Anthomyzidae

Family of flies From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anthomyzidae is small, slender, yellow to black flies with narrow and elongated wings, which may have distinct markings. Some species have greatly reduced wings. Fewer than 100 species are known, mostly from Europe. Although they occur in all major regions, they seem to be most varied in the Holarctic region.

Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Diptera
Section:Schizophora
Quick facts Scientific classification, Genera ...
Anthomyzidae
Temporal range: Eocene–Recent
Anthomyza gracilis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Section: Schizophora
Subsection: Acalyptratae
Superfamily: Opomyzoidea
Family: Anthomyzidae
Czerny, 1903
Genera
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Around 20 diverse genera have been placed in the family. Two, Teratomyza and Teratoptera, are now in the Teratomyzidae, and Cyamops and Stenomicra are in the Stenomicridae. Melanthomyza Malloch from Chile should probably not be retained in the family. The remaining genera are very similar to one another.

Description

Anthomyzidae wing veins

For terms see Morphology of Diptera

These are minute to small (1.3-4.5 mm), slender flies. They are yellow (sometimes with dark spots or stripes) to black in colour. The postverticals on the head are small, convergent or parallel, and rarely absent. Two or three pairs of frontal bristles, which curve backward, are present and usually preceded by one or more weaker bristles. Interfrontal bristles are absent or present. Peristomal bristles ("false vibrissae") are present. In the more common Anthomyza and Paranthomyza, the lower side of femur 1 has a well-developed spine in apical third. Wings are usually long and narrow and immaculate (sometimes marked). Some species are brachypterous. The costa has a subcostal break and the subcosta is incomplete.

Biology

Anthomyza sp. ovipositing on an old (empty) head of grass

Larvae have been reported from decaying dicotyledonous plants, from fungi, and in Europe from leaf sheaths of various grasses and of Typha, Scirpus, and Juncus, from Lipara galls on Phragmites. They may be either phytophagous or saprophagous, but damage to cereals or other plants has not been reported.

Adults are usually found in moist habitats such as damp meadows, marshes, bogs, and damp deciduous or mixed forests with rich undergrowth. Some species inhabit dry grasslands (some species of Anthomyza and the brachypterous Stiphrosoma sabulosum).

Phylogeny and taxa

Opomyzoidea
Clusioinea

Clusiidae[1]

Agromyzoinea
Opomyzoinea

Opomyzidae+Anthomyzidae

Asteioinea

Lacrimyza lacrimosa in Baltic Amber
Protanthomyza grimaldii in Baltic amber
Reliquantha eocena in Baltic amber

The family includes a number of genera in two subfamilies.[2]

References

Further reading

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