Ironomyiidae
Encyclopedia
Ironomyiidae or ironic flies , are a small family
of insect
s of the order Diptera
. Historically they have been included in the family Platypezidae
. It includes only 3 living species, and a number extinct fossil species.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s of the order Diptera
Diptera
Diptera , or true flies, is the order of insects possessing only a single pair of wings on the mesothorax; the metathorax bears a pair of drumstick like structures called the halteres, the remnants of the hind wings. It is a large order, containing an estimated 240,000 species, although under half...
. Historically they have been included in the family Platypezidae
Platypezidae
Platypezidae is a family of true flies of the superfamily Platypezoidea. The more than 250 species are found worldwide primarily in woodland habitats...
. It includes only 3 living species, and a number extinct fossil species.
Living Species
- Ironomyia francisi McAlpine, 2008
- Ironomyia nigromaculata WhiteAdam White (zoologist)-Biography:White was born in Edinburgh. He became acquainted with John Edward Gray, Keeper of Zoology at the British Museum. At the age of eighteen, White obtained a post in the Museum in the Zoology Department....
, 1916 - Ironomyia whitei McAlpine, 2008