ENY 3005 Family Identification

Order Diptera Pronunciation: DIP-ter-ra Common names: midges, flies

Order Diptera -- true flies

Suborder Nematocera ("threadlike antennae")
Tipulidae -- crane flies
Psychodidae -- moth and sand flies [image]
Culicidae -- mosquitoes
Ceratopogonidae -- punkies, biting midges [image], [info]
Chironomidae -- midges
Hydrilla tip mining midge, Cricotopus sp.

Simuliidae -- black flies, Simulium spp.
Bibionidae -- March flies
Cecidomyiidae -- gall midges
Citrus gall midge, Prodiplosis longifila Gagne

Suborder Brachycera ("short antennae")

Stratiomyidae -- soldier flies
Tabanidae -- horse and deer flies
Therevidae -- stiletto flies
Asilidae -- robber flies
Mydidae -- mydas flies
Bombyliidae -- bee flies
Dolichopodidae -- longlegged flies

Suborder Cyclorrhapha ("circular seam")

-- Division Aschiza (without a frontal suture)
Phoridae -- humpbacked flies [image]
Syrphidae -- syrphid flies
Conopidae -- thickheaded flies

-- Division Schizophora (frontal suture present)

---- Section Acalyptratae (calypters absent or vestigial) -- 48 families
Otitidae -- picture-winged flies
Tephritidae -- fruit flies
Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann)
Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel)
Papaya fruit fly, Toxotrypana curvicauda Gerstaecker
Blueberry maggot, Rhagoletis mendax Curran

Agromyzidae -- leafminer flies
Pea Leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis
Vegetable Leafminer, Liriomyza sativae

Drosophilidae -- pomace flies, vinegar flies [image]
---- Section Calyptratae (calypters usually well developed) -- 11 families
Hippoboscidae -- louse flies
Oestridae -- bot and warble flies
Common cattle grub, Hypoderma lineatum (Villers)
Squirrel bot fly, Cuterebra emasculator

Tachinidae -- tachinid flies
Anthomyiidae -- anthomyiid flies
Muscidae -- house fly, horn fly, stable fly
Calliphoridae -- blow flies
Sarcophagidae -- flesh flies

• Pages 260-307 and plates 13-14 in D. J. Borror and R. E. White. 1970. A Field Guide to the Insects. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
• Pages 316-355 in R. G. Bland and H. E. Jaques. 1978. How to Know the Insects, 3rd ed. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Co. 409 p.
• Pages 499-575 in D. J. Borror, C. A. Triplehorn, and N. F. Johnson. 1989. An Introduction to the Study of Insects, 6th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders College Publishing. 875 p.
• Pages 493-523 in H. V. Daly, J. T. Doyen, and A. H. Purcell III. 1998. Introduction to Insect Biology and Diversity, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press. 680 p.

Links to other web sites

• Diptera - Gordon's Insect World
  • The Nematocera - Midges, mosquitos, and crane flies
  • The Brachycera - Horse flies, robber flies, etc.
  • The Cyclorrhapha - House flies, flesh flies, and their allies
• Diptera - Tree of Life