Species Account for Rhaphium antennatum
Rhaphium antennatum (Carlier, 1835)
Diptera: other groups: Dolichopodidae
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Taxonomic group: flies (other) (Diptera: other groups) - County data
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Status: NS
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Recorded from 6 out of 57x10km.sq. records in county
Species text
This is a rather distinctive dolichopodid fly with a strangely modified arista with a process at the end resembling a tiny tennis racquet. It has been found in England north to Yorkshire, but is scarce (d'Assis Fonseca 1978). More than half the recent records are from the Thames Marshes, although there are widely scattered records elsewhere in the southern half of England north to Yorkshire. Most records are coastal, but it can occur well inland. Adults occur at the waters margin in coastal marshes, fens and gravel pits. The larval biology is unknown, but they are probably semi-aquatic predators. Large numbers were found by P.R. Harvey in 2003 at the former Royal Ordnance Site in the Lee Valley, but the only other Essex records are for two adjacent sites on the coast in the northeast of the county. References
Habitats
Recorded management for locations with Rhaphium antennatum
Recorded substrate and hydrology for locations with Rhaphium antennatum
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