Steganopsis melanogaster
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Steganopsis melanogaster is a species of fly in the family Lauxaniidae. It is known from Australia and Norfolk Island. As part of family Lauxaniidae, S. melanogaster has a head with convergent postocellar bristles and without vibrissae, the thorax has an anepisternal bristle on each side, and vein C of the wing is unbroken.
For features specific to this species, S. melanogaster is about 3 mm long with an abdomen that is mostly glossy black and wings that are brown except for the transparent white tips. The frons of the head is dull yellow with a large velvety black ocellar mark and brownish marks at the bases of the orbital bristles. The face has a large violet-black spot on each side. The middle of the fore tibia and the base of the hind femur are darkened. The second vein of the wing is close to the costa. The structure of the male hypogium helps distinguish this species from the related and similar-looking S. convergens.
In life, the wings are bent over the end of the abdomen. This may cause the fly to be mistaken for a small beetle. Adults are known to visit flowers of Alphitonia excelsa (Rhamnaceae) and Guioa semiglauca (Sapindaceae). Larvae may... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Steganopsis melanogaster sighting in Perth on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 254th most-seen of the 275 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Steganopsis melanogaster in Perth on a given day, against under 5% in September to July, the lowest months. That is one of Perth's wettest months, with about 110 mm of rain against 10 mm in December.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Steganopsis melanogaster sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Steganopsis melanogaster sightings, Perth ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Sydney (Australia, under 5%).
Same order: Diptera
The closest relatives of the Steganopsis melanogaster that you can see in Perth (order Diptera, Flies) are Yellow-Shouldered Stout Hover Fly (about 10%), Australian Tiger Crane Fly (about 10%) and Bathroom Moth Fly (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Steganopsis melanogaster is recorded against all the insects logged in Perth (5 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
