#1979 - Parentia sp.
Another photo by @purrdence
The Dolichopodidae are one of the best-represented fly families in New Zealand, by the 1990s there were 132 known species and perhaps half that number still waiting for proper description. I’m honestly surprised I got it down to genus.
Parentia is found in Australia as well - there’s over 30 species in the two countries.
Like the closely related Empidids posted previously, Dolichopodids are predatory on other invertebrates, particularly soft-bodied invertebrates like mites, thrips, aphids, small aquatic worms, and even mosquito larvae. As such, they’re important biocontrol agents of various pest species, which are crushed between a pair of hard mouthparts and sucked dry.
Dolichopodids are best known for the elaborate secondary sexual characters of the males, which include flattened antennae and legs, modified hairs, elongation and deformation of legs (Long-legged Predatory Flies is a common name for the family), highly reflective silvery patches, and unusual wing veins. Females often differ markedly from their mates.
The maggots are usually predators or scavengers and may found in soil, mud, moss, in decaying vegetation and under bark. Almost nothing is known of the maggots of New Zealand species.
One very odd New Zealand dolichopodid is the flea-like Apterachalcus boboroides, which uniquely has lost both its wings and halteres. It is found only in the mountains of the South Island and the cold, windswept subantarctic islands, where wings woud be a serious liability. Another species from the islands, Schoenophilus pedestris, has wings reduced to narrow straps.
