Flat-footed Scuttle Fly vs Longipalpis Sandfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Flat-footed Scuttle Fly | Longipalpis Sandfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Metopina oligoneura | Lutzomyia longipalpis |
| Order | Diptera | Diptera |
| Family | Phoridae | Psychodidae |
| Size | 1-2 mm | 2-3 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Underground |
| Diet | Detritivores | Blood Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, Asia | Central and South America, Mexico to Argentina |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Flat-footed Scuttle Fly
A minute brown phorid fly with broad flattened tarsi and reduced wing venation. It is associated with ant nests where it scavenges on refuse and dead ants.
Did You Know?
It lives inside ant colonies as a tolerated guest, feeding on the waste materials that ants discard in their refuse chambers.
Longipalpis Sandfly
A small, pale-brown sandfly that is the most important vector of visceral leishmaniasis in the Americas. Males produce sex pheromones from glands on the abdomen to attract females. It breeds in organic-rich soil around chicken coops and animal shelters.
Did You Know?
Males produce terpene pheromones that attract females, and different populations produce different pheromones, suggesting cryptic species.