Hawaiian Picture-wing Fly (Silvestris) vs Pedician Crane Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Hawaiian Picture-wing Fly (Silvestris) Pedician Crane Fly
Scientific Name Drosophila silvestris Pedicia rivosa
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Drosophilidae Pediciidae
Size 4-6 mm 18-25 mm body length
Habitat Forests Rivers & Streams
Diet Wood Feeders Herbivores
Regions Oceania (Hawaii - Big Island) Europe, Northern Asia
Conservation Endangered Least Concern

Hawaiian Picture-wing Fly (Silvestris)

A Hawaiian picture-wing fly closely related to D. heteroneura but with a normally shaped head. It is found in wet forests on Hawaii Island. This species and D. heteroneura are a classic study system for understanding speciation in progress.

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Did You Know?

D. silvestris and D. heteroneura can hybridize in the lab, providing key insights into how new species form through sexual selection.

Pedician Crane Fly

A large, mottled-winged crane fly whose predatory larvae hunt invertebrates in wet mud and stream margins. Adults are often found resting on vegetation near flowing water.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most crane fly larvae that eat decaying matter, its larvae are voracious predators that ambush worms and insect larvae in mud.