Plecia is a genus of March flies (Bibionidae) comprising many species, both extant and fossilised. Several species of this genus are commonly known as "lovebugs" due to their behavior of flying around coupled together while mating.
Species Extant species
P. acutirostris P. adiastola P. affinidecora P. americana P. amplipennis P. aruensis P. angularis P. avicephaliforma P. bicuspidata P. bifida P. bifoliolata P. bisulca P. boliviana P. chinensis P. crenula P. curtispina P. cuspidata P. digitiformis P. dileracabilis P. dimidiata P. duplicis P. edwardsi P. emeiensis P. erebea P. erebeoidea P. forcipiformis P. fulvicollis P. hadrosoma P. hamata P. impilosa P. intricata P. javensis P. lateralis P. lieftincki P. longifolia P. longiforceps P. lopesi P. mandibuliformis P. membranifera P. multilobata P. nagatomii P. nearctica – Lovebug P. obtusicornis P. obtusilobata P. oculastra P. okadai P. ornaticornis P. patula P. pellucida P. persimilis P. plagiata P. propeforcipata P. propria P. protea P. pruinosa P. pudica P. punctulata P. ramosa P. rhinigera P. rostellata P. rufangularis P. ruficollis – Harlequin fly P. rufimarginata P. rufiscutella P. rugosa P. serrifera P. spilota P. stricta P. tephra P. tetrascolata P. thulinigra P. trifida P. triquetra P. trunca P. xyele
Fossil species Many fossil species have been assigned to Plecia with ages dating from the Cretaceous (Campanian) through the early Pleistocene (Gelasian):Fossilworks Plecia 12 July 2021
Cretaceous †P. myersi (Campanian, Canadian Amber, MB)
Paleocene †P. undans (Thanetian, ArdTun head, UK)
Eocene
Ypresian, Allenby Formation, Canada
†P. angustipennis †P. canadensis †P. elatior †P. minutula (Allenby Formation) †P. nana (Allenby Formation) †P. pictipennis (Allenby Formation) †P. pulchra (Allenby Formation) †P. pulla (Allenby Formation) †P. similkameena (Allenby Formation) †P. transitoria (Allenby Formation) †P. tulameenensis (Allenby Formation)
Ypresian, Driftwood shales, Canada
†P. cairnesi
Ypresian, Horsefly Shales, Canada
†P. avus †P. curtula †P. dilatata †P. platyptera (Horsefly Shales) †P. reducta (Horsefly Shales)
Ypresian, "Mission Creek site", Canada
†P. kelownaensis
Ypresian, Oise amber, France
†P. parisiensis
Ypresian, Green River Formation, USA
†P. akerionana †P. dejecta †P. pealei †P. rhodopterina †P. winchesteri †P. woodruffi
Priabonian, Baltic Amber
†P. borussica †P. brunniptera †P. clavifemur †P. hoffeinsorum †P. prisca †P. tenuicornis
Priabonian, France
†P. angustiventris ( Célas site, France) †P. chapuisii †P. dumasi †P. foersteri
Pribonian, United Kingdom
†P. acourti (Bembridge Marls, UK)
Priabonian, Florissant Formation, USA
†P. axeliana †P. decapitata †P. explanata †P. gradata †P. melanderi †P. orycta †P. tessella
Oligocene
Rupelian, Brunstatt, France
†P. gracillima
Rupelian, Corent, France
†P. joannis †P. larteti †P. longipennis †P. pallida †P. rubescens †P. sauvagei
Rupelian, Calcaires de Vacheres Formation, France
†P. assonensis †P. larguensis †P. maimensis
Rupelian, Chadrat, France
†P. oustaleti
Chattian, Niveau du gypse d'Aix, France
†P. livida †P. painvini †P. retracta †P. rhenana
Chattian, Camoins-les-Bains, France
†P. theobaldi
Chattian, Rott Formation, Germany
†P. collossea †P. conica †P. dubia †P. exigua †P. gracilenta †P. grossa †P. hypogaea †P. inflata †P. luctuosa †P. luteola †P. lygaeoides †P. macrocephala †P. morio †P. pennata †P. pinguis †P. proserpina †P. rhenana †P. sturmi †P. stygia †P. winnertzi
Miocene
Aquitanian, Mexican amber, Mexico
†P. pristina
Burdigalian, Shanwang Formation. China
†P. aculeolata †P. bivalvula †P. capitata †P. diatoma †P. fumosa †P. gracilentula †P. ludongensis †P. platoptera †P. rectivenia †P. solaris †P. spinula †P. villosa †P. vulcania
Burdigalian, Kudia River site, Russia
†P. amagua †P. obsitula †P. kuznetzovi †P. kudiella †P. redempta †P. refracta
Burdigalian - Langhian, Cypris Formation, Czech Republic
†P. quaesita
Langhian, Chojabaru Formation, Japan
†P. kanetakii
Serravallian, Radoboj Formation, Croatia
†P. bucklandi
Serravallian, Oehningen beds Member (Upper Freshwater-Molasse), Germany
†P. hilaris †P. jucunda †P. macilenta
Messinian, Monte Castellaro, Italy
†P. baglii †P. castellaroi †P. pisaurensis
Pliocene Piacenzian, Togo Formation, Japan
†P. intima
Pleistocene Gelasian, Lac Chambon, France
†P. brunneipennis †P. vergnei
Revision of the Bibionidae fossil record from the Oligocene of Germany by Skartveit and Wedmann (2021) included the redescription of a number of Plecia species. Hesperinus heeri (formerly Plecia heeri and syn P. elegantula )
References