Condylostylus is a large genus of long-legged flies. There are more than 300 currently recognized Condylostylus species worldwide, about 35 species in North America north of Mexico, and at least 9 species in Minnesota. None of the species have been given a common name.

The genus name Condylostylus is from the Greek and translates to “long-legged green flies”.

Photo by Alfredo Colon

Adults are found perched on the broad leaves of plants, typically at forest edges. They are predatory, feeding on soft-bodied invertebrates. The larvae live in the soil.

Description

Adults are small, mostly less than ⅜″ (9 mm) in length. Most species are metallic green.

When viewed from the front, the upper part of the front of the head is deeply impressed (excavated). There are no hairs on the lower part of the face. The antennae are black. There is a clearly differentiated bristle (arista) at the tip of the third antennal segment.

The thorax is slightly longer than wide. The plate between the abdomen and the thorax (scutellum) has two pairs of long bristles.

When at rest, the wings are held at an angle, not flat over the body. They often have dark bands, and those bands are often joined in a U shape. The M₁₊₂ vein is prominently forked beyond the posterior cross vein.


Distribution
		Sources 24, 27, 29, 30, 82, 83.
8/26/2024


Taxonomy
Order	Diptera (flies)
Suborder	Brachycera
Infraorder	Asilomorpha (Orthorrhapha)
Superfamily	Empidoidea (dance flies, long-legged flies, and allies)
Family	Dolichopodidae (long-legged flies)
Subfamily	Sciapodinae
Tribe	Sciapodini
Genus	Condylostylus

Subordinate Taxa
Complex Condylostylus caudatus Condylostylus banksii Condylostylus calcaratus Condylostylus caudatus Condylostylus connectans Condylostylus flavipes Condylostylus graenicheri Condylostylus inermis Condylostylus nigrofemoratus Condylostylus tonsus Complex Condylostylus comatus Condylostylus comatus Condylostylus crinitus Condylostylus villosus Complex Condylostylus patibulatus Condylostylus coloradensis Condylostylus melampus Condylostylus occidentalis Condylostylus patibulatus Complex Condylostylus sipho Condylostylus furcatus Condylostylus scaber Condylostylus sipho Condylostylus viridicoxa Condylostylus inornatus Condylostylus leonardi Condylostylus longicornis Condylostylus mundus Condylostylus pruinosus Condylostylus purpureus Condylostylus quadricolor

Synonyms
Aldabromyia Dasypsilopus Eurostomerus Laxina Oedipsilopus Tylochaetus

Common Names
This genus has no common name. The common name for the family Dolichopodidae is long-legged flies, and it is applied here for convenience.

Glossary

Arista

A large bristle on the upper side of the third segment of the antenna of a fly. Plural: aristae.

Scutellum

The exoskeletal plate covering the rearward (posterior) part of the middle segment of the thorax in some insects. In Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Homoptera, the dorsal, often triangular plate behind the pronotum and between the bases of the front wings. In Diptera, the exoskeletal plate between the abdomen and the thorax.


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Alfredo Colon


Bobbi Johnson

Taken in the garden today


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Other Videos

Long-legged Fly (Dolichopodidae: Condylostylus) Catches a Meal
Carl Barrentine

About

Aug 6, 2011

hotographed on The Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River north of Red Wing, Minnesota (04 August 2011).

Long-legged Fly (Dolichopodidae: Condylostylus) on Leaf
Carl Barrentine

About

Jun 30, 2010

Dolichopods with patterned wings are rare in our area. Photographed at Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (30 June 2010).

Condylostylus flies || Nature's sign
Nature's sign

About

Sep 6, 2020

Condylostylus is a genus of flies. Family members of Dolichopodidae. Dolichopodidae are commonly known as the long-legged flies. They're a large cosmopolitan family of true flies. Condylostylus is the second largest species in the subfamily Sciapodinae. These are small flies. They have big eyes and long legs.Body with metallic color. They lives in grassy places.

Long legged fly...Condylostylus
Insect Bug World

About

Jun 9, 2023

Condylostylus has 250 plus species and is very deverse in the Neotropics were 70% of the species lives..

Long legged flies live near the coast,swamps,streams rivers,meadows and woodland areas..

Long legged flies are beneficial for gardens becouse they eat insects such as thrips,aphids,springtails,leafhoppers,whiteflies,nats, beetle larvae,termites,mosquitoes and many other soft bodied small insects...

Long legged flies have a wide range of metallic colors including green,orange,blue,copper and bronze.

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