[2] Campsicnemus popeye was discovered as a part of Terrestrial Arthropods of French Polynesia Survey funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.

The survey team was led by Neal L. Evenhuis, former president of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature and a Senior Research Entomologist at the Bishop Museum in Hawaii.

Evenhuis, known for his eccentric style of giving binomial names, gave the specific name C. popeye because the swollen mid-tibia (middle legs) of the fly somewhat resemble the bulging forearms of the well-known cartoon hero Popeye the Sailor Man[3] Adult Campsicnemus popeye has a body length between 3 and 3.2 mm, and wing length of 3.1 to 3.6 mm.

It was humorously reported that the fly does not like spinach, in contrast to its namesake, and is in fact strictly carnivorous.

However, much like Popeye trying to woo Olive Oyl, the male fly flexes its muscular legs during courtship rituals to impress the potential mate.