Sighting 4399561
Sciaridae sp. (family)
4 Black fungus gnat at Molonglo Valley, ACT
Identify this sighting
| Sciaridae sp. (family) | MichaelMulvaney | 5 Jul 2023 | |
| Sciaridae sp. (family) | CathB | 14 Oct 2021 |
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User's notes
The main image is the middle one in a sequence showing a fly carrying pollinia leaving a flower of Hymenochilus bicolor. I was trying to photograph the second fly, on the left in images 2 and 3, when this one just popped out, walked to the top and then took off.
4 comments
14 Oct 2021
Hi Michael. Sciarid gnats are known to pollinate these orchids and I have recorded them before (sighting 4350348), although they were identified as Mycetophilidae in that sighting. Perhaps @TobiasHayashi might have a comment. The second fly looks different and may have just been resting there.
14 Oct 2021
Nice sighting! Sciarids are indeed pollinators of these species, I've actually got a paper in review at the moment in which we document the pollination of Hymenochilus cycnocephalus by sexual deception of male Bradysia sp. gnats. Happy to forward the paper to you when its published if you like Cath. Identification beyond family is not possible without detailed examination of specimens.
Location information
- Maps Black Mountain
- Places Molonglo Valley, ACT
Sighting information
- At least 1 Abundance
- CathB Recorded by
- Hymenochilus bicolor Associated plant
- Less than 5mm Animal size
- Male Gender
Collections
- CathB Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Sciaridae sp. (family) Crane flies, midges, mosquitoes & gnats (several families) True flies (Diptera) Insects
Species information
- Sciaridae sp. (family) Scientific name
- Black fungus gnat Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1135.3m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
5 / 7
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Description
- Additional attributes
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location