Aquatic Insects of Michigan

by Ethan Bright, Museum of Zoology Insect Division and School of Natural Resources and Environment
University of Michigan

Stratiomyidae - Soldier Flies

The family Stratiomyidae (Latreille, 1802: 345), commonly known as "soldier flies", are a smaller family of flies of approximately 2,700 in over 380 genera (Woodley 2001). It appears that only species in the subfamily Stratiomyinae and Clitellariinae are aquatic or semiaquatic, and are found in a broad range of lentic or lotic habitats, usually nearshore, but also ephemeral habitats such as tree holes and seepages. Adults are usually found nearby their larval habitats, often seen perched on sunlit patches of vegetation and even flowers. McFadden (1967) has a useful description of the immature larvae for the family in North America.

Michigan records below are from the McFadden work and a survey of specimens from the UMMZ Insect Division collection. There are 28 species in 9 genera of aquatic or semi-aquatic soldier flies recorded from Michigan, with an additional 24 species likely to be found based on their regional occurrance. Genera are denoted in green; species denoted in bold blue have been recorded in Michigan; other species denoted in black bold are expected to occur based on their known distribution. You can use the Find function in your web browser to locate families, genera, and species. Synonomous species (indented) are listed below the current valid species (denoted in bold) with its taxonomic status indicated.

Anoplodonta James, 1936a: 35 (Subfamily Stratiomyinae, Tribe Odontomyiini)
Anoplodonta nigrirostris (Loew, 1866a: 140 as Odontomyia)
(syn.) Odontomyia nuda James, 1932b: 436

Euparyphus Gerstäcker, 1857: 314 (Subfamily Clitellariinae, Tribe Oxycerini)
Euparyphus (Aochletus) brevicornis Loew, 1866b: 10 - ON southeast and west
(syn.) Euparyphus brucensis Steyskal, 1951: 273
Euparyphus (Euparyphus) stigmaticalis Loew, 1866b: 10
(syn.) Euparyphus nigrostigma Curran, 1927: 217

Caloparyphus James, 1939a: 49 (Subfamily Clitellariinae, Tribe Oxycerini)
Caloparyphus greylockensis (Johnson,1912: 5 as Euparyphus)
(syn.) Euparyphus adaleonora Steyskal, 1941: 123
Caloparyphus tetraspilus (Loew, 1866b: 9 as Euparyphus)
(syn.) Euparyphus bellus Loew, 1866b: 11

Hedriodiscus Enderlein, 1914: 608 (Subfamily Stratiomyinae, Tribe Odontomyiini)
Hedropdoscis trivittatus (Say, 1829: 160 as Stratiomys) - MN, OH
Hedropdoscis truquii (Bellardi, 1859: 34 as Odontomyia)
(syn.) Odontomyia megacephala Loew, 1866a: 140
(syn.) Odontomyia binotatus Loew, 1866a: 142
(syn.) Odontomyia bicolor Day, 1882: 78
(syn.) Odontomyia innotatus Curran, 1927: 210
Hedropdoscis varipes (Loew, 1866a: 141 as Odontomyia) - ON
(syn.) Odontomyia alberta Curran, 1922: 279
Hedropdoscis vertebratus (Say, 1824: 369 as Odontomyia)
(syn.) Odontomyia willistoni Day, 1882: 78

Labostigmina Enderlein, 1930: 70 (Subfamily Stratiomyinae, Tribe Stratiomyini)
Labostigmina flavicornis (Olivier, 1812: 433 as Odontomyia) - NAm
Labostigmina gagatigaster Steyskal, 1949: 173
Labostigmina hieroglyphica (Olivier, 1812: 434 as Odontomyia)
(syn.) Odontomyia fallax Johnson, 1895: 257
Labostigmina megantica (Curran, 1925: 254 as Odontomyia)
Labostigmina obscura (Olivier, 1812: 433 as Odontomyia) - WI east
Labostigmina occipitalis (Johnson, 1895: 268 as Odontomyia)

Nemotelus Geoffroy, 1762: 450, 542 (Subfamily Clitellariinae, Tribe Nemotelini)
Nemotelus (Nemotelus) abdominalis Adams, 1903: 221 - MB southeast
Nemotelus (Camptopelta) centralis Hanson, 1958: 1369
Nemotelus (Camptopelta) communis Hanson, 1958: 1376 - IN
Nemotelus (Camptopelta) glaber Loew, 1872: 56
(syn.) Nemotelus flavicornis James, 1932a: 7
Nemotelus (Camptopelta) nigrinus Fallén, 1817: 6
(syn.) Nemotelus carneus Walker, 1849: 521
(syn.) Nemotelus crassus Loew, 1863: 7
(syn.) Nemotelus unicolor Loew, 1863: 7
(syn.) Nemotelus carbonarius Loew, 1869: 5
Nemotelus (Camptopelta) picinus Hanson, 1958: 1378 - IL, MN east

Odontomyia Meigen, 1803: 265 (Subfamily Stratiomyinae, Tribe Odontomyiini)
Odontomyia (Odontomyiina) borealis James, 1936b: 537
Odontomyia (Odontomyia) cincta Olivier, 1812: 432
Odontomyia (Odontomyia) communis James, 1939b: 220
Odontomyia (Catatasina) hoodiana Bigot, 1887: 25
Odontomyia (Odontomyiina) hydroleonoides Johnson, 1895: 261
Odontomyia (Catatasina) interrupta Olivier, 1812: 433
Odontomyia (Catatasina) melantera James, 1939b: 220 - ON
Odontomyia (Catatasina) nigerrima Loew, 1872: 53- ON
Odontomyia (Catatasina) painteri James, 1936b: 530 - east
Odontomyia (Odontomyiina) pilimana Loew, 1866a: 146 - IL, ON
Odontomyia (Odontomyiina) plebeja Loew, 1872: 53
Odontomyia (Catatasina) profuscata Steyskal, 1938: 3
Odontomyia (Catatasina) pubescens Day, 1882: 77
Odontomyia (Odontomyiina) virgo (Wiedemann, 1830: 69 as Stratiomys)
(syn.) Odontomyia paron Walker, 1849: 536
(syn.) Odontomyia nigra Day, 1882: 75

Oxycera Meigen, 1803: 265 (Subfamily Clitellariinae, Tribe Oxycerini)
Oxycera albovittata Malloch, 1917: 330
Oxycera aldrichi Malloch, 1917: 329 - IN
Oxycera approximata Malloch, 1917: 326
Oxycera maculata Olivier, 1812: 600 - ON
Oxycera picta Wulp, 1867: 133
Oxycera variegata Olivier, 1812: 600
(syn.) Oxycera unifasciata Loew, 1863: 9

Stratiomys Geoffroy, 1762: 475 (Subfamily Stratiomyinae, Tribe Stratiomyini)
Stratiomys adelpha Steyskal in James & Steyskal, 1952: 393
Stratiomys badia Walker, 1849: 529
Stratiomys browni Curran, 1927: 202 - OH
Stratiomys bruneri Johnson, 1895: 233
Stratiomys discalis Loew, 1866a: 136
Stratiomys lativentris Loew, 1866b: 12
Stratiomys meigenii Wiedemann, 1830: 61
Stratiomys norma Wiedemann, 1830: 62
Stratiomys normula unilimbata Loew, 1866a: 130
(syn.) Stratiomys quaternaria Loew, 1866a: 135
(syn.) Stratiomys apicula Loew, 1866a: 136 (syn.) Stratiomys notata Loew, 1866a: 139
(syn.) Stratiomys jonesi James, 1932a: 4
Stratiomys obesa Loew, 1866a: 134
Stratiomys ohioensis Steyskal in James & Steyskal, 1952: 400

References - Distribution

McFadden, MW. 1967. Soldier fly larvae in America north of Mexico. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 121(3569): 1-72. PDF.
James, MT. 1965. Family Stratiomyidae, pp. 299-319 in Stone, A., Sabrosky, CW, Wirth, WW, Foote, RH, Coulson, JR. 1965. A Catalog of the Ditpera of America north of Mexico. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. 1696 pp.

References - Taxonomic

Adams CF. 1903. Descriptions of six new species, pp. 221-223 in Snow FH, A preliminary list of the Diptera of Kansas. Kansas University Science Bulletin 2: 211-223.
Bellardi L. 1859. Saggio di ditterologia messicana. Parte I. Pt. 1, 80 pp, 2 pls. Torino.
Bigot JMF. 1887. Diptères nouveaux ou peu connus. 31e partie, XXXIX: Descriptions de nouvelles especes de Stratiomydi et de Conopsidi; 32e partie, XL: Descirptions de nouvelles especes de Myopidi. Annales de la Société entomologique de France, Ser. 6, 7: 20-46; 204-208. PDF.
Curran CH. 1922. New Diptera in the Canadian National Collection. The Canadian Entomologist 54: 277-287.
Curran CH. 1925. Four new nearctic Diptera. The Canadian Entomologist 57: 254-257.
Curran CH. 1927. Synopsis of the Canadian Stratiomyidae. Proceedings and Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada 3, 21 [=whole series, 33](5): 191-228.
Day LT. 1882. The species of Odontomyia found in the United States. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Science, Philadelphia 1882: 74-88.
Enderlein G. 1914. Dipterologische Studien. IX. Zur Kenntnis der Stratiomyiiden mit 3-ästiger Media und ihre Gruppierung. A. Formen, bei denen der 1. Cubitalast mit der Discoidalzelle durch Querader verbunden ist oder sie nur in einem Punkte berührt (Subfamilien: Geosarginae, Analcocerinae, Stratiomyiinae). Zoologischer Anzeiger 43: 577-615, 8 figs. PDF (whole volume).
Enderlein G. 1930. Dipterologische Studien. XX. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1930: 65-71.
Fallén CF. 1817. Stratiomydae Sveciae. Lundae [= Lund]. 14 pp.
Geoffroy EL. 1762. Histoire abrégée des Insectes qui se trouvent aux environs de Paris. Vol. 2, 690 pp., 11 pls. Paris.
Gerstäcker A. 1857. Beitrag zur Kenntniss exotischer Stratiomyidae. Linnaea Entomologica 11: 261-350, 3 pls.
Hanson WJ. 1958. A revision of the subgenus Melanonemotelus of America north of Mexico. Kansas University Science Bulletin 38: 1351-1391, 32 figs.
James MT. 1932a. New Stratiomyidae in the American Museum of Natural History. American Museum Novitates 571: 1-7, 5 figs.
James MT. 1932b. New and little-known Colorado Diptera. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 40: 435-438.
James MT. 1936a. A proposed classification of the Nearctic Stratiomyinae (Diptera: Stratiomyidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 62: 31-32, 2 figs.
James MT. 1936b. The genus Odontomyia in America north of Mexico (Diptera, Stratiomyidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 29: 517- 550, 1 pl.
James MT. 1939a. The species of Euparyphus related to crotchii O.S. (Diptera, Stratiomyidae). Pan-Pacific Entomologist 15: 49-46.
James MT. 1939b. Notes on my monograph of Odontomyia (Diptera, Stratiomyidae). Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 34: 220.
James MT, Steyskal GC. 1952. A review of the nearctic Stratiomyini (Diptera, Stratiomyidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 45: 385-412, 18 figs.
Johnson CW. 1895. A review of the Stratiomyia and Odontomyia of North America. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 22: 227-278, 2 pls.
Johnson CW. 1912. New North American Diptera. Psyche 18: 73-74.
Latreille PA. 1802. Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière des crustacés et des insectes. Ouvrage faisant suite à l’histoire naturelle générale et particulière, composée par Leclerc de Buffon, et rédigée par C.S. Sonnini, membre de plusieurs sociétés savantes. Familles naturelles des genres. Tome troisième. F. Dufart, Paris, xii + pp. 13–467 + [1 (errata)].
Loew H. 1863. Diptera Americae septentrionalis indigena. Centuria tertia. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 7: 1-55.
Loew H. 1866a. Diptera Americae septentrionalis indigena. Centuria sexta. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 9: 127-186. PDF.
Loew H. 1866b. Diptera Americae septentrionalis indigena. Centuria septima. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 10: 1-54.
Loew H. 1869. Diptera Americae septentrionalis indigena. Centuria octava. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 13: 1-52.
Loew H. 1872. Diptera Americae septentrionalis indigena. Centuria decima. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 16: 49-115.
Malloch JR. 1917. A preliminary classification of Diptera, exclusive of Pupipara, based upon larval and pupal characters, with keys to imagines in certain families. Part 1. Bulletin of the Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History (1918) 12: 161-409, pls. 28-57.
Meigen JG. 1803. Versuch einer neuen Gattungseinteilung der europäischen zweiflügeligen Insekten. Illigers Magazine für Insektfunde, pp. 259-281.
Olivier GA. 1812. Insects Pt. 5. Vol 8, pp. 361-733 [1812] in Société des Gens de Lettres, de Savans et d'Artists Encyclopédie méthodique [q.v.]. Histoire naturelle. Paris.
Say T. 1824. Appendix. Part I. -Natural History. 1. Zoology. E. Class Insecta, pp. 268-378 in Keating WH, Major Long's second expedition [q.v.]. Vol. 2. 459 pp., pls. 6-15.
Say T. 1829. Descriptions of North American dipterous insects. Journal of the Acadamy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 6: 149-178.
Steyskal GC. 1938. New Stratiomyidae and Tetanoceridae (Diptera) from North America. Occassional Papers of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology 386: 1-10, 2 pls.
Steyskal GC. 1941. A new species of Euparyphus from Michigan (Diptera, Stratiomyidae). Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 36: 123-124.
Steyskal GC. 1949. New Diptera from Michigan (Stratiomyidae, Sarcophagidae, Sciomyzidae). Papers of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters (1947) 33: 173-180, 1 fig.
Steyskal GC. 1951. A new species of Euparyphus from Ontario (Diptera, Stratiomyidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 53: 273-274.
Walker F. 1849. List of the specimens of dipterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Vol. 3, pp. 485-687. London.
Wiedemann CRW. 1830. Aussereuropäische Zweiflügelige Insekten. Vol. 2, xii + 684 pp., 5 pls. Hamm.
Woodley NE. 2001. A world catalog of the Stratiomyidae (Insecta: Diptera). North American Dipterists' Society. Washington, DC. 475 pp.
Wulp FM. van der. 1867. Eenige Noord-Americaansche Diptera. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 12: 125-164.

Page edits

May 03, 2017
• Corrections to nomenclature and organization; splitting references into sections for distribution and taxonomy.

Page created: November 21, 2002 - Last updated: May 1, 2017 (EB)