page_title: Coelopa frigida
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Coelopa frigida / Description
caption_attribution_description: English: Coelopa frigida, Tonfanau, North Wales, August 2018
context_page_description: Coelopa frigida is a species of seaweed fly or kelp fly. It is the most widely distributed species of seaweed fly. It can be found on most shorelines in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Other species of seaweed flies include Coelopa nebularum and Coelopa pilipes. C. frigida feeds primarily on seaweed, and groups of C. frigida flies tend to populate near bodies of water. Climate change has led to an increase in C. frigida blooms along shores, which creates a pest problem for human beach-goers. C. frigida is also an important organism for the study of sexual selection, particularly female choice, which is influenced by genetics.
context_section_description: C. frigida are the most common seaweed fly. They tend to aggregate on beaches with an abundance of stranded algae, but occasionally swarm inland. Their physical features include a dark brown to black body, a set of lighter colored legs, and large, translucent wings. Males are typically larger than females, though there is a wide range of adult sizes within the species. C. nebularum is currently suggested as a close cousin or even possible subspecies of C. frigida. This article therefore includes specifics regarding C. nebularum.
caption: Adult C. frigida
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