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Signal fly

Pogonortalis doclea

Photo by Mark Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Small 12mm, black short slightly hairy abdomen, thorax grey-black pattern, large magenta compound eyes, very small hair-like antennae, clear wings with a few distinct black markings, wings always busy.

Habitat:

Resting on new-growth eucalyptus stem, solitary, no other creatures in vicinity.

Notes:

Looks like a fly head stuck on a wasp body. Behaviour seemed waspish.. antennae and wings busy.

Reference Links:

Signal Fly - Family Platystomatidae

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)
Mark Ridgway
I must admit this wasp got a little less interesting when it became a fly.
MartinL
Nice work argybee. I didn't know flies were that interesting. Actually I'm still not that sure that they are=).
MartinL
I think its a fly based on the short antennae. Scroll through flies on Brisbane insects and various body types occur (eg; wasp mimic flies). Flies have halteres instead of the second pair of wings. Your wings are hard to see but I think I can spot the black halteres. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sundylicious/4808011060/ I know nothing about flies - that's all I've got:(

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PublishedJanuary 4, 2012

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