Clogmia albipunctata - Drain Fly / Filter Fly (Williston, 1893)

A Mothing Fly

Description: The subject portrayed measured around 3mm in length and 4mm in width.

Clogmia is a genus of flies in the order Diptera, suborder Nematocera, infraorder Psychodomorpha, superfamily Psychodoidea, family Psychodidae, subfamily Psychodinae and tribe Paramormiini (and confusingly subtribe Paramormiina?).

It seems safe to call this fly a member of the genus Clogmia. Despite abundant information on a similar genus, Telmatoscopus, many authors and articles consider this a subgenus of Clogmia. This article (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25253222) considers Telmatoscopus a subgenus of Clogmia and Planeta Invertebrados (www.planetainvertebrados.com.br/index.asp?pagina=especies...) speaks of the migration of Telmatoscopus albipunctata to Clogmia albipunctata. BugGuide (bugguide.net/node/view/250014) considers Telmatoscopus a synonym of Clogmia. Insectoid (insectoid.info/insecta/diptera/psychodidae/clogmia-telmat...) considers Clogmia a subgenus of Telmatoscopus. Thus, I conclude it is safe to say this fly is a Clogmia due to morphological traits and the facts mentioned before.

The wings of Psychodinae are broad. The flagellar segments are nodiform and the antennae are longer than the width of the wing. R5 usually ends in wing apex = 4. The terminal antenna segments are not reduced in size. Rs is not pectinate (example: R3 and R4 do not branch independently from Rs). The wings are generally of moderate width. "Ascoids" of the antennae are variable, but seldom cosists of a single anterior branch. Morphological traits vary among members of Clogmia. This description is given towards the key in Quate, 1960 from Psychodinae.

The adults are reminiscent of tiny moths with hairy bodies, generally dark in coloring. The larvae are eyeless and legless with darker heads which are narrower than the body. Each segment with one or more dark rectangular bands dorsally; terminal segment narrows, forming a dark-colored breathing tube. The pupa is reminiscent of a grain of brown rice and the egg is brown to cream-colored. The adults are normally found around sewage installations, bathrooms and anywhere that might accumulate decaying material. These flies are attracted to light. The larvae lives in organic sludge that forms on the inner surfaces of drains and sewage pipes. The pupa occurs on the surface of the organic film that the larvae have been living in. The larvae feed on algae, fungi and bacteria in sewage and organic sludge while the adults feed in polluted water and flower nectar. 30 to 200 eggs may be laid at a time in the gelatinous film lining drains. The eggs hatch within 32 to 48 hours after being laid. The larvae pupate 9 to 15 days later and the pupa stage lasts 20 to 40 hours. Adults of Psychodinae have a lifespan of about two weeks. Apparently, the adults are pollinators but I can't find any reliable source to this and I'm unaware what are (is) the host plant(s).

The larvae are important purifiers of sewage. The adults are weak fliers.

SOURCES:

Wikipedia (PT): pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clogmia_albipunctata
Wikipedia (EN): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clogmia
Encyclopedia of Life: eol.org/pages/56145/overview
bugguide.net/node/view/64068
bugguide.net/node/view/3128
cse.google.com.br/cse?cx=partner-pub-8381206080452448:431...

PROJECT NOAH (Português): www.projectnoah.org/spottings/1298785250

Taken in: Brasil / Ceará / Fortaleza / Estância (show map)

Taken on: March 8, 2018

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