Cecidomyiidae (Family)

Overview

Cecidomyiidae (sometimes misspelled Cecidomyidae) is a family of flies (Order ) known as gall midges or gall gnats. As the name implies, the larvae of most gall midges feed within plant tissue, creating abnormal plant growths called galls.

Cecidomyiid laying eggs on grass

These are very fragile small insects usually only 2-3 mm in length and many are less than 1 mm long. They are characterised by hairy wings, unusual in the Order Diptera, and have long antennae. Worldwide there are 3000+ species but since 1,100 are from well-studied North America this may be an underestimate. Many are economically significant especially the important insect pest of wheat, the Hessian fly, the galls causing severe damage to the crop. Other important pests include the lentil flower midge (Contarinia lentis), the lucerne flower midge (C. medicaginis) and the alfalfa sprout midge (Dasineura ignorata) on the Leguminosae; the Swede midge (Contarinia nasturtii) and the brassica pod midge (Dasineura brassicae) on the Cruciferae; the pear midge (Contarinia pyrivora) and the raspberry cane midge (Resseliella theobaldi) on fruit crops.

A large number of species are natural enemies of other crop pests. The larvae of these species are predaceous, and some are even reported as parasitoids. The most common prey are aphids and spider mites, followed by scale insects , then other small prey such as whiteflies and thrips and many eat the eggs of other insects or mites. Because the tiny larva are incapable of moving considerable distances, there usually has to be a substantial population of prey present before the adults will lay eggs and Cecidiomyiidae are most frequently be seen during pest outbreaks. One species Aphidoletes aphidomyza is an important component of biological control programs for greenhouse crops and is widely sold in the United States of America.

Cecidomyiidae are also known for the strange phenomenon of paedogenesis in which the larval stage reproduces without maturing first. Even stranger in some species the daughter larvae produced within a mother larva consume the mother and in others the reproduction occurs in the egg or pupa.

Photos

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Taxonomy

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The Family Cecidomyiidae is a member of the Superfamily Sciaroidea. Here is the complete "parentage" of Cecidomyiidae:

Domain: Eukaryota Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Animalia Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
  - Subkingdom: Bilateria (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - bilaterians
    - Branch: Protostomia Grobben, 1908 - protostomes
      - Infrakingdom: Ecdysozoa Aguinaldo Et Al., 1997 Ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - ecdysozoans
        Superphylum: Panarthropoda Cuvier
        Phylum: Arthropoda Latreille, 1829 - Arthropods
        Subphylum: Mandibulata Snodgrass, 1938
        Infraphylum: Atelocerata Heymons, 1901
        Superclass: Panhexapoda
        Class: Insecta C. Linnaeus, 1758 - Insects
        Subclass: Dicondylia
        Infraclass: Pterygota - Winged Insects
        Superorder: Panorpida
        Order: Diptera (DIP-ter-uh) C. Linnaeus, 1758
        Suborder: Nematocera - a genus of Flies (Diptera)
        Infraorder: Bibionomorpha
        Superfamily: Sciaroidea
        Family: Cecidomyiidae - Gall Midges

The Family Cecidomyiidae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Subfamily (6): Amygdaloideae · Bombinae · Cynipinae · Pemphiginae · Siricinae · Thripinae
Tribe (4): Amygdaleae · Archipini · Bombini · Bursereae
Genus (776): Acacidiplosis · Acaroletes · Acericecis · Acodiplosis · Acoenonia · Acroectasis · Actilasioptera · Adelgimyza · Adiplosis · Afrodiplosis · Agevillea · Alexomyia · Allarete · Allaretella · Allobremia · Allodiplosis · Almatamyia · Alycaulus · Amaurosiphon · Amblyspatha · Amedia · Amediella · Ametrodiplosis · Ampelosucta · Amradiplosis · Amraemyia · Anabremia · Anadiplosis · Anarete · Anaretella · Anasphondylia · Androdiplosis · Androsacemyia · Angeiomyia · Angelinia · Anisostephus · Anjeerodiplosis · Anodontoceras · Antennardia · Antichira · Antichiridium · Apagodiplosis · Apamargamyia · Aphidoletes · Aphodiplosis · Apiomyia · Aplecus · Aplonyx · Apodiplosis · Aposchizomyia · Aprionus · Arafavilla · Arceuthomyia · Arcivena · Arctepidosis · Arenaromyia · Aridofavilla · Arnoldia · Arnoldiola · Arrabiadaeamyia · Artemisiobia · Arthrocnodax · Aschistonyx · Asidiplosis · Asiodiplosis · Asphondylia · Asphondyliidi · Asphotrophia · Asphoxenomyia · Asteralobia · Asteromyia · Astictoneura · Astragalomyia · Astrodiplosis · Asycola · Asynapta · Asyomyia · Athidiplosis · Atolasioptera · Atopodiplosis · Atraphaxiola · Atrichosema · Atylodiplosis · Austrodiplosis · Austrolauthia · Austrolopesia · Autodiplosis · Baccharomyia · Baeodiplosis · Baeomyza · Baeonotus · Bainidiplosis · Baldratia · Barnesina · Bayeria · Bayeriola · Bertieria · Bimba · Blaesodiplosis · Blastodiplosis · Blastomyia · Bojalodiplosis · Bothriochloamyia · Boucheella · Brachineura · Brachydiplosis · Brachylasioptera · Brachyneura · Brachyneurina · Brassomyia · Braueriella · Bremiola · Brittenia · Bruggmannia · Bruggmanniella · Brugmanniella · Bryocrypta · Bryomyia · Buhriella · Buhromyiella · Bulbepidosis · Bungomyia · Burseramyia · Cacoplecus · Calamomyia · Calliperodiplosis · Callitridiplosis · Calmonia · Calodiplosis · Calopedila · Calospatha · Camptodiplosis · Camptomyia · Camptoneuromyia · Campylomyza · Careopalpis · Cartodiplosis · Caryomyia · Cassidioides · Cassidoides · Catocha · Catotricha · Cecidomyella · Cecidomyia · Cecidomyiella · Cecidomyiidi · Cecidomyza · Cecidophila · Cedrocrypta · Celticecis · Centrodiplosis · Ceratomyia · Chaetodiplosis · Chamaediplosis · Chanchudiplosis · Charidiplosis · Chastomera · Chauliodontomyia · Chiliodiplosis · Chilophaga · Chrybaneura · Chrysodiplosis · Cincticornia · Claspettomyia · Cleodiplosis · Clinodiplosis · Clinophaena · Clinorhiza · Clinorrhyncha · Clinoryncha · Clusiamyia · Coccidomyia · Coccodiplosis · Coccomorpha · Coccomyza · Coccopsis · Coelodiplosis · Collula · Colomyia · Colpodia · Compsodiplosis · Conarete · Coniophora · Conodiplosis · Contarinia · Contarinomyia · Copinolasioptera · Coprodiplosis · Coquillettomyia · Cordiamyia · Cordylodiplosis · Cordylomyia · Corinthomyia · Couridiplosis · Courteia · Craneiobia · Cretocatocha · Cretocordylomyia · Cretohaplusia · Cretomiastor · Cretowinnertzia · Cryptolanthia · Cryptoneurus · Ctenodactylomyia · Ctenodiplosis · Cynips · Cystiphora · Cystodiplosis · Dactylodiplosis · Dallaiella · Daphnephila · Dasineura · Dasyneuriola · Delodiplosis · Delphodiplosis · Dendrepidosis · Dentepidosis · Dentifibula · Desertepidosis · Desertomyia · Desertovelum · Diadiplosis · Dialeria · Diallactes · Diarthronomyia · Dibaldratia · Dicerura · Dichaetia · Dichelomyia · Dichodiplosis · Dichrodiplosis · Dichrona · Dicrodiplosis · Dicroneurus · Dictyomyia · Didactylomyia · Didymomyia · Diodaulus · Diplodontomyia · Diplosiola · Diplosis · Dirhiza · Dolicholabis · Domolasioptera · Doxodiplosis · Dracunculomyia · Drisina · Dryomyia · Dyodiplosis · Echinella · Edestosperma · Eleniella · Eltxo · Enallodiplosis · Endaphis · Endopsylla · Eocincticornia · Eohormomyia · Ephedromyia · Epicalamus · Epicola · Epidiplosis · Epidosis · Epihormomyia · Epilasioptera · Epimyia · Epimyiella · Epourenia · Erosomyia · Etsuhoa · Eucalyptodiplosis · Eucatocha · Eudiplosis · Eumerosema · Euphorbomyia · Excrescentia · Exopsyllomyia · Fabomyia · Farquharsonia · Feltiella · Feltomyina · Ferovisenda · Ficiomyia · Forbesomyia · Frauenfeldiella · Frirenia · Furcepidosis · Gagnea · Galatellomyia · Geisenheyneria · Geocrypta · Geodiplosis · Gephyraulus · Geraldesia · Geromyia · Gersonomyia · Ghesquierinia · Giardomyia · Gillotiella · Giraudiella · Gisonobasis · Glenodiplosis · Gnesiodiplosis · Gobidiplosis · Golanudiplosis · Gongromastix · Grisepidosis · Groveriella · Guarephila · Guignonia · Gynandrobremia · Gynapteromyia · Gynodiplosis · Hadrobremia · Halimodendromyia · Hallomyia · Halocnemomyia · Halodiplosis · Haloxylonomyia · Haloxylophaga · Halteromyia · Haplodiplosis · Haplopalpus · Haplusia · Haplusiella · Harmandia · Harmandiola · Harpomyia · Harrisiana · Hartigiola · Hasegawaia · Helicomyia · Heliodiplosis · Hemiasphondylia · Henria · Herbomyia · Heterasphondylia · Heterobremia · Heterocontarinia · Heterogenella · Heteropeza · Heteropezina · Heteropezula · Hiastatus · Hilversidia · Holobremia · Holodiplosis · Holoneura · Holoneurus · Homobremia · Horidiplosis · Hormomyia · Hormosomyia · Houardiella · Houardodiplosis · Huradiplosis · Hybolasioptera · Hygrodiplosis · Hyperdiplosis · Ilidiplosis · Incolasioptera · Indodiplosis · Ipomyia · Ischnonyx · Isodiplosis · Isogynandromyia · Isolasioptera · Isosandalum · Iteomyia · Itonida · Izeniola · Jaapiella · Jaapiola · Jamalepidosis · Janetia · Janetiella · Jeannellomyia · Joannisia · Kalidiomyia · Kalodiplosis · Kaltenbachiola · Kamptodiplosis · Karschomyia · Karshomyia · Kiefferia · Kimadiplosis · Kittada · Kochiomyia · Kronodiplosis · Kronomyia · Labiatomyia · Lamellepidosis · Lamprodiplosis · Lasioptera · Lasiopteryx · Lathyromyza · Laubertia · Lauthia · Ledomyia · Ledomyiella · Lepidiomyia · Lepidodiplosis · Leptosyna · Lestodiplosis · Lestremia · Liebeliola · Liodiplosis · Litchiomyia · Lithomyza · Lobodiplosis · Lobolasioptera · Lobopterombia · Lobopteromyia · Loewiola · Loewodiplosis · Lopesia · Lopesiella · Lophodiplosis · Lowiola · Luisieria · Luzonomyia · Lyciomyia · Lygocecis · Machaeriobia · Macrodiplosis · Macrolabis · Macroporpa · Mamaevia · Mangodiplosis · Manilkaramyia · Marilasioptera · Masakimyia · Massalongia · Mayetiola · Mayteniella · Megauchomyia · Megaulus · Megommata · Meinertomyia · Mesodiplosis · Metadiplosis · Metasphondylia · Meterdiplosis · Meunieria · Meunieriella · Miastor · Micrasiodiplosis · Microcerata · Microcordylomyia · Microdiplosis · Micromya · Micromyia · Microperrisia · Microplecus · Micropteromyia · Mikaniadiplosis · Mikiola · Mikomya · Misospatha · Mitodiplosis · Moehniella · Mohwadiplosis · Monardia · Monarthropalpus · Monarthropselaphus · Monepidosis · Monilipennella · Monobremia · Monodicrana · Moreschiella · Muirodiplosis · Mycetodiplosis · Mycocecis · Mycodiplosis · Mycophila · Mycopriona · Myrciamyia · Myrciariamyia · Myricomyia · Nanodiplosis · Navasiella · Navasodiplosis · Necrophlebia · Neobaeomyza · Neocatocha · Neocerata · Neocolpodia · Neodasyneuriola · Neohaplusia · Neoisodiplosis · Neolasioptera · Neolestremia · Neomikiella · Neomitranthella · Neomycodiplosis · Neoprotoplonyx · Neostenoptera · Neotetraneuromyia · Neurepidosis · Neurolasioptera · Neurolyga · Nikandria · Nipponodiplosis · Nouryodiplosis · Obolodiplosis · Occuloxenium · Ochnephila · Octodiplosis · Odinadiplosis · Odontodiplosis · Okriomyia · Oleisicoccus · Oligarces · Oligotrophus · Oligoxenomyia · Olpodiplosis · Onodiplosis · Oribremia · Orseolia · Orseoliella · Orthodiplosis · Ouradiplosis · Oxasphondylia · Ozirhincus · Ozobia · Pachydiplosis · Pachylabis · Palaeocolpodia · Palaeospaniocera · Pallidepidosis · Panteliola · Paracolpodia · Paradiplosis · Paragephyraulus · Parallelodiplosis · Pararete · Parasphondylia · Parasynapta · Paratetraneuromyia · Parazalepidota · Parepidosis · Parwinnertzia · Paulliniamyia · Pectinodiplosis · Pelodiplosis · Perasphondylia · Pernettyella · Perodiplosis · Peromyia · Perrisia · Petiolocecidium · Phaenepidosis · Phaenolauthia · Phagodiplosis · Phegomyia · Philadelphella · Phonodiplosis · Phyllocecidium · Phyllodiplosis · Physalidicola · Physemocecis · Phytophaga · Picrodiplosis · Pinyonia · Pipaldiplosis · Piranea · Pisoniamyia · Pisphondylia · Placochela · Plagiodiplosis · Planetes · Planodiplosis · Platydiplosis · Plecophorus · Plectrodiplosis · Plemeliella · Plesiolauthia · Plutodiplosis · Polyardis · Polygonomyia · Polystepha · Poomyia · Porricondyla · Potentillomyia · Primofavilla · Prionellus · Proasphondylia · Procontarinia · Procystiphora · Prodiplosis · Profeltiella · Prolasioptera · Promikiola · Prosaprionus · Prosepidosis · Proterodiplosis · Prowinnertzia · Pruthidiplosis · Psadaria · Psectrosema · Pseudasphondylia · Pseudendaphis · Pseudepidosis · Pseudhormomyia · Pseudocamptomyia · Pseudohormomyia · Pseudokochiomyia · Pseudomikiola · Pseudomonardia · Pseudoperomyia · Pterepidosis · Pteridomyia · Pumilomyia · Punarnavomyia · Pupascleromyia · Putoniella · Rabdophaga · Rabindrodiplosis · Radulella · Raodiplosis · Resseliella · Retinodiplosis · Rhipidoxylomyia · Rhizomyia · Rhoasphondylia · Rhopalomyia · Riveraella · Rochadiplosis · Rondaniola · Rosomyia · Rubsaamenia · Sackenomyia · Salsolomyia · Salvalasioptera · Scheueria · Schismatodiplosis · Schistoneurus · Schizandrobia · Schizeneura · Schizobremia · Schizomyia · Schizoneura · Schmidtiella · Schueziella · Sciasphondylia · Sclerepidosis · Scopodiplosis · Semudobia · Sensepidosis · Sequoiomyia · Seriphidomyia · Serratomyia · Silvestrina · Silvestriola · Sissudiplosis · Sitodiplosis · Skuhraviana · Skusemyia · Smilasioptera · Solntsevia · Sophoromyia · Spaniocera · Spartiomyia · Sphaerodiplosis · Spilodiplosis · Spiraeanthomyia · Spirorhynchomyia · Spurgia · Stackelbergiella · Stefaniella · Stefaniola · Stelechodiplosis · Stenodiplosis · Stenoptera · Stenospatha · Stephaniella · Stephodiplosis · Stephomyia · Sterrhaulus · Stictobremia · Stictodiplosis · Stomatocolpodia · Stomatosema · Streptodiplosis · Strobilodiplosis · Strobliella · Styracodiplosis · Styraxdiplosis · Sylvenomyia · Synaptella · Synarthrella · Syndiplosis · Synepidosis · Syrenomyia · Taxodiomyia · Taxomyia · Tekomyia · Termitomastus · Tessaradiplosis · Tetradiplosis · Tetraneuromyia · Tetrasphondylia · Thaumacecidomyia · Thaumadiplosis · Theatodiplosis · Thecodiplosis · Therodiplosis · Thomasia · Thomasiella · Thomasiniana · Thorodiplosis · Thripsobremia · Thurauia · Tinconaria · Tjanshaniella · Tjanshaniomyia · Tokiwadiplosis · Toxomyia · Tribremia · Tricampylomyza · Trichelospatha · Trichepidosis · Tricholaba · Trichoperrisia · Trichopteromyia · Trichoxylomyia · Tricontarinia · Trigonodiplosis · Trigonomyia · Trilobia · Trilobiella · Trilobomyia · Trilobophora · Triommata · Triommatomyia · Trishormomyia · Trisopsis · Trissodiplosis · Tristephana · Tristephanus · Tritozyga · Trogodiplosis · Tropidiplosis · Trotteria · Tyloceramyia · Ubinomyia · Udumbaria · Uleella · Uleia · Ulmomyia · Uncinulella · Urosema · Vanchidiplosis · Vesperomyia · Vulcanardia · Wachtliella · Walshomyia · Wasmanniella · Wichmanniella · Winnertzia · Winnertziola · Wyattella · Xenasphondylia · Xenhormomyia · Xenodiplosis · Xerephedromyia · Xiphodiplosis · Xipholasioptera · Xylodiplosis · Xylopriona · Youngomyia · Yukawamyia · Zalepidota · Zatsepinomyia · Zeuxidiplosis · Zygiobia
Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 6,953 species and subspecies in the Family Cecidomyiidae.

Cecidomyiidae

Overview

Photos

Taxonomy

Genera

Acacidiplosis

Acaroletes

Acericecis

Acodiplosis

Acoenonia

Acroectasis

Actilasioptera

Adelgimyza

Adiplosis

Afrodiplosis

Agevillea

Alexomyia

Allarete

Allaretella

Allobremia

Allodiplosis

Almatamyia

Alycaulus

Amaurosiphon

Amblyspatha

Amedia

Amediella

Ametrodiplosis

Ampelosucta

Amradiplosis

Amraemyia

Anabremia

Anadiplosis

Anarete

Anaretella

Anasphondylia

Androdiplosis

Androsacemyia

Angeiomyia

Angelinia

Anisostephus

Anjeerodiplosis

Anodontoceras

Antennardia

Antichira

Antichiridium

Apagodiplosis

Apamargamyia

Aphidoletes

Aphodiplosis

Apiomyia

Aplecus

Aplonyx

Apodiplosis

Aposchizomyia

Aprionus

Arafavilla

Arceuthomyia

Arcivena

Arctepidosis

Arenaromyia

Aridofavilla

Arnoldia

Arnoldiola

Arrabiadaeamyia

Artemisiobia

Arthrocnodax

Aschistonyx

Asidiplosis

Asiodiplosis

Asphondylia

Asphondyliidi

Asphotrophia

Asphoxenomyia

Asteralobia

Asteromyia

Astictoneura

Astragalomyia

Astrodiplosis

Asycola