Celyphidae
Encyclopedia
Celyphidae, commonly known as beetle flies or beetle-backed flies, are a family of flies
(Order Diptera). About 90 species
are known from the Oriental and Afrotropic
biogeographic regions.
(e.g., Griffiths 1972), and has occasionally been considered a specialized lineage arising from within the Lauxaniids. The most recent classifications place this as the sister taxon to Eurychoromyiidae
.
Fly
True flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
(Order Diptera). About 90 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
are known from the Oriental and Afrotropic
Afrotropic
The Afrotropic is one of the Earth's eight ecozones. It includes Africa south of the Sahara Desert, the southern and eastern fringes of the Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, southern Iran and extreme southwestern Pakistan, and the islands of the western Indian Ocean. It was formerly...
biogeographic regions.
Description
Celyphidae are small to medium-sized and easily recognised. The scutellum is enlarged, forming a protective shell over the abdomen, giving them a beetle-like appearance. Also, like many beetles, Celyphidae are often shiny or metallic in color. The wings, when at rest, are folded beneath the scutellar "shell".Biology
The biology of the family is poorly known. Adults are found in along streams and rivers, and in wet grassy areas. Larvae are saprophagous.Relatives
Celyphidae is considered by some authors to be the sister taxon of LauxaniidaeLauxaniidae
Lauxaniidae is a family of acalyptrate flies. It contains around 1800 described species in 126 genera distributed worldwide. These are generally small flies with large compound eyes, often brightly coloured in life. Many species have different patterned wings...
(e.g., Griffiths 1972), and has occasionally been considered a specialized lineage arising from within the Lauxaniids. The most recent classifications place this as the sister taxon to Eurychoromyiidae
Eurychoromyiidae
Eurychoromyia mallea, the broad-headed fly, is a species of fly, the only species in the family Eurychoromyiidae.In 1903, C. A. W. Schnuse, collecting at Sarampiuni in the foothills of the Bolivian Andes, took 4 specimens, all female, of a fly with a strange broad, flat head...
.
Classification
- Genus Acelyphus MallochJohn Russell MallochJohn Russell Malloch was a Scottish entomologist who specialised in Diptera.In 1910 he emigrated to Urbana, Illinois, United States.-References:See...
- Asia - Genus Afrocelyphus Vanschuytbroeck - Africa
- Genus Celyphus Dalman - Africa and Asia
- Subgenus Celyphus Dalman - Asia
- Subgenus Hemiglobus FreyHeinrich FreyHeinrich Frey was a German-born Swiss entomologist who studied Lepidoptera. He was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and died in Zurich, Switzerland.-Biography:...
- Africa - Subgenus Paracelyphus BigotJacques-Marie-Frangile BigotJacques Marie Frangile Bigot was a French naturalist and entomologist most noted for his studies of Diptera. Born in Paris, where he lived all his life, though he had a small house in Quincy-sous-Sénart, Essonne.He became a member of the Entomological Society of France in 1844. His first paper...
- Asia - Genus Chamaecelyphus FreyHeinrich FreyHeinrich Frey was a German-born Swiss entomologist who studied Lepidoptera. He was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and died in Zurich, Switzerland.-Biography:...
- Africa - Genus Idioscelyphus MallochJohn Russell MallochJohn Russell Malloch was a Scottish entomologist who specialised in Diptera.In 1910 he emigrated to Urbana, Illinois, United States.-References:See...
- Asia - Genus Oocelyphus Chen - Southern China
- Genus Spaniocelyphus HendelFriedrich Georg HendelFriedrich Georg Hendel was an Austrian Hauptsschuldirektor and entomologist mainly interested in Diptera. He described very many new species and made important contributions to the higher taxonomy of the Diptera.He was born in Vienna and died in Baden bei Wien...
- Africa and Asia
Further reading
- Frey, R. 1941. Die Gattungen und Arten der Dipterenfamilie Celyphidae. Notul. Entomol. 21: 3-16. Keys genera, species.
- Vanschuytbroeck, P. 1959. Celyphidae (Diptera Acalyptratae). Explor. Parc Natl. Garamba Mission H. de Saeger 13: 27-44. Keys genera, species.
- Tenorio, J.M. 1972. A revision of the Celyphidae (Diptera) of the Oriental Region. Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. 123: 359-453.
- Paap, L. Celyphidae in Soós, Á, Paap, L. (Eds.) 1984 - 1992. Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera 9 . Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest - Elsevier, Amsterdam: 63-66..