The Empidoidea are a large monophyletic superfamily of true flies, the sister taxon to the Muscomorpha (Cyclorrhapha). These two groups are sometimes united in the unranked taxon Eremoneura. There are some 10,000 known species within Empidoidea, which are represented on all continents except Antarctica. They are known to have existed since the Jurassic period.
Dolichopodidae, the long-legged flies, are a large, cosmopolitan family of true flies with more than 7,000 described species in about 230 genera. The genus Dolichopus is the most speciose, with some 600 species.
Empididae is a family of flies with over 3,000 described species occurring worldwide in all the biogeographic realms but the majority are found in the Holarctic. They are mainly predatory flies like most of their relatives in the Empidoidea, and exhibit a wide range of forms but are generally small to medium-sized, non-metallic and rather bristly.
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.
Hercostomus is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It is a large genus, containing more than 483 species worldwide.
Antyx is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae from the Australasian realm. The genus was originally placed in the subfamily Sympycninae, but it was later found to be closer to the Neurigoninae and was placed as incertae sedis within the family. In the World Catalog of Dolichopodidae by Yang et al. (2006), the new subfamily Antyxinae was proposed, in which Antyx is the only genus. However, the validity of this new subfamily was later criticized by Sinclair et al. (2008). According to them, the subfamily's erection by Yang et al. (2006) was not justified by their phylogenetic analysis, and the genus would have been better placed as incertae sedis until a later phylogenetic study determines its placement.
Kowmungia is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It is known from Australia.
Phacaspis is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It is known from Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea. Flies in the genus are small, with metallic green coloring. They are marine, and are commonly found on mudflats in front of mangroves.
Pseudohercostomus is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It is distributed in the Oriental and Afrotropical realms as well as Chile.
Kowmunginae is a subfamily of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It was proposed in the World Catalog of Dolichopodidae by Yang et al. (2006) to include two genera previously placed as incertae sedis within the family. However, the validity of this new subfamily was later criticized by Sinclair et al. (2008). According to them, the subfamily's erection by Yang et al. (2006) was not justified by their phylogenetic analysis, and the genera included would have been better placed as incertae sedis until a later phylogenetic study determines their placement.
Peloropeodinae is a subfamily of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. According to Germann et al. (2011), the subfamily is polyphyletic.
Poecilobothrus is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae.
Parathalassiinae is a subfamily of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It is part of an extended concept of the family, Dolichopodidae sensu lato, and forms a monophyletic group with Dolichopodidae sensu stricto. It was once placed provisionally in the subfamily Microphorinae as the tribe Parathalassiini.
Neothalassius is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae from Chile. It was recorded by Brooks & Cumming (2011) from the region, but was undescribed until 2016.
Eothalassius is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It contains four described species, from Southeast Asia, Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica and the Mediterranean. It also contains three undescribed species, one from New Caledonia and two from Japan.
Chimerothalassius is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It contains five described species, two from New Zealand, two from New Caledonia and one from the Caribbean. It also contains three undescribed species, two from New Zealand and one from Costa Rica.
Parathalassius is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It is found along sandy sea coasts in both the Palaearctic and Nearctic realms. The name "Parathalassius" is of Greek origin, and can be translated as "near the sea".
Plesiothalassius is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It is found along sandy sea coasts in South Africa. It contains three described species. It is closely related to Amphithalassius.
Microphorella is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae. It is currently considered both paraphyletic and polyphyletic, and several species groups may need to be recognised as subgenera or genera.
