Platypezidae

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Platypezidae
Polyporivora-picta-Platypezid-fly-20111015a.jpg
Female Polyporivora picta
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Superfamily: Platypezoidea
Family: Platypezidae
Fallén, 1815
Genera

Numerous, see text

Synonyms

Clythiidae

Agathomyia wankowiczii ovipositing on an Artist's Bracket fungus
Larval galls (black objects) of Agathomyia wankowiczii on an Artist's Bracket fungus (Ganoderma applanatum) Ganoderma applanatum03.jpg
Larval galls (black objects) of Agathomyia wankowiczii on an Artist's Bracket fungus (Ganoderma applanatum)

Platypezidae is a family of true flies of the superfamily Platypezoidea. The more than 250 species are found worldwide primarily in woodland habitats. A common name is flat-footed flies, but this is also used for the closely related Opetiidae which were formerly included in the Platypezidae. [2] [3]

Contents

Some genera formerly included here have been recognized as entirely unrelated, and now placed in the asilomorph family Atelestidae.

Platypezidae wing veins Lindneromyia sp. group-species Symmetricella Platypezidae wing veins-1.svg
Platypezidae wing veins Lindneromyia sp. group-species Symmetricella

Description

For terms see Morphology of Diptera.

Platypezidae are minute to medium sized (1.5–6 mm) slender or robust flies. The male and female usually differ in colour. Males in particular are often all black, one or both sexes may be in part or all grey or yellow. Markings may be orange, grey or silver. The abdomen may have two colours. Males have holoptic eyes. The antenna has three segments, the third is the largest and bears a long, apical arista. The wing is clear or tinged (the area along the wing margin, around veins Sc and R1 is darkened in some genera). The wing has large anal lobe and the anal vein reaches the wing margin. The cell cup ends in an acute angle and is often elongate. Vein M is forked in most genera. The crossvein DM-Cu is present (absent in Microsania where crossvein R-M is also lacking). The legs are short and robust. The first tarsal segment is usually swollen in the male, slender in the female and the distal tarsal segments are cylindrical (the first tarsal segment of the hind leg is long and cylindrical in the subfamily Callomyiina). In the subfamily Platypezinae the first tarsal segment of the hind leg is short and laterally compressed, the distal are tarsal segments are also laterally compressed, in particular in the female.

The larva has a poorly differentiated, fairly unsclerotized head with short tuberclelike antennae located above rudimentary palpi and 11 body segments. It is amphipneustic (having only the anterior and posterior pairs of spiracle). The form is usually flattened, but in some species cylindrical. Most species have lateral marginal processes, typically with one pair on each body segment, except for segments 2 and 11, which have more. Smaller dorsal processes are present on segments 3–10. Segments 3–10 often bear bristles, but bristles are not present on segments 1,2, and 11. The spiracles are located on the ends of wrinkled tube-like spiracular processes, the anterior pair (prothoracic spiracle) are on segment 1 the posterior ones are on segment 11 (anal segment) .

Biology

Members of the Platypezidae inhabit damp woodlands. Larvae are fungivores. Adult males form aerial swarms before mating using trees or bushes as swarm markers. Some species of Microsania Zetterstedt 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. [2]

Platypeza hirticeps on Impatiens

Adults are seen either on the wing or running about in an erratic fashion on the leaves of bushes in partially sunlit, dappled shade. They hover in swarms of dancing males in forest openings. The females are attracted to chosen males in such swarms, where aerial coupling begins and the paired flies settle with heads in opposite directions on low bushes until mating is over. Feeding platypezids move rapidly over leaves, occasionally stopping to ingest honeydew or other food. The first feeding episode begins at midmorning, ceases at a time later in the morning then resumes in the afternoon. These times corresponds to the times of the day when insectivorous birds are least likely to feed. The mid day rest is when the sun is at a specific angle (peculiar to each species) and the afternoon feeding episode begins when the sun sinks to the angle that initiated the rest in the morning. [4]

Selected genera

Extinct genera

Species Lists

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xylomyidae</span> Family of flies

Xylomyidae is a family of flies known commonly as the wood soldier flies. They are xylophagous and are associated with dead or dying wood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opetiidae</span> Family of flies

The Opetiidae is a family of true flies of the superfamily Platypezoidea, one of two families commonly called flat-footed flies. The family contains only five extant species in two genera, Opetia from the Palearctic region and Puyehuemyia from Chile in South America. Several fossil genera have been assigned to the family, but many of these are likely to belong elsewhere in the Platypezoidea. Lonchopterites from the Early Cretaceous Lebanese amber and Electrosania from the Late Cretaceous New Jersey amber seem likely to be closely related to modern opetiids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hybotidae</span> Family of flies

Hybotidae, the typical dance flies, are a family of true flies. They belong to the superfamily Empidoidea and were formerly included in the Empididae as a subfamily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apsilocephalidae</span> Family of flies

Apsilocephalidae is a family of flies in the superfamily Asiloidea. It was historically treated as a subfamily within Therevidae, but placed in a separate family in 1991, and subsequently recognized as more distantly related. The family contains three extant genera and at least five extinct genera described from the fossil record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atelestidae</span> Family of flies

Atelestidae is a family of flies in the superfamily Empidoidea. The four genera were placed in a separate family in 1983; they were formerly either in Platypezidae or considered incertae sedis. While they are doubtless the most basal of the living Empidoidea, the monophyly of the family is not fully proven. The genus Nemedina seems to represent a most ancient lineage among the entire superfamily, while Meghyperus is probably not monophyletic in its present delimitation, and it is liable to be split up eventually, with some species being placed elsewhere. In 2010, the genus Alavesia, previously only known from Cretaceous fossils, was found alive in Namibia, subsequent species were also described from Brazil.

Ironomyiidae is a small family of flies in the order Diptera. Historically, they had been included in the family Platypezidae, and includes three extant species within the single extant genus Ironomyia endemic to Australia and a number of extinct fossil genera from North America and Asia extending back to the Early Cretaceous.

<i>Callomyia</i> Genus of flies

Callomyia is a genus of flies in the family Platypezidae. Some species can be found in Belgium.

<i>Lindneromyia</i> Genus of flies

Lindneromyia is a genus of flat-footed flies. There are at least 70 described species in Lindneromyia.

<i>Polyporivora</i> Genus of flies

Polyporivora is a genus of flat-footed flies. There are about eight described species in Polyporivora.

Grossoseta is a genus of flat-footed flies. There are at least two described species in Grossoseta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhangsolvidae</span> Extinct family of flies

Zhangsolvidae is an extinct family of brachyceran flies known from the Cretaceous period. Members of the family possess a long proboscis, varying in length between 1.3 and 7 mm depending on the species, and were probably nectarivores. A specimen has been found with preserved Bennettitales pollen, suggesting that they acted as pollinators for extinct gymnosperms. They are considered to be members of the Stratiomyomorpha.

Rhagionemestriidae is an extinct family of brachyceran flies known from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. It was first named as a subfamily of the Nemestrinidae by Ussatchov (1968), and was raised to full family status by Nagatomi and Yang (1998). They are considered to be closely related to the family Acroceridae. Similar to Acroceridae, members of the family possess a large hemispherical head, with eyes covering nearly all of the area.

Seri is a genus of flat-footed flies in the family Platypezidae.

Melanderomyia is a genus of flat-footed flies. There is one described species, Melanderomyia kahli.

Microsania is a genus of flat-footed flies in the family Platypezidae.

<i>Agathomyia antennata</i> Species of fly

Agathomyia antennata is a species of flat-footed fly in the family Platypezidae.

<i>Protoclythia</i> Genus of flies

Protoclythia is a genus of flat-footed flies in the family Platypezidae.

Protoclythia californica is a species of flat-footed flies in the family Platypezidae.

Pamelamyia is a genus of flat-footed flies. There is one described species, Pamelamyia stuckenbergorum.

<i>Paraplatypeza</i> Genus of flies

Paraplatypeza is a genus of flat-footed flies in the family Platypezidae.

References

  1. ↑ Brian Spooner; Peter Roberts (1 April 2005). Fungi. Collins. p. 126. ISBN   978-0-00-220152-0 . Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  2. 1 2 Chandler, Peter J. (1991). Platypezidae. 'In: Soós, Á. & Papp, L. (eds.). Catalogue of Palearctic Diptera. Vol. 7. Budapest: Hungarian Natural History Museum. pp. 205–217.
  3. ↑ Chandler, Peter J. (2001). The Flat-footed flies (Opetiidae and Platypezidae) of Europe. Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica. Vol. 36. Leiden: Brill. pp. 1–278. ISBN   90-04-12023-8.
  4. ↑ Kessel E.L. ,1981 Platypezidae. in: McAlpine J.F. (Ed.), Manual of Nearctic Diptera. Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, pp. 681-688.
  5. ↑ Verrall, G.H. (1901). Platypezidae, Pipunculidae and Syrphidae of Great Britain. Vol. 8,In his British flies. London: Gurney & Jackson. pp. [i] + 691.
  6. ↑ Kessel, E.L. (1971). "Bertamyia, a new genus of Platypezininae (Diptera, Platypezidae)". Wasmann Journal of Biology. 28: 185–190.
  7. ↑ Meigen, J.W. (1804). Klassifikazion und Beschreibung der europäische n zweiflugeligen Insekten (Diptera Linn.). Erster Band. Abt. I. Braunschweig [= Brunswick]: Reichard. pp. xxviii + pp. 1–152, Abt. II. vi + pp. 153–314.
  8. ↑ Townsend, C.H.T. (1894). "A very remarkable and anomalous syrphid, with peculiarly developed hind tarsi". The Canadian Entomologist. 26: 50–52. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  9. ↑ Shatalkin, A.I. (1993). "New and little-known Palaearctic Diptera of the families Platypezidae, Psilidae, and Lauxaniidae". Russian Ent. J. 1: 59–74.
  10. ↑ Kessel, E.L.; Kirby, M.F. (1968). "Grossoseta, a new genus related to Platypezinae Wahlgren, with notes on the distribution of the species of these genera in North America (Diptera: Platypezidae)". Wasmann Journal of Biology. 26: 17–31. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  11. ↑ Kessel, E.L. (1965). "Lindneromyia, a new genus of flat-footed flies, and the descriptions of two new species of Platypezidae from Africa (Diptera). (Ergebnisse der Deutschen Zoologischen Ostafrika-Expedition 1951/52. Gruppe Lindner - Stuttgart, Nr. 40 und Ergebnisse der Forchungsreise Lindner 1958/59 - Nr. 21)". Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde. 143: 1–6.
  12. ↑ Kessel, E.L. (1960). "The systematic positions of Platycnema Zetterstedt and Melanderomyia, new genus, together with the description of the genotype of the latter (Diptera: Platypezidae)". Wasmann Journal of Biology. 18: 87–101. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  13. ↑ Kessel, E.L. (1952). "Metaclythia, a new genus of flat-footed flies, and the description of a new species (Diptera: Clythiidae)". Wasmann Journal of Biology. 9: 347–350. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  14. ↑ Zetterstedt, J. W. (1837). "Conspectus familiarum, generum et specierum dipterorum, in fauna insectorum Lapponica descriptorum". Isis (Oken's). 21: 28–67.
  15. ↑ Kessel, E.L.; Clopton, J.R. (1970). "The Platypezidae of the Ethiopian zoogeographic region, with descriptions of new species ad a new genus (Diptera)". Wasmann Journal of Biology. 28: 47–167.
  16. 1 2 Kessel, E.L.; Maggioncalda, E.A. (1968). "A revision of the genera of Platypezidae, with the descriptions of five new genera, and considerations of phylogeny, circumversion, and hypopygia (Diptera)". Wasmann Journal of Biology. 26: 33–106.
  17. ↑ Wahlgren, E. (1910). "Zur kenntnis schwedischer Dipteren. II". Entomologisk Tidskrift. 31: 28–34.
  18. ↑ Kessel, E.L. (1950). "Protoclythia, a new genus of flat-footed flies, and the description of new species (Diptera: Clythiidae)". Wasmann Journal of Biology. (1949) 7 (3): 257–275. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  19. ↑ Kessel, E.L.; Kessel, B.B. (1966). "Seri, a new genus of Platypezidae from North America (Diptera)". Wasmann Journal of Biology. 24: 97–100.
  20. ↑ Grimaldi, D.A.; Cumming, J.M. (1999). "Brachyceran Diptera in Cretaceous ambers and Mesozoic diversification of the Eremoneura". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 239: 1–124.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 Mostovski, M.B. (1995). "New representatives of Platypezidae (Diptera) from the Mesozoic and main directions in the evolution of the family". Paleontolog. Zhur. 2: 106–118.
  22. 1 2 Zhang, J.F. (1987). "Four new genera of Platypezidae". Acta Palaeontologica Sinica. 26: 595–603.

Further reading

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