Australian Stiletto Fly vs High-altitude Midge

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Australian Stiletto Fly High-altitude Midge
Scientific Name Anabarhynchus bilineatus Diamesa latitarsis
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Therevidae Chironomidae
Size 8-14 mm 2-4 mm body length
Habitat Heathland Mountains
Diet Herbivores Omnivores
Regions Australia Alps, Carpathians, Scandinavia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Australian Stiletto Fly

A slender gray stiletto fly with two pale longitudinal stripes on the thorax and a distinctly tapered abdomen. It is commonly found resting on foliage or on the ground in bushland.

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Did You Know?

Australia has an exceptionally high diversity of stiletto flies, with over 500 described species in the family.

High-altitude Midge

A small, dark midge whose larvae inhabit the coldest alpine streams. It has unusually broad tarsi adapted for walking on wet rocks.

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Did You Know?

Its broad feet allow it to grip wet rocks in fast-flowing glacial streams.