Flecked Snout
Nemotelus notatus
The Flecked Snout (Nemotelus notatus) is a distinctive soldier fly characterized by its metallic green-black body with prominent pale yellow or white flecked markings on the thorax and abdomen. Adults are typically found near wetland margins and serve as important pollinators for various flowering plants, while their larvae play a crucial role in decomposing organic matter in aquatic sediments.
20
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemotelus_notatus
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Diptera
Family
Stratiomyidae
Genus
Nemotelus
Flecked Snout belongs to the family Stratiomyidae, order Diptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
The Flecked Snout (Nemotelus notatus) is a distinctive soldier fly characterized by its metallic green-black body with prominent pale yellow or white flecked markings on the thorax and abdomen. Adults are typically found near wetland margins and serve as important pollinators for various flowering plants, while their larvae play a crucial role in decomposing organic matter in aquatic sediments.
The Flecked Snout (Nemotelus notatus) is declining primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of wetland environments where its larvae develop. Agricultural intensification, drainage of wetlands, and water pollution from agricultural runoff have significantly reduced suitable breeding sites for this specialized soldier fly species.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Flecked Snouts inhabit shallow, slow-moving freshwater environments including pond margins, ditches, and marshy areas with abundant emergent vegetation. The larvae specifically require clean, oxygen-rich sediments in these aquatic systems where organic detritus accumulates.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
The Flecked Snout (Nemotelus notatus) is declining primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of wetland environments where its larvae develop. Agricultural intensification, drainage of wetlands, and water pollution from agricultural runoff have significantly reduced suitable breeding sites for this specialized soldier fly species.
Agricultural intensification and land use change
Wetland habitat loss and drainage
Climate change affecting wetland hydrology
Water pollution from agricultural runoff
Found in 20 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Flecked Snout (Nemotelus notatus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/flecked-snout