western North America and the Hawaiian Islands. Like other dolichopodids, it possesses characteristically elongated legs and a streamlined body. The species was included in a comprehensive taxonomic revision that documented diagnostic morphological features and clarified its systematic position within the genus.
Amblypsilopus
Amblypsilopus is a large genus of long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae) containing approximately 350 described species. The genus is distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, with particularly high diversity in the Afrotropical region where about 60 species occur, including 25 on Madagascar alone. The genus is possibly polyphyletic and requires further taxonomic revision. Species identification relies heavily on male genitalia morphology, particularly the surstylus and cercus, along with male secondary sexual characters on the legs.
Argyra
Argyra is a genus of long-legged flies in the family Dolichopodidae, established by Macquart in 1834. The genus name derives from the Greek word for 'silver,' referencing the silver pruinescence found on males of many species. Members of this genus are part of the diverse Diaphorinae subfamily and have been subjects of recent genomic research, including a complete genome assembly for Argyra leucocephala.
Asyndetus
Asyndetus is a large genus of long-legged flies in the family Dolichopodidae, containing over 100 described species with worldwide distribution. The genus was established by Loew in 1869. Species occur across diverse biogeographic regions including the West Indies, the Palaearctic, and Scandinavia. Several species have been subject to taxonomic revision, with numerous synonymizations and transfers to other genera.
Asyndetus interruptus
Asyndetus interruptus is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae, originally described by Loew in 1861. It is one of nine recognized Asyndetus species occurring in the West Indies. The species is part of a genus characterized by distinctive male genitalic structures, with some species exhibiting rare mandible-like labella.
Calyxochaetus
Calyxochaetus is a genus of long-legged flies in the family Dolichopodidae, subfamily Sympycninae. Formerly treated as a subgenus of Sympycnus, it is now recognized as a distinct genus containing 36 species in the New World. The genus was revised in 2024, with species organized into five species groups based on morphological characters.
Chrysotus
Chrysotus is a large genus of long-legged flies (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) in the subfamily Diaphorinae, with more than 460 described species. The genus is taxonomically problematic and likely paraphyletic or polyphyletic with respect to related genera including Achradocera, Falbouria, and Lyroneurus. Species are distributed across multiple biogeographic regions including the Palaearctic, Nearctic, Oriental, and Neotropical realms. The genus contains two subgenera: Angiopus (monotypic, containing only C. halteratus) and Chrysotus (containing all other species).
Dactylomyia
Dactylomyia is a genus of long-legged flies in the family Dolichopodidae, comprising seven recognized species distributed across eastern North America, Central America, the Lesser Antilles, and the Hawaiian Islands. The genus was established by Aldrich in 1894 and belongs to the tribe Dactylomyiini within the subfamily Neurigoninae. One species, D. vockerothi, represents an accidental introduction to Midway Atoll in the Hawaiian Islands, likely originating from the Neotropics via the main Hawaiian islands.
Diaphorinae
Diaphorinae is a subfamily of long-legged flies (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) characterized by high taxonomic diversity but imprecisely defined boundaries. Some researchers include genera such as Nematoproctus and Urodolichus within Diaphorinae, while others assign these to related subfamilies Rhaphiinae or Sympycninae. The subfamily contains two recognized tribes: Diaphorini and Argyrini. Members are distinguished by elongated legs and typically metallic coloration common to the family Dolichopodidae.
Diaphorus
Diaphorus is a genus of long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae) established by Meigen in 1824. The genus has undergone significant taxonomic revision, with many former species transferred to related genera including Chrysotus, Asyndetus, and Trigonocera. Recent taxonomic work has described new species from China and clarified species boundaries. The genus is placed in the subfamily Diaphorinae.
Dolichopus acuminatus
Dolichopus acuminatus is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae. The genus Dolichopus is characterized by small to medium-sized predatory flies, typically exhibiting metallic coloration. As with other members of this family, D. acuminatus likely shares the characteristic elongated legs and predatory habits typical of the group.
Dolichopus consanguineus
Dolichopus consanguineus is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae, first described by Wheeler in 1899. Members of the genus Dolichopus are small predatory flies characterized by elongated legs and often metallic coloration. As with other dolichopodids, this species likely exhibits complex courtship behaviors involving modified male tarsi.
Dolichopus distinctus
Dolichopus distinctus is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae, described by Van Duzee in 1921. The genus Dolichopus is among the most diverse in the family, with males typically possessing ornamented front tarsi used in courtship displays. Species in this family are predatory as adults, feeding on small insects. Like most dolichopodids, D. distinctus is likely metallic in coloration and associated with moist or vegetated habitats where prey is abundant.
Dolichopus lamellicornis
Dolichopus lamellicornis is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae, first described by Thomson in 1869. It is currently classified as a synonym of Hygroceleuthus lamellicornis. Like other members of the genus Dolichopus, it belongs to a diverse family of small, predatory flies known for their metallic coloration and agile flight. The species is known from very few observations, suggesting it may be rare, localized, or under-recorded.
Dolichopus ovatus
Dolichopus ovatus is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae. The species was described by Loew in 1861. Like other members of the genus Dolichopus, it belongs to a diverse group of predatory flies characterized by elongated legs and often metallic coloration. Very few specific details about this particular species have been documented in accessible literature.
Dolichopus variabilis
Dolichopus variabilis is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae. The genus Dolichopus is one of the most species-rich genera within this family, characterized by males having specialized ornamentation on their front tarsi used in courtship displays. Members of this family are predatory on other small insects. The specific epithet "variabilis" suggests morphological variation, though detailed species-level documentation for this particular taxon is limited in available sources.
Dolichopus vigilans
Dolichopus vigilans is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae, described by Aldrich in 1893. Like other members of this diverse family, it is likely predatory on small insects. The genus Dolichopus is characterized by males having ornamented front tarsi used in courtship displays. Species-level information for D. vigilans is extremely limited, with only two observations recorded on iNaturalist and minimal published biological data.
Ethiromyia
Ethiromyia is a genus of long-legged flies in the family Dolichopodidae, established by Brooks & Wheeler in 2005. The genus was created to accommodate three species previously classified under Gymnopternus or Hercostomus. It is distributed across the Holarctic realm, with species found in Europe and eastern North America.
Hydatostega
Hydatostega is a genus of long-legged flies in the family Dolichopodidae. The genus was restored from synonymy with Hydrophorus and is now recognized as distinct. It contains approximately 11 described species with a disjunct distribution pattern.
Liancalus hydrophilus
Liancalus hydrophilus is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae, described by Aldrich in 1893. It belongs to a genus whose members are associated with aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats. Like other dolichopodids, adults are predatory on small insects. The species epithet 'hydrophilus' (water-loving) reflects its affinity for moist environments. Very few observations of this species have been documented.
Liancalus limbatus
Liancalus limbatus is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae, described by Van Duzee in 1917. The genus Liancalus belongs to the subfamily Hydrophorinae, a group associated with aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats. Like other dolichopodids, members of this genus are predatory as adults. The specific epithet "limbatus" refers to a bordered or edged characteristic, though the precise morphological basis for this name is not documented in available sources.
Medetera vittata
Medetera vittata is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae, described by Van Duzee in 1919. Like other members of the genus Medetera, it is associated with tree trunks and is predatory on other small insects. The species is part of a diverse family of predatory flies known for their metallic coloration and agile movements.
Medeterinae
Medeterinae is a subfamily of long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae) comprising approximately 40 genera arranged in four tribes: Medeterini, Systenini, Thrypticini, and Udzungwomyiini. The group includes both extant and fossil genera, with several described from amber deposits. The subfamily is most diverse in tropical and subtropical regions, with particular richness in the Afrotropical and Oriental realms.
Micropezinae
Micropezinae is a subfamily of stilt-legged flies within the family Micropezidae, characterized by exceptionally long, slender legs adapted for walking on vegetation. Members are recognized by their distinctive posture, with front legs raised and waving during movement. The subfamily contains the majority of described species within Micropezidae and is distributed primarily in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Adults are often found in humid forest habitats near streams or decaying vegetation.
Nematoproctus
Nematoproctus is a genus of long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae) established by Loew in 1857. Its subfamilial placement remains unresolved, with different authors assigning it to either Diaphorinae or Rhaphiinae. The genus contains approximately 13 described species distributed across the Holarctic region, including North America, Europe, and East Asia.
Parathalassius
Parathalassius is a genus of long-legged flies in the family Dolichopodidae, subfamily Parathalassiinae. The genus name derives from Greek, meaning 'near the sea', reflecting its strict association with coastal habitats. The genus comprises 15 recognized species distributed across the Palaearctic and Nearctic realms, with nine species described from the Nearctic Region in a 2017 revision. Species are restricted to sandy marine coastlines, where they occupy beach and dune ecosystems.
Rhaphium
Rhaphium is a genus of long-legged flies in the family Dolichopodidae, comprising over 200 described species. It is the largest genus within the subfamily Rhaphiinae. The genus is distributed across the Palearctic and Afrotropical regions, with 71 species recorded from Russia and 18 from the Afrotropical region. The generic name derives from Greek ῥάφιον (rháphion, "small needle"), referring to the needle-like shape of the antennae. Some species are considered rare and have been subject to conservation interest.
Scellus
long-legged flies
Scellus is a genus of long-legged flies in the family Dolichopodidae, distributed across the Palearctic and Nearctic regions. Males possess distinctive flag-like abdominal appendages called signa, connected by a U-shaped cingulum, which likely function in courtship signaling. The genus is closely related to Hydatostega, which shares a reduced form of this structure.
Sciapodinae
Sciapodinae is a subfamily of long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae) distinguished by ancestral wing venation features, including a branched vein M1+2. The group exhibits high diversity in tropical and subtropical regions of the Southern Hemisphere, particularly South America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australasia. Phylogeographic evidence supports a Gondwanan origin during the Early Cretaceous. The subfamily contains three tribes—Mesorhagini, Sciapodini, and Chrysosomatini—with approximately 40 genera.
Strongylophthalmyiidae
Hardwood Flies
Strongylophthalmyiidae is a small family of slender, long-legged flies containing approximately 80 species across two genera: the monotypic Southeast Asian genus Nartshukia and the cosmopolitan Strongylophthalmyia. The family's phylogenetic relationships remain unresolved, having been variously classified with Psilidae or Tanypezidae. The majority of species occur in the Oriental and Australasian regions, with limited representation in the Nearctic and Palearctic.
Sympycnus
Sympycnus is a genus of long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae) established by Loew in 1857. Species occur across Europe and the East Palaearctic, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Taxonomic revision has resolved substantial confusion in European species, particularly consolidating multiple synonyms under S. pulicarius and describing S. septentrionalis as a distinct northern species.
Syntormon
Syntormon is a genus of long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae) comprising approximately 110 species worldwide, with over half described from the Palaearctic realm. The genus is distinguished by a unique antennal structure where the pedicel bears a thumb-shaped projection inserting into the postpedicel. First described by Loew in 1857, the genus includes two recognized subgenera: Syntormon and Drymonoeca. Recent work has expanded known distributions to include Inner Mongolia, China.
Tachytrechus auratus
Tachytrechus auratus is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae. It is restricted to specialized wetland habitats in east-central Washington State, where it occurs on mud flats and freshet seeps. Adults are active from late spring through early autumn with a maximum lifespan of approximately one week. The species has a relatively brief pupal development period of 4 to 7 days.
Tachytrechus binodatus
Tachytrechus binodatus is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae, described by Loew in 1866. Members of this genus are typically found in association with moist or riparian habitats. Like other dolichopodids, they are predatory as adults. The species is part of a large and diverse family of small, often metallic flies that are challenging to identify without examination of male genitalia.
Tachytrechus vorax
Tachytrechus vorax is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae, first described by Loew in 1861. As a member of this family, it shares the characteristic elongated legs and predatory habits typical of dolichopodid flies. The genus Tachytrechus is part of the diverse long-legged fly fauna of North America, though specific details about this particular species remain limited in published sources.
Xanthochlorus
Xanthochlorus is a genus of long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae) established by Loew in 1857. Species in this genus are small to medium-sized predatory flies with characteristic yellow-green coloration. The genus occurs in the Holarctic region, with records from Scandinavia and North America. Like other dolichopodids, members are likely associated with moist habitats near water bodies.