Pogonortalis doclea

Pogonortalis doclea, the boatman fly, is a species of signal fly (family Platystomatidae).^[1][2][3][4] It is native to Australia and has been introduced to California in the United States.^[4]

Pogonortalis doclea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Platystomatidae
Genus:	Pogonortalis
Species:	P. doclea
Binomial name
Pogonortalis doclea (Walker, 1849)
Synonyms[1]
Trypeta doclea Walker, 1849

Description

Characteristics of the genus Pogonortalis are: the cheek immediately below the eye being less than a tenth the height of the eye; the hind femur having an anteroventral keel at the distal third; and the anterior crossvein of the wing meeting vein 4 before the mid-length of the discal cell.^[5]

Pogonortalis doclea is sexually dimorphic. Males have a bundle of long curved bristles on each cheek of the head. In this location, females have a single shorter bristle among small hairs. Larger males also have the head ventrally widened.^[6]

Behaviour

This species waves its wings like the rowing of oars on a boat, thus the common name "boatman fly".^[4]

Pogonortalis doclea is commonly found in Australian gardens. Adults are attracted to and feed on the fresh dung of mammals.^[5]

Males engage each other in face-to-face pushing contests.^[6]

Boatman fly, Pogonortalis doclea

Boatman fly, Pogonortalis doclea