Tanypezidae
Encyclopedia
Tanypezidae is a small family of medium-sized true flies (Diptera
) found in the Nearctic
Palaearctic and Neotropic
zoogeographic regions. Some species have luminous silver or gold coloration.
patches of metallic tomentum
on the body.
Seehttp://delta-intkey.com/britin/dip/www/tanypezi.htm
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...
) found in the Nearctic
Nearctic
The Nearctic is one of the eight terrestrial ecozones dividing the Earth's land surface.The Nearctic ecozone covers most of North America, including Greenland and the highlands of Mexico...
Palaearctic and Neotropic
Neotropic
In biogeography, the Neotropic or Neotropical zone is one of the eight terrestrial ecozones. This ecozone includes South and Central America, the Mexican lowlands, the Caribbean islands, and southern Florida, because these regions share a large number of plant and animal groups.It is sometimes used...
zoogeographic regions. Some species have luminous silver or gold coloration.
Taxonomy
There are about 21 species of Tanypezids in six genera. The genera can be seen in the box to the right. Polphopeza, Tripolphopeza, and Tritanypeza were all described by Enderlein as subgenera of Neotanypeza, but some authorities treat them as distinct genera. Two somewhat common species are Neotanypeza elegans (Wiedemann, 1830) and Tanypeza longimana Fallén, 1820Biology
Very little is known about the biology of the family. Tanypezids can be found in damp forests.Family Description
These flies are 5 to 7 mm long, slender and long-legged and sometimes withpatches of metallic tomentum
Tomentum (zoology)
Tomentum in zoology are a short, soft pubescence or a covering of fine, soft hairs....
on the body.
Seehttp://delta-intkey.com/britin/dip/www/tanypezi.htm