Platypezidae
Encyclopedia
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 true flies of the superfamily
Taxonomic rank
In biological classification, rank is the level in a taxonomic hierarchy. Examples of taxonomic ranks are species, genus, family, and class. Each rank subsumes under it a number of less general categories...
Platypezoidea
Platypezoidea
The Platypezoidea are a superfamily of true flies of the section Aschiza. Their closest living relatives are the Syrphoidea, which for example contain the hoverflies. Like these, the adults do not bust open their pupal case with a ptilinum when hatching, and thus the Aschiza do not have the...
. The more than 250 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 found worldwide primarily in woodland habitats. A common name is flat-footed flies, but this is also used for the closely related Opetiidae
Opetiidae
Opetiidae or flat-footed flies are members of a family of flies of the Order Diptera.-References:* Chandler, P.J., 2000 Flat-Footed Flies: of Europe Brill Academic Pub ISSN 9004120238...
which were included in the Platypezidae in former times.
Some other genera formerly included here have been recognized as quite more distant and are nowadays placed in the asilomoprh
Asilomorpha
The Brachyceran infraorder Asilomorpha is a large and diverse group of flies, containing the bulk of the non-muscoid Brachycera.The larvae of asilomorphs are extremely diverse in habits, as well.-Classification:...
family Atelestidae
Atelestidae
Atelestidae is a family of true flies in the superfamily Empidoidea. These four genera were placed in a separate family in 1983. They were formerly either in Platypezidae or considered incertae cedis. But while they are doubtless the most basal of the living Empidoidea, the monophyly of the family...
.
Biology
Members of the Platypezidae inhabit forests. Larvae are fungivoreFungivore
A fungivore or mycophage is any animal that primarily or solely feeds upon living members of the fungus kingdom. Fungivory is a type of predation, and is an important part of the soil food web...
s. Adult males form aerial swarms before mating using trees or bushes as swarm markers. Some are attracted to wood smoke and wood ash. Adults may be found performing rapid erratic movements on broad leaves of both woody and herbaceous plants, evidently feeding on surface deposits.
Selected genera
- Agathomyia Verrall, 1901
- Bertamyia Kessel, 1970
- Bolopus
- CallomyiaCallomyiaCallomyia is a fly genus in the family Platypezidae. Some species can be found in Belgium.-Species:* Callomyia admirabilis Shatalkin, 1980* Callomyia amoena Meigen, 1824* Callomyia bertae Kessel, 1961* Callomyia calla Kessel, 1949...
Meigen, 1804 - Calotarsa Townsend, 1894
- Grossoseta Kessel & Kirby, 1968
- Grossovena Kessel & Maggioncalda, 1968
- Kesselimyia
- Lindneromyia Kessel, 1965
- Melanderomyia Kessel, 1960
- Metaclythia Kessel, 1952
- Microsania Zetterstedt, 1837
- Paraplatypeza Kessel & Maggioncalda, 1968
- Penesymmetrica
- Platypeza Meigen, 1803
- Platypezina Wahlgren, 1910
- Plesioclythia
- Polyporivora Kessel & Maggioncalda, 1968
- Protoclythia
- Seri Kessel & Kessel, 1966
- Symmetricella