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Diptera

(Order)

Overview

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True flies are of the order Diptera (Greek: = two, and pteron = wing), possessing a single pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax.

The presence of a single pair of wings distinguishes true flies from other insects with "fly" in their name, such as mayflies, dragonflies, damselflies, stoneflies, whiteflies, fireflies, alderflies, dobsonflies, snakeflies, sawflies, caddisflies, butterflies or scorpionflies. Some true flies have become secondarily wingless, especially in the superfamily Hippoboscoidea, or among those that are inquilines in social insect colonies.

Diptera is a large order, containing an estimated 240,000 species of mosquitos, gnats, midges and others, although under half of these (about 120,000 species) have been described.[1] It is one of the major insect orders both in terms of ecological and human (medical and economic) importance. The Diptera, in particular the mosquitoes (Culicidae), are of great importance as disease transmitters, acting as vectors for malaria, dengue, West Nile virus, yellow fever, encephalitis and other infectious diseases.

Anatomy and Biology

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Flies are well adapted for aerial movement, and typically have short and/or streamlined bodies. The second segment of the thorax, which bears the wings and contains the flight muscles, is greatly enlarged, with the other two segments being reduced to mere collar-like structures. The third segment bears the halteres, which help to balance the insect during flight. A further adaptation for flight is the reduction in number of the neural ganglia, and concentration of nerve tissue in the thorax, a feature that is most extreme in the highly dervied Muscomorpha infraorder.[2]

Flies have a mobile head with eyes, and, in most cases, have large compound eyes on the sides of the head, with three small ocelli on the top. The antennae take a variety of forms, but are often short, to reduce drag while flying.

Flies consume only liquid food, and their mouthparts and digestive tract show various modifications for this diet. The most apparently primitive flies have piercing blade-like mandibles and fleshy palps, but these have become adapted into numerous different forms in different groups. These include both the fine stilleto-like sucking mouthparts of mosquitos, and the fleshy proboscis of houseflies. The gut typically includes large diverticulae, allowing the insect to store large quantities of liquid after a meal.[2]

Reproduction and Development

Mating

The genitalia of male flies is rotated to a varying degree from the position found in other insects. In some flies this is a temporary rotation during mating, but in others, it is a permanent torsion of the organs that occurs during the pupal stage. This torsion may lead to the anus being located below the genitals, or, in the case of 360° torsion, to the sperm duct being wrapped around the gut, despite the external organs being in their usual position. When flies mate, the male initially lies on top of the female, facing in the same direction, but then turns round to face in the opposite direction. In some species, this forces the male to lie on its back in order for its genitalia to remain engaged with those of the female, but in most cases, the torsion of the male genitals allows the male to mate while remaining upright.[2]

The female lays her eggs as close to the food source as possible, and development is generally rapid, allowing the larva to consume as much food as possible in a short period of time before transforming into the adult. In extreme cases, the eggs hatch immediately after being laid, while a few flies are ovoviviparous, with the larva hatching inside the mother.[2]

Larval flies, or maggots, have no true legs, and often little demarcation between the thorax and abdomen; in the more derived species, even the head is not clearly distinguishable from the rest of the body. In some species, there are small prolegs on some segments, but maggots are more commonly entirely limbless. The eyes and antennae are reduced, or even absent, and the abdomen also lacks appendages such as cerci. This general lack of features is an adaptation to the extremely food rich environment, such as within rotting organic matter, or as an endoparasite.[2]

The pupae take various forms, and in some cases develop inside a silk cocoon. After emerging from the pupa, the adult fly rarely lives more than a few weeks, and serves mainly to reproduce and to disperse in search of new food sources.

Classification

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See also: List of families of Diptera
Fly cleaning.ogv
Cleaning

There are two generally accepted suborders of Diptera. The Nematocera are usually recognized by their elongated bodies and feathery antennae as represented by mosquitoes and crane flies. The Brachycera tend to have a more roundly proportioned body and very short antennae. A more recent classification has been proposed in which the Nematocera is split into two suborders, the Archidiptera and the Eudiptera, but this has not yet gained widespread acceptance among dipterists.

  1. Suborder Nematocera (77 families, 35 of them extinct) – long antennae, pronotum distinct from mesonotum. In Nematocera, larvae are either eucephalic or hemicephalic and often aquatic.
  2. Suborder Brachycera (141 families, 8 of them extinct) – short antennae, the pupa is inside a puparium formed from the last larval skin. Brachycera are generally robust flies with larvae having reduced mouthparts.
    1. Infraorders Tabanomorpha and Asilomorpha – these comprise the majority of what was the Orthorrhapha under older classification schemes. The antennae are short, but differ in structure from those of the Muscomorpha.
    2. Infraorder Muscomorpha – (largely the Cyclorrhapha of older schemes). Muscomorpha have 3-segmented, aristate (with a bristle) antennae and larvae with three instars that are acephalic (maggots).

Most of the Muscomorpha are further subdivided into the Acalyptratae and Calyptratae based on whether or not they have a calypter (a wing flap that extends over the halteres).

Beyond that, considerable revision in the taxonomy of the flies has taken place since the introduction of modern cladistic techniques, and much remains uncertain. The secondary ranks between the suborders and the families are more out of practical or historical considerations than out of any strict respect for phylogenetic classifications (some modern cladists tend to spurn the use of Linnaean rank names). Nearly all classifications in use now, including this article, contain some paraphyletic groupings; this is emphasized where the numerous alternative systems are most greatly at odds. See list of families of Diptera.

Dipterans belong to the taxon Mecopterida, that also contains Mecoptera, Siphonaptera, Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and Trichoptera. Inside it, they are sometimes classified closely together with Mecoptera and Siphonaptera in the superorder Antliophora.[3]

Evolution

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Diptera are usually thought to derive from Mecoptera or a strictly related group. First true dipterans are known from the Middle Triassic, becoming widespread during the Middle and Late Triassic [ 4].

Flies in Culture

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Flies have often been used in mythology and literature to represent agents of death and decay, such as the Biblical fourth plague of Egypt, or portrayed as nuisances (e.g., in Greek mythology, Myiagros was a god who chased away flies during the sacrifices to Zeus and Athena, and Zeus sent a fly to bite the horse Pegasus causing Bellerophon to fall back to Earth when he attempted to ride to Mount Olympus), though in a few cultures the connotation is not so negative (e.g., in the traditional Navajo religion, Big Fly is an important spirit being). Emily Dickinson's poem "I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died" also makes reference to flies in the context of death. In fact, many flies, such as the genus Hydrotaea are used in forensic cases to determine time of death for many corpses.

Not surprisingly, in art and entertainment, flies are also used primarily to introduce elements of horror or the simply mundane; an example of the former is the 1958 science fiction film The Fly (remade in 1986), in which a scientist accidentally exchanges parts of his body with those of a fly. Examples of the latter include trompe l'oeil paintings of the fifteenth century such as Portrait of a Carthusian by Petrus Christus, showing a fly sitting on a fake frame [5], a 2001 art project by Garnet Hertz in which a complete web server was implanted into a dead fly [1], and various musical works (such as Yoko Ono's album Fly, U2's song "The Fly," Dave Matthews' song "The Fly" and Béla Bartók's "From the Diary of a Fly"). The ability of flies to cling to almost any surface has also inspired the title of Human Fly for stunt performers whose stunts involve climbing buildings, including both real life and fictional individuals.

Aside from the fictional and conceptual role flies play in culture, there are practical roles that flies can play (e.g., flies are reared in large numbers in Japan to serve as pollinators of sunflowers in greenhouses), especially the maggots of various species.

Maggots

Further information: Maggot
Maggots being used to treat a wound

Some types of maggots found on corpses can be of great use to forensic scientists. By their stage of development, these maggots can be used to give an indication of the time elapsed since death, as well as the place the organism died. Maggot species can be identified using their DNA. The size of the house fly maggot is 10–20 mm (?–¾ in). At the height of the summer season, a generation of flies (egg to adult) may be produced in 12–14 days. It is important to note that the lack of maggot presence is also telling in an investigation. Some other families of Insecta, such as Histeridae, feed on maggots. Thus, the lack of maggots would increase the estimated time of death.

Other types of maggots are bred commercially, as a popular bait in angling, and a food for carnivorous pets such as reptiles or birds.

Maggots have been used in medicine to clean out necrotic wounds [6], and in food production, particularly of cheeses (casu marzu).

Pictures of Different Fly Species

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Photos

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Taxonomy

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The Order Diptera is further organized into finer groupings including:

Families

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Acalyptratae

Acalyptratae is a subsection of , commonly referred to as the acalyptrate muscoids (or simply acalyptrates). It is a very large assemblage, exhibiting very diverse habits, with one notable and perhaps surprising exception; there are no known acalyptrates that are obligate blood-feeders (hematophagous), though this is a life history that is common throughout the remaining Diptera. [more]

Acartophthalmidae

Acartophthalmidae is a of very small (1-2.5 mm), dark flies with pubescent arista , found in the order Diptera. Only four species are included, all in the Genus Acartophthalmus Czerny. All are Holarctic. [more]

Acroceridae

Acroceridae is a small family of odd looking flies most closely related to . There are about 520 species in 50 genera. They are characterized by a humpbacked appearance and a small head, sometimes with a long proboscis for nectar. As such, acrocerids are commonly known as small-headed flies or hunchback-flies. Many are bee or wasp mimics. Their eyes are often holoptic; their heads seem to be composed primarily of ommatidia. They are cosmopolitan in distribution but rarely observed in most places; the majority of the over 500 species are known from fewer than 10 specimens. They are found most commonly in semi-arid tropical locations. [more]

Agromyzidae

The family Agromyzidae is commonly referred to as the leaf-miner flies, for the feeding habit of , some of which are leaf miners on various plants. [more]

Alinkidae

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Anisopodidae

Anisopodidae is a small cosmopolitan family of -like flies known as Wood gnats or Window-gnats with 154 described extant species in 15 genera, and several described fossil taxa. Some species are saprophagous or fungivorous. They are mostly small to medium-sized flies, except the genera Olbiogaster and Lobogaster, which are large with bizarrely spatulate abdomens. Their phylogenetic placement is controversial. They have been proposed to be the sister group to the higher flies, the Brachycera (Oosterbroek and Courtney 1995). Some authors (Amorim and Grimaldi 2006) consider this group to be four distinct families- Anisopodidae, Mycetobiidae, Olbiogastridae, and Valeseguyidae. [more]

Ansorgiidae

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Antefungivoridae

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Anthomyiidae

Anthomyiidae is a large and diverse of Muscoidea flies. Name came from Greek "anthos" (flower) + "myia" (a fly). Some species are commonly called "root-maggots", as the larvae are found in the stems and roots of various plants. As larvae, some also feed on decaying plant material, and some are leafminers; the family also includes inquilines, commensals, and parasitic larvae. [more]

Anthomyzidae

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Apioceridae

The Apioceridae, or flower-loving flies, are a small (approximately 150 species in one ) family of flies. The genus Rhaphiomidas was formally placed in this family, but has now been placed in the family Mydidae [more]

Apsilocephalidae

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Apystomyiidae

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Archisargidae

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Archizelmiridae

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Asilidae

Insects in the family Asilidae are commonly called robber flies. The family Asilidae contains about 7,100 described species worldwide. All robber flies have stout, spiny legs, a dense moustache of bristles on the face (mystax), and 3 simple eyes (ocelli) in a characteristic depression between their two large compound eyes. The mystax helps protect the head and face when the fly encounters prey bent on defense. The antennae are short, 3-segmented, sometimes with a bristle-like structure called an arista. The short, strong proboscis is used to stab and inject victims with saliva containing neurotoxic and proteolytic enzymes which paralyze and digest the insides; the fly then sucks the liquefied meal through the proboscis. Many species have long, tapering abdomens, sometimes with a sword-like ovipositor. Others are fat-bodied bumblebee mimics. Adult robber flies attack other flies, beetles, butterflies and moths, various bees, ants, dragon and damselflies, Ichneumon wasps, grasshoppers, and some spiders. [more]

Asilomorpha

The infraorder Asilomorpha is a large and diverse group of flies, containing the bulk of the non-muscoid Brachycera. [more]

Asiochaoboridae

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Asteiidae

Asteiidae is a small but widespread family of flies or Diptera. About 130 species in 10 genera have been described world-wide.They are rarely collected. [more]

Atelestidae

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Athericidae

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Aulacigastridae

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Australimyzidae

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Austroleptidae

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Axymyiidae

The family Axymyiidae is the sole member of the infraorder Axymyiomorpha, though it is often included within the infraorder Bibionomorpha in older classifications. It is known from only 6 species in 3 genera, plus 3 fossil species. [more]

Bibionidae

Bibionidae (march flies and ) is a family of flies (Diptera). Approximately 650-700 species are known worldwide. [more]

Blephariceridae

Blephariceridae, commonly known as Net-winged midges, are a family in the order Diptera. The adults resemble crane flies except with a projecting anal angle in the wings, and different head shape, absence of the V on the mesonotum, and more laterally outstretched forward facing legs. They are uncommon, but there are dozens of genera worldwide, and over 200 species. [more]

Blepharoceridae

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Boholdoyidae

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Bolithophilidae

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Bolitophilidae

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Bombylidae

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Bombyliidae

Bombyliidae is a large of flies with hundreds of genera, although their life cycles are not well known. Adults generally feed on nectar and pollen, thus are pollinators of flowers. They superficially resemble bees, thus are commonly called bee flies, and this may offer the adults some protection from predators. [more]

Brachycera

Brachycera is a of Diptera. It is a major suborder consisting of around 120 families. The most distinguishing characteristic of the suborder is reduced antenna segmentation. A summary of main physiological characteristics follows: [more]

Braulidae

The family Braulidae (), or bee lice, contains eight species in two genera, Braula and Megabraula. These are very unusual flies, wingless and flattened, and barely recognizable as Diptera. Braula coeca Nitzsch is a pest of honey bees. The larvae tunnel through the wax honeycomb and the adults are found on the bodies of honey bees. There is some debate as to whether the bee louse causes damage to the honey bee. These flies sometimes can be found at places where bees congregate such as flowers or salt licks, waiting to grab onto hosts from uninfested nests. Braula is cosmopolitan and about 1.6 mm in length. Megabraula is found in Nepal and is 3 mm in length [more]

Calliphoridae

Insects in the Order , family Calliphoridae are commonly called blow flies, carrion flies, bluebottle, greenbottle, or cluster flies. [more]

Camillidae

Camillidae is a family of flies, or . There are three genera (two living; one fossil). [more]

Campichoetidae

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Canaceidae

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Canacidae

Canacidae, incorrectly Canaceidae, or beach flies, surf or surge flies, is a family of .There are 113 species in 12 genera. [more]

Canthyloscelidae

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Canthyloscelididae

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Carnidae

Carnidae is a family of flies (). There are 5 genera, containing about 88 species worldwide. [more]

Cecidomyiidae

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. [more]

Celyphidae

Celyphidae or beetle , beetle-backed flies is a family of insects of the order Diptera. About 90 species are known from the Oriental and Afrotropic biogeographic regions. [more]

Ceratopogonidae

Ceratopogonidae, or biting (including what are called, in the United States, no-see-ums, midgies, sand flies, punkies, and others), are a family of small flies (1–4 mm long) in the order Diptera. They are closely related to the Chironomidae, Simuliidae (or black flies), and Thaumaleidae. [more]

Chamaemyiidae

Chamaemyiidae is a small family of flies with less than 200 species described worldwide. The larvae of these small flies are active and predatory and are often used for biological control of aphids, scale insects and similar pests. Chamaemyiid fossils are poorly represented in amber deposits but a few examples are known from the Eocene epoch onwards. [more]

Chaoboridae

Chaoboridae, commonly known as phantom midges, are a family of fairly common midges with a cosmopolitan distribution. They are closely related to and Chironomidae; the adults are differentiated through peculiarities in wing venation. If they eat at all, the adults feed on nectar. The larvae are aquatic. They are unique due to their feeding method. The antennae of phantom midge larvae are modified into a grasping organ, which captures food, such as small insect larvae and crustaceans like Daphnia and mosquito larvae. The antennae impale or crush the prey and then bring it to the larval mouth, or stylet. The larvae sometimes move about their lacustrine habitats in large swarms. [more]

Chironomidae

Chironomidae (informally known as chironomids or non-biting ) are a family of nematoceran flies with a global distribution. They are closely related to the Ceratopogonidae, Simuliidae, and Thaumaleidae. Many species superficially resemble mosquitoes but they lack the wing scales and elongate mouthparts of the Culicidae. This is a large group of insects with over 5000 described species and 700 species in North America alone.[citation needed] Males are easily recognized by their plumose antennae. Adults are sometimes known as "lake flies" in parts of Canada, as "sand flies", "muckleheads", or "muffleheads" in various regions of the USA Great Lakes area, and as "blind mosquitoes" in Florida, USA. [more]

Chloropidae

Chloropidae is a family of commonly known as frit flies or grass flies. There are approximately 2000 described species in over 160 genera distributed worldwide. These are usually very small flies, yellow or black and appearing shiny due to the virtual absence of any hairs. The majority of the larvae are phytophagous, mainly on grasses, and can be major pests of cereals. However, parasitic and predatory species are known. A few species are kleptoparasites. Some species in the genus Hippelates and Siphunculina (S. funicola being quite well known in Asia) are called eye gnats or eye flies for their habit of being attracted to eyes. They feed on lachrymal secretions and other body fluids of various animals including humans. [more]

Chyromyidae

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Clusiidae

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Coelopidae

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Coenomyiidae

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Conopidae

Conopidae, usually known as the thick-headed flies, is a family of within the Brachycera suborder of Diptera. Flies of the family Conopidae are distributed worldwide except for the poles and many of the Pacific islands. About 800 species in 47 genera are described worldwide, approximately 70 of which are found in North America. The majority of conopids are black and yellow, or black and white, and often strikingly resemble wasps, bees, or flies of the family Syrphidae, themselves notable bee mimics. Conopids are most frequently found at flowers, feeding on nectar with their proboscis, which is often long. [more]

Corethrellidae

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Cratomyiidae

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Cryptochaetidae

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Cryptochetidae

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Ctenostylidae

The enigmatic fly family Ctenostylidae is a small group of very rare flies formerly included in the family (as the subfamily "Lochmostyliinae"); the principal reason for their inclusion in the Pyrgotidae was the absence of ocelli, a feature originally thought to be a unique defining feature ("autapomorphy") of the Pyrgotidae. Subsequent careful analysis has revealed that this anatomical feature shared with Pyrgotidae may not be indicative of a close relationship, and even the inclusion of Ctenostylidae within the superfamily Tephritoidea was cast into doubt, leaving this as the only family of Acalyptratae presently unassignable to superfamily. [more]

Culicidae

Mosquito (from the meaning little fly) is a common insect in the family Culicidae (from the Latin culex meaning midge or gnat). [more]

Curtonotidae

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Cyclorrhapha

Cyclorrhapha is an unranked taxon within the Muscomorpha. They are called "Cyclorrhapha" ('circular-seamed flies') with reference to the circular aperture through which the adult escapes the puparium. This is a circumscriptional name that has significant historical familiarity, but in the present classification, this name is synonymous with the more recent "Muscomorpha"; details and reasoning are presented here. [more]

Cylindrotomidae

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Cypselosomatidae

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Deuterophlebiidae

Deuterophlebiidae or mountain midges are a small family of nematoceran Diptera. Adults have broad, fan-shaped wings, and males have extremely long antennae which they employ when contesting territories over running water, waiting for females to hatch. Larvae occur in swiftly-flowing streams and are easily recognized by their forked antennae and the prolegs on the abdomen. [more]

Diadocidiidae

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Diastatidae

Diastatidae are a type of flies, and are in the Diptera. They occur primarily in the Holarctic Region, but several species are known from the Oriental, Neotropical, and Australasian regions. Members of the family number over 20 described species in two genera. There is an additional fossil genus. [more]

Diopsidae

Stalk-eyed flies are insects of the family Diopsidae (sometimes called Centrioncidae). The family is distinguished by the possession of eyestalks: projections from the sides of the head with the eyes at the end. Some fly species from other dipteran families such as the Drosophilidae and Tephritidae carry similar structures but the unique character of the Diopsidae is that the antennae are carried next to the eye at the end of the stalk. There are several hundred species in the family, with the greatest diversity found in the Old World tropics They are distributed throughout the region, with the best known species being from South-East Asia and Southern Africa. There are also two species in North America, both associated with skunk cabbage bogs,[citation needed] and a European species has recently been found in Hungary. Adult diopsids are typically found on low-lying vegetation in humid areas, often near streams and rivers, where they feed on fungi and bacteria on decaying vegetation. The larvae develop in rotting vegetation. Due to their peculiar morphology, stalk-eyed flies are readily identifiable as fossils (e.g. in amber); one such prehistoric genus is Prosphyracephala. [more]

Diplopolyneuridae

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Diptera

True flies are of the order Diptera (Greek: = two, and pteron = wing), possessing a single pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax. [more]

Ditomyiidae

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Dixidae

The Dixidae (meniscus ) are a family of aquatic nematoceran Diptera. The larvae live in unpolluted, standing fresh waters, just beneath the surface film, usually amongst marginal aquatic vegetation . [more]

Dolichopodidae

Dolichopodidae, the long-legged flies, make up a large family of with more than 7,000 described species in about 230 genera distributed worldwide. The genus Dolichopus is the most speciose, with some 600 species. They are generally fairly small, metallic flies with large, prominent eyes but otherwise they show considerable variation: most have long legs but some do not. The males often have enlarged genitalia which can be useful for species recognition. The adults are predatory on other small animals. [more]

Drosophilidae

Drosophilidae is a diverse, family of flies, including the genus Drosophila, which includes fruit flies. The best known species is Drosophila melanogaster that is used extensively for studies concerning genetics, development, physiology, ecology, behaviour, etc. The fruit fly is mostly composed of post-mitotic cells, has a very short lifespan, and shows gradual aging. Like in other species, temperature influences the life history of the animal. Several genes have been identified whose manipulation extends the lifespan of these animals. [more]

Dryomyzidae

Dryomyzidae is a small family of . [more]

Elliidae

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Empididae

Empididae is a family of with over 3,000 described species occurring worldwide, but the majority are found in the Holarctic. They are mainly predatory flies like most of their relatives in the Empidoidea, and exhibit a wide range of forms but are generally small to medium sized, non-metallic and rather bristly. [more]

Eoditomyiidae

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Eopleciidae

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Eopolyneuridae

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Eoptychopteridae

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Ephydridae

Ephydridae (shore fly, sometimes brine fly) is a family of in the order Diptera. [more]

Eremochaetidae

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Eremoneura

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Eurychoromyiidae

Eurychoromyia mallea, the broad-headed fly, is a of fly, the only species in the family Eurychoromyiidae. [more]

Fanniidae

The Fanniidae are a small (285 species in 4 genera) group of largely confined to the Holarctic and temperate Neotropical regions. [more]

Fergusoninidae

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Gasterophilidae

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Glossinidae

Tsetse , sometimes spelled tzetze, are large inhabiting much of mid-continental Africa between the Sahara and the Kalahari deserts. They live by feeding on the blood of vertebrate animals and are the primary biological vectors of trypanosomes, which cause human sleeping sickness and animal trypanosomosis, aka nagana. Tsetse include all the species in the genus Glossina, which are generally placed in their own family, Glossinidae. [more]

Gobryidae

Gobryidae is a family of five species in the genus Gobrya. described the genus in 1860. They are relatively rare and found only in Taiwan, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Gobryids are brilliantly metallic blue in coloration and their heads are wider than the rest of their body. Very little is known about the larval habits of these flies. McAlpine (1997) elevated the genus to family level. More research is needed to determine the best phylogenetic placement for Gobrya. [more]

Gracilitipulidae

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Helcomyzidae

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Heleomyzidae

Heleomyzidae is a small family of true flies in the order Diptera. There are over 650 described species of Heleomyzidae in about 80 genera and 22 tribes distributed throughout the world; the greatest number occur in the Holarctic Region. Approximately 100 species of Heleomyzidae are found in North America. Larvae feed on decaying plant and animal matter, mushrooms and various fungi. All of the subfamilies have been commonly recognized as families in the past, but are now included within the Heleomyzidae (McAlpine,D.K.,1985). [more]

Helosciomyzidae

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Hennigmatidae

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Hesperinidae

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Heterocheilidae

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Hilarimorphidae

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Hippoboscidae

Hippoboscidae, the louse flies or keds are of mammals and birds. In this family there are winged species which can fly at least reasonably well, as well as others with vestigial or no wings which are flightless and highly apomorphic. As usual in their superfamily Hippoboscoidea, most of the larval development takes place within the mother's body, and pupation occurs almost immediately. [more]

Homoptera

Homoptera: Coccoidea

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Huttoninidae

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Hybotidae

Hybotidae, the typical dance flies are a of true flies. They belong to the superfamily Empidoidea and were formerly included in the Empididae as a subfamily. [more]

Hymenoptera

Hypodermatidae

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Ironomyiidae

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Keroplatidae

Mycetophilidae is a family of very small , forming the bulk of those species known as fungus gnats. There are approximately 3000 described species in 150 genera but the true number of species is undoubtedly much higher. They are generally found in the damp habitats favoured by their host fungi and sometimes form dense swarms. [more]

Kovalevisargidae

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Lauxaniidae

Lauxaniidae is a family of flies. It contains around 1500 described species in 126 genera distributed worldwide. These are generally small flies (length 5 mm or less) with large compound eyes, often brightly colored in life. Many species have patterned wings. [more]

Limnorhyphidae

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Limoniidae

Limoniidae is a family of closely related to the crane flies Tipulidae although they can usually be distinguished by the way the wings are held at rest. Limoniids usually hold/fold the wings along the back of the body whereas tipulids usually hold them out at right angles. Members of the genus Chionea (snow flies) have no wings at all. Limoniids are also usually smaller than tipulids, although there are exceptions. Limoniidae is a very large family with nearly 11000 described species in 150 genera. These flies are found in damp places throughout the world and many species form dense swarms in suitable habitats. [more]

Lonchaeidae

Lonchaeidae is a family of flies commonly known as lance flies. There are about 500 described species in 9 genera. These are generally small but robustly built flies with blue-black or metallic bodies. They are found, mainly in wooded areas, throughout the world with the exception of polar regions and New Zealand. [more]

Lonchopteridae

Lonchopteridae (spear-winged flies or pointed-wing flies) are a of small (2–5 mm), slender, yellow to brownish-black Diptera, occurring all over the world. Their common name refers to their pointed wings, which have a distinct venation. Most are bisexual; males are very rare however at least in North American species, and have a somewhat different venation than do the females. [more]

Luanpingitidae

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Lygistorrhinidae

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Manotidae

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Marginidae

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Megamerinidae

A Family in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]

Mesosciophilidae

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Mesothaumaleidae

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Micropezidae

The Micropezidae are a moderate-sized family of flies in the insect order Diptera, comprising about 500 species in about 50 genera and 5 subfamilies worldwide, (except New Zealand and Macquarie Island). They are most diverse in tropical and subtropical habitats, especially in the Neotropical Region. [more]

Microphoridae

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Milichiidae

Milichiidae is a family of . Larva primarily feed rotting vegetable matter, or decaying wood or bark. The larval stage generally lasting about 2-3 weeks in most temperate climates. The adults of some species linger close to spiders or other predators in order to feed on their prey, leading to the common name of "freeloader flies". [more]

Mormotomyiidae

The family Mormotomyiidae (: Hippoboscoidea) contains only one known species, Mormotomyia hirsuta Austen, from Kenya. Specimens have been collected from one rock on one mountain in the Okazzi Hills, in a cleft where a bat roost is located; this may possibly be the most restricted geographic distribution for any fly family. The larvae have been collected from bat feces. Adult flies are believed to feed on bodily secretions of bats. [more]

Muscidae

Muscidae is a family of found in the superfamily Muscoidea. The apical segment of the antennae of Muscidae are plumose, and the basal portion is smooth. [more]

Musidoromimidae

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Mycetobiidae

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Mycetophilidae

Mycetophilidae is a family of very small , forming the bulk of those species known as fungus gnats. There are approximately 3000 described species in 150 genera but the true number of species is undoubtedly much higher. They are generally found in the damp habitats favoured by their host fungi and sometimes form dense swarms. [more]

Mydidae

The Mydidae (alternative spelling Mydaidae), or Mydas flies, are a small (fewer than 400 species), cosmopolitan family of rather large - including, in fact, the largest known fly, Gauromydas heros (a.k.a. Mydas heros). Many of the species, in addition to their large size, are mimics of stinging Hymenopterans, especially wasps. They are most diverse and abundant in arid regions of the world, but can be found in other habitats. They are infrequently encountered as the adult life span appears quite short, and little is known about their biology, though larvae of some species appear to be subterranean predators of ants. [more]

Mystacinobiidae

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Mythicomyiidae

Mythicomyiids are very tiny flies (0.5–5.0 mm) found throughout most parts of the world, especially and semi-desert regions, except the highest altitudes and latitudes. They are not as common in the tropics, but genera such as Cephalodromia and Platypygus are known from these regions. Many of these "microbombyliids" have humpbacked thoraces and lack the dense vestiture common in Bombyliidae. Mythicomyiids have until recently not had much attention in the literature. Their small size has caused them to be missed when collecting. Yellow pan trapping and fine-mesh netting in Malaise and aerial sweep nets has resulted in a tremendous amount of undescribed material from many parts of the world. A high amount of diversity of both genera and species exists for this family in Africa, especially northern and southern portions. Approximately 350 species are known (most in the genus Mythicomyia Coquillett). Hundreds more await description. [more]

Nadipteridae

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Nannodastiidae

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Nematocera

Nematocera ("thread-horns"), is a primitive suborder of elongated with thin, segmented antennae and mostly aquatic larvae, consisting of the mosquitoes, crane flies, gnats, and midges. [more]

Nemestrinidae

Nemestrinidae, or tangle-veined flies is a of flies in the superfamily Nemestrinoidea, closely related to Acroceridae. The family is small but distributed worldwide, with about 300 species in 34 genera. Larvae are endoparasitoids of either grasshoppers (Trichopsideinae) or scarab beetles (Hirmoneurinae). Some are considered important in the control of grasshopper populations. Adults are often observed on flowers. [more]

Neminidae

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Neriidae

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Neurochaetidae

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Nothybidae

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Nycteribiidae

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Nymphomyiidae

The Nymphomyiidae are a of slender, delicate flies (Diptera). Larvae are found among aquatic mosses in small, rapid streams in northern regions of the world. Many fossil species and a few extant species are known. Under an alternative classification, they are considered the only living representatives of a separate, archaic suborder called "Archidiptera". [more]

Ocoidae

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Odiniidae

Odiniidae is a small family of . There are only 58 described species but there are representatives in all the major biogeographic realms. [more]

Oestridae

The botfly is a of Oestroidea. It is one of several families of hairy flies whose larvae live as parasites within the bodies of mammals. There are approximately 150 known species worldwide. [more]

Opetiidae

Opetiidae or flat-footed flies are members of a family of flies of the Diptera. [more]

Opomyzidae

Opomyzidae is a family of Diptera. They are generally small, slender, yellow, brown or black colored flies. The larval food plants are grasses, including cereal crops, the adults are mainly found in open habitats. Some species being agricultural pests. [more]

Otitidae

The name picture-winged fly is sometimes used in a colloquial sense for various families in the superfamily Tephritoidea that have patterns of bands or spots on the wings, but is more correctly applied solely to the family Ulidiidae (which was formerly known as Otitidae). This is a large and diverse cosmopolitan family, and, as in related families, most species are herbivorous or saprophagous. [more]

Pachyneuridae

[more]

Pallopteridae

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Panthophthalmidae

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Pantophthalmidae

Pantophthalmidae is a small family of very large, robust , sometimes referred to as timber flies. There are about 22 known species in two genera in the family, all of Neotropical distribution. Superficially they resemble horse flies, but are only distantly related; they are most closely related to the soldier flies (Stratiomyidae). The larvae feed by boring into living wood, an unusual habit for Diptera, and can sometimes be pests. The adult stage is brief and does not feed at all, and most active at dusk. [more]

Parapleciidae

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Paraxymyiidae

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Pediciidae

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Pelecorhynchidae

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Periscelididae

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Perissommatidae

Perissommatidae is a family of that was newly proposed in 1962. The family contains five species, four from Australia and one from Chile. Perissommatidae are unusual as they have four eyes. They have a small slender body that's less than 2mm in length. Their wings are large in comparison to their body and subsequently their flight is weak. Preferring high altitude forest environments, adults only fly in the winter. In the case of Perissomma macalpinei numbers of adults have been observed congregate in clumps of foliage, rising in short zigzag flights in the sunlight above the foliage for short periods before descending back. [more]

Phaeomyiidae

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Phoridae

Phoridae is a of small, hump-backed flies resembling fruit flies. Phorid flies can often be identified by their escape habit of running rapidly across a surface rather than taking to the wing. This behaviour is a source of one of their alternate names: scuttle fly. They are a diverse and successful group of insects. Approximately 3,000 species are known in 230 genera. [more]

Piophilidae

Cheese flies are members of the Piophilidae of flies (Diptera), including the members of two now-obsolete families, Neottiophilidae and Thyreophoridae. Most are scavengers in animal products and fungi. The best-known member of the family is Piophila casei. It is a small fly, about four mm (1/6 inch) long, found worldwide. The fly's larva infests cured meats, smoked fish, cheeses, and decaying animals. The larva is about 8 mm (? inch) long and is sometimes called the cheese skipper for its leaping ability - when disturbed, this tiny maggot can hop up to 15 cm (six inches) into the air. Adults are also known as "bacon flies" and their larvae as "bacon skippers", "ham skippers", "cheese maggots", and "cheese hoppers". In Sardinia, Italy the larvae are intentionally introduced into pecorino cheese to produce casu marzu. [more]

Pipunculidae

Pipunculidae are a of flies (Diptera), commonly termed Big-Headed Flies a reference to the large eyes , which cover nearly the entire head. The Family is worldwide and more than 1300 species have been described. [more]

Platypezidae

Platypezidae is a of true flies of the superfamily Platypezoidea. The more than 250 species are found worldwide primarily in woodland habitats. A common name is flat-footed flies, but this is also used for the closely related Opetiidae which were included in the Platypezidae in former tiems. [more]

Platystomatidae

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Pleciidae

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Pleciofungivoridae

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Procramptonomyiidae

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Protapioceridae

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Protempididae

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Protobrachycerontidae

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Protodiptera: Permotanyderidae

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Protomphralidae

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Protopleciidae

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Protorhyphidae

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Protoscatopsidae

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Pseudopomyzidae

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Psilidae

Psilidae is family of . Commonly called the rust flies, there are at least 38 species in 4 genera. The Carrot fly (Chamaepsila rosae) is a member of this group. [more]

Psychodidae

The family Psychodidae (moth flies or drain flies) are small true flies (Diptera) with short, hairy bodies and wings giving them a "furry" moth-like appearance. The adults have long antennae and the wings are leaf-shaped, either slender or broad, with the most elementary wing venation of any Diptera, having little more than a series of parallel veins without crossveins. Adult Psychodidae are typically nocturnal and associated with damp habitats. The larvae live in aquatic habitats (often with low oxygen), including bathroom sinks; they are commonly nuisance pests in bathrooms. [more]

Ptychopteridae

Ptychopteridae, the Phantom Crane Flies is a small family (three extant genera) of Nematocerous Diptera. Superficially similar in appearance to other "Tipuloid" families, they lack the of Trichoceridae, the 5-branched radial vein of Tanyderidae, and the two anal veins that reach the wing margin of Tipulidae. They are usually allied with the Tanyderidae based on similarities of the mesonotal suture; this group being called the Ptychopteromorpha. [more]

Pyrgotidae

Pyrgotidae is an unusual family of flies (), one of only two families of Diptera that lack ocelli. Most species are "picture-winged", as is typical among Tephritoidea, but, unlike other tephritoids they are endoparasitoids; the females pursue scarab beetles in flight, laying an egg on the beetle's back under the elytra where the beetle cannot reach it. The egg hatches and the fly larva enters the body cavity of the beetle, feeding and eventually killing the host before pupating. In the United States, some species of Pyrgota and Sphecomyiella can be quite common in areas where their host beetles (typically the genus Phyllophaga, or "June beetles") are abundant. Like their host beetles, these flies are primarily nocturnal, and are often attracted to artificial lights. [more]

Rangomaramidae

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Rhaetomyiidae

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Rhagionemestriidae

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Rhagionempididae

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Rhagionidae

Rhagionidae or snipe flies are a small of flies containing 21 genera. [more]

Rhiniidae

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Rhinophoridae

Rhinophoridae are a small family of (Diptera) with around 500 species. Rhinophoridae are found in all zoogeographic regions except Australasia and Oceania but mainly in the Palaearctic and Afrotropical regions. [more]

Richardidae

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Richardiidae

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Ropalomeridae

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Sarcophagidae

Flies of the family Sarcophagidae (from the Greek sarco- = flesh, phage = eating; the same roots as the word "sarcophagus") are commonly known as flesh flies. Most flesh flies breed in carrion, dung, or decaying material, but a few species lay their eggs in the open wounds of mammals; hence their common name. Some flesh fly larvae are internal parasites of other insects. These larvae, commonly known as maggots, live for about 5-10 days, before descending into the soil and maturing into adulthood. At that stage, they live for 5-7 days. [more]

Scathophagidae

The Scathophagidae is a small of Muscoidea which are often known as "Dung-flies" although this name is not appropriate except for a few species of the genus Scathophaga which do indeed pass their larval stages in animal dung. The name probably derives from the "Common Yellow Dung-fly", S. stercoraria, which is one of the most abundant and ubiquitous flies in many parts of the northern hemisphere. [more]

Scatopsidae

The minute black scavenger flies or "dung midges", Scatopsidae, is a family of flies. Despite being distributed throughout the world, it is quite a small family with only around 250 described species in 27 genera although many await description and doubtless even more await discovery. These are generally small, sometimes minute, dark flies (from 0.6 to 5mm), generally similar to black flies (Simuliidae) but usually lacking the humped thorax characteristic of that family. [more]

Scenopinidae

Scenopinidae or Window Flies are a small (~400 described species) family of flies (), distributed worldwide. In buildings they are often taken at windows, hence the common name window flies. [more]

Sciadoceridae

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Sciaridae

Sciaridae is a family of , commonly known as dark-winged fungus gnats. Commonly found in moist environments, they are known to be a pest of mushroom farms and are commonly found in household plant pots. This is one of the least studied of the large Diptera families, probably due to the small size of these insects and the difficulty in specific identification. There are currently around 1700 described species but there are estimated to be up to 20,000 species awaiting discovery, mainly in the tropics. More than 600 species are known from Europe. [more]

Sciomyzidae

The family Sciomyzidae, the marsh flies, are of the order ; some of the subgroups of this family are occasionally accorded status as separate families (Huttoninidae, Phaeomyiidae and Tetanoceridae). Marsh flies are generally slender, yellowish or brownish, ¼–½ inches long. They have fairly prominent eyes, prominent forward-pointing antennae, and bristles on the hind femora (upper hind leg). The wings are often mottled with various light brown markings according to species. Marsh flies are common along the edges of ponds and rivers, and in marshy areas where the larvae prey on or become parasites of slugs & snails. Very little is known about the complete life cycle of these flies. [more]

Sepsidae

Sepsidae are a of flies, commonly called the black scavenger flies or ensign flies. There are approximately 250 species worldwide. They are usually found around dung or decaying plant and animal material.They resemble ants having a "waist" and glossy black body [1]. Many Sepsidae have a curious wing-waving habit made more apparent by dark patches at the wing end. [more]

Serendipidae

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Siberhyphidae

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Simuliidae

A black fly (sometimes called a buffalo , turkey gnat, or white socks) is any member of the family Simuliidae of the Culicomorpha infraorder. They are related to the Ceratopogonidae, Chironomidae, and Thaumaleidae. There are over 1,800 known species of black flies (of which 11 are extinct). Most species belong to the immense genus Simulium. Most black flies gain nourishment by feeding on the blood of other animals, although the males feed mainly on nectar. They are usually small, black or gray, with short legs, and antennae. They are a common nuisance for humans, and many U.S. states have programs to suppress the black fly population. They spread several diseases, including river blindness in Africa (Simulium damnosum and S. neavei) and the Americas (Simulium callidum and S. metallicum in Central America, S. ochraceum in Central and South America). [more]

Sinotendipedidae

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Somatiidae

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Spaniidae

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Sphaeroceridae

Sphaeroceridae are a of true flies in the order Diptera, often called small dung flies, lesser dung flies or lesser corpse flies due to their saprophagous habits. They belong to the typical fly suborder Brachycera as can be seen by their short antennae, and more precisely they are members of the section Schizophora. There are over 1,300 species and about 125 genera accepted as valid today, but new taxa are still being described. [more]

Stratiomyidae

The soldier flies (Stratiomyidae, sometimes misspelled as Stratiomyiidae), are a family of (historically placed in the now-obsolete group Orthorrhapha). The family contains about 1,500 species in about 400 genera worldwide. Adults are found near larval habitats. Larvae can be found in a diverse array of situations mostly in wetlands and damp places in soil, sod, under bark, and in animal excrement and decaying organic matter. They are diverse in size and shape, though they commonly are partly or wholly metallic green, or somewhat wasplike mimics, marked with black and yellow or green and sometimes metallic. They are often rather inactive flies which typically rest with their wings placed one above the other over the abdomen. [more]

Streblidae

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Stronglyophthalmyiidae

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Strongylophthalmyiidae

Strongylophthalmyiidae is a small of about 45 species of slender, long-legged flies. The majority of these occurring the Oriental and Australasian Regions. They are divided into two genera, the monotypic Southeast Asian genus Nartshukia Shatalkin, 1993 and Strongylophthalmyia Heller, 1902. Formally the genus Strongylophthalmyia was classified with the Psilidae. Little is know of their biology, but many species seem to be associated with rotting bark. [more]

Synneuridae

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Syringogastridae

Syringogaster is a genus of small (4 to 6mm) flies with a petiolate abdomen, a long prothorax, a swollen and spiny hind femur, and reduced head size and large eyes. There are 20 living species in a single genus Syringogaster, There are 2 species know from Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic. It is the only genus in the family Syringogastridae. [more]

Syrphidae

in the family Syrphidae are commonly known as hoverflies, flower flies, or syrphid flies. [more]

Tabanidae

Insects in the order , family Tabanidae, are commonly called horse flies, and sometimes also forest flies or deer flies. The former, however, can also refer to Hippoboscidae, and the latter refers specifically to the horse-fly genus Chrysops. Often considered pests for the bites that many inflict, they are among the world's largest true flies. They are known to be extremely noisy during flight. They are also important pollinators of flowers, especially in South Africa. Tabanids occur worldwide, being absent only at extreme northern and southern latitudes. Flies of this type are among those known sometimes as gadflies, zimbs or clegs. In Australia, they are known as "march flies"; elsewhere this term refers to the unrelated dipteran family Bibionidae. [more]

Tachinidae

Tachinidae is a large and rather variable family of within the insect order Diptera, with more than 8,200 known species and many more to be discovered. There are over 1300 species in North America. Insects in this family are commonly called tachina flies or simply tachinids. [more]

Tachiniscidae

The Tachiniscinae are a of the fruit fly family Tephritidae. They are treated by some authorities as a separate family, Tachiniscidae. [more]

Tanyderidae

Tanyderidae, or primitive crane flies, of the order are long, thin, delicate insects with spotted wings, superficially similar in appearance to some Tipulidae, Trichoceridae, and Ptychopteridae. Most species are restricted in distribution. They are found in many parts of the world, including North America, South America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and various islands in the Pacific Ocean. Adults are usually found hanging from vegetation near streams. Larvae are found either in sandy stream margins or in wet, rotten wood. Fossil species are known. [more]

Tanypezidae

Tanypezidae is a small family of medium-sized true flies () found in the Nearctic Palaearctic and Neotropic zoogeographic regions. Some species have luminous silver or gold coloration. [more]

Tephritidae

Tephritidae is one of two families referred to as "fruit flies". Tephritidae does not include the biological model organisms of the genus Drosophila, which is often called the "common fruit fly". Drosophila is, instead, the type genus of the second "fruit fly" family, Drosophilidae. There are nearly 5,000 described species of tephritid fruit fly, categorized in almost 500 genera. Description, recategorization, and genetic analysis are constantly changing the taxonomy of this family. To distinguish them from the Drosophilidae, the Tephritidae are sometimes called peacock flies. [more]

Teratomyzidae

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Tethinidae

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Thaumaleidae

Thaumaleidae, the solitary midges or trickle midges, are a group of flies related to the Ceratopogonidae, Chironomidae, and the Simuliidae. They are small, stocky, yellow to brown flies (3-4 mm) and there are very few species known for this family (about 120 species in five genera). Larvae are found in films on rocks and non- feeding adults are usually found on foliage along the same streams in which the larvae are found. A few solitary midges are found in the southern hemisphere, but Thaumaleidae are generally an Holarctic family. [more]

Therevidae

Therevidae are a family of Asiloidea commonly known as stiletto flies. The family contains about 1,600 described species worldwide, most diverse in arid and semi-arid regions with sandy soils. The larvae are predators of insect larvae in soil. [more]

Tillyardipteridae

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Tipulidae

in the family Tipulidae are commonly known as crane flies. Adults are very slender, long-legged flies that may vary in length from 2–60 mm (tropical species may exceed 100 mm). [more]

Tipulodictyidae

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Trichoceridae

Trichoceridae, or winter crane flies, of the order are long, thin, delicate insects superficially similar in appearance to the Tipulidae, Tanyderidae, and Ptychopteridae. The presence of ocelli distinguishes the Trichoceridae from these other families. The adults can be found flying in the fall and the spring and some are active even in the winter, hence their common name. Adults can also be found resting inside caves and hollow logs. Larvae occur in moist habitats where they feed on decaying vegetable matter. [more]

Ulidiidae

The name picture-winged fly is sometimes used in a colloquial sense for various families in the superfamily Tephritoidea that have patterns of bands or spots on the wings, but is more correctly applied solely to the family Ulidiidae (which was formerly known as Otitidae). This is a large and diverse cosmopolitan family, and, as in related families, most species are herbivorous or saprophagous. [more]

Vermileonidae

The family Vermileonidae (the sole member of the infraorder Vermileonomorpha) is a small family of uncertain affinities and unusual biology, containing fewer than 80 rare species in 10 genera. The larvae of vermileonids are called wormlions and have evolved the same elaborate feeding behavior as is seen in the Neuropteran family Myrmeleontidae, or the "ant-lions"; that is, they make cone-shaped "pits" in sandy areas and feed on insects that fall into the pits. They are, like ant-lions, primarily found in desert or other sandy habitats, and are voracious predators. The adults are small, slender, and fragile flies, vaguely reminiscent of small crane flies. [more]

Vladipteridae

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Xenasteiidae

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Xylomyidae

Xylomyidae or wood soldier flies is a family of associated with dead or dying wood (xylophagous). [more]

Xylophagidae

The infraorder Xylophagomorpha is a small group that consists solely of the family Xylophagidae, which presently contains subfamilies that were sometimes considered to be two small related families (Coenomyiidae and Rachiceridae). Other obsolete names for members of this family include Exeretonevridae and Heterostomidae. [more]

At least 163 species and subspecies belong to the Family Xylophagidae.

More info about the Family Xylophagidae may be found here.

References

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  1. ^ B. M. Wiegmann & D. K. Yeates (1996). "Tree of Life: Diptera". http://www2.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/ftp/bwiegman/fly_html/diptera.html#about. 
  2. ^ a b c d e Hoell, H.V., Doyen, J.T. & Purcell, A.H. (1998). Introduction to Insect Biology and Diversity, 2nd ed.. Oxford University Press. pp. 493-499. ISBN 0-19-510033-6. 
  3. ^ "Taxon: Superorder Antliophora". The Taxonomicon. http://www.taxonomy.nl/Taxonomicon/TaxonTree.aspx?id=102510. Retrieved on 2007-08-21. 
  4. ^ V. A. Blagoderov, E. D. Lukashevich & M. B. Mostovski (2002). "Order Diptera Linné, 1758. The true flies". in A. P. Rasnitsyn & D. L. J. Quicke. History of Insects. Kluwer Academic Publishers. ISBN 1-4020-0026-X. http://palaeoentomolog.ru/New/diptera.html. 
  5. ^ "Portrait of a Carthusian, 1446". Timeline of Art History. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. October 2006. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/optg/hod_49.7.19.htm. 
  6. ^ Ronald A. Sherman, MD, MSC, University of California (1998)©. "Maggot use of necrotic wounds". http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/417382_print. 

Sources

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Last Revised: September 22, 2009
2009/09/22 07:49:38