The Tachinidae are a large and variable family of true flies within the insect order Diptera, with more than 8,200 known species and many more to be discovered. Over 1,300 species have been described in North America alone. Insects in this family commonly are called tachinid flies or simply tachinids. As far as is known, they all are protelean parasitoids, or occasionally parasites, of arthropods, usually other insects. The family is known from many habitats in all zoogeographical regions and is especially diverse in South America.
The Calliphoridae are a family of insects in the order Diptera, with almost 1,900 known species. The maggot larvae, often used as fishing bait, are known as gentles. The family is known to be polyphyletic, but much remains disputed regarding proper treatment of the constituent taxa, some of which are occasionally accorded family status.
Sarcophagidae are a family of flies commonly known as flesh flies. They differ from most flies in that they are ovoviviparous, opportunistically depositing hatched or hatching maggots instead of eggs on carrion, dung, decaying material, or open wounds of mammals, hence their common name. Some flesh fly larvae are internal parasites of other insects such as Orthoptera, and some, in particular the Miltogramminae, are kleptoparasites of solitary Hymenoptera. The adults mostly feed on fluids from animal bodies, nectar, sweet foods, fluids from animal waste and other organic substances. Juveniles need protein to develop and may be laid on carrion, dung or sweet plant foods.
Calyptratae is a subsection of Schizophora in the insect order Diptera, commonly referred to as the calyptrate muscoids. It consists of those flies which possess a calypter that covers the halteres, among which are some of the most familiar of all flies, such as the house fly.
Muscoidea is a superfamily of flies in the subsection Calyptratae. Muscoidea, with approximately 7000 described species, is nearly 5% of the known species level diversity of the Diptera, the true flies. Most muscoid flies are saprophagous, coprophagous or necrophagous as larvae, but some species are parasitic, predatory, or phytophagous. In September 2008, a study was done on the superfamily using both nucleic and mitochondrial DNA and the conclusion suggested that Muscoidea may actually be paraphyletic.
Botflies, also known as warble flies, heel flies, and gadflies, are a family of flies known as the Oestridae. Their larvae are internal parasites of mammals, some species growing in the host's flesh and others within the gut. Dermatobia hominis is the only species of botfly known to parasitize humans routinely, though other species of flies cause myiasis in humans.
Sarcophaga pernix, also known as the red-tailed flesh fly, is a fly in the Sarcophagidae family. This fly often breeds in carrion and feces, making it a possible vector for disease. The larvae of this species can cause myiasis, as well as accidental myiasis. It is potentially useful in forensic entomology.
Phasiini is a tribe of flies in the family Tachinidae. As a result of phylogenetic research, most members of this tribe were transferred to other tribes in the subfamily, leaving only the two genera Elomya and Phasia.
Vetufebrus is an extinct genus of haemospororida in the family Plasmodiidae. At the time of its description the new genus comprised a single species Vetufebrus ovatus known from a single Miocene Dominican amber fossil found on Hispaniola. V. ovatus was vectored by Enischnomyia stegosoma, the first fossil streblid bat fly described from a fossil, and the only member of the subfamily Nycterophiliinae described from Hispaniola. V. ovatus is the first instance of a Streblidae bat fly as a host for a malarial parasite.
Ulurumyia macalpinei is a species of fly in the superfamily Oestroidea endemic to Australia. It is the only species of genus Ulurumyia, which in turn is the only genus of family Ulurumyiidae, making the latter two taxa monotypic. It was first discovered in the 1970s, but was not described until 2017, and in the intervening decades was informally known to entomologists as McAlpine's fly. It is said to be clearly distinct from other oestroid families but its exact position within the superfamily has not been determined with certainty. The genus name Ulurumyia is derived from the Australian monolith Uluru and from myia, the Greek word for fly; the species name macalpinei commemorates the Australian dipterist David K. McAlpine, the first person to collect specimens of this fly and realize their evolutionary distinctiveness.
Mesembrinella caenozoica is an extinct species of blow fly in the family Mesembrinellidae. The species is solely known from the Middle Miocene Dominican amber deposits on the island of Hispaniola.
Senotainia is a genus of satellite flies in the family Sarcophagidae. There are more than 70 described species in Senotainia.
Enischnomyia is an extinct genus of bat fly in the family Streblidae. At the time of its description the new genus comprised a single species, Enischnomyia stegosoma, known from a single Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. E. stegosoma was the first fossil streblid bat fly described from a fossil, and the only member of the subfamily Nycterophiliinae described from Hispaniola. The species is host for the plasmodiid Vetufebrus ovatus preserved in its salivary glands and midgut.
Polleniidae is a family of flies in the order Diptera. There are at least 6 genera and more than 190 described species placed definitively in Polleniidae, and other genera whose placement here is considered uncertain. The largest genus is Pollenia, with close to 190 species of flies commonly called "cluster flies".
Mesembrinellidae is a family of Neotropical flies in the order Diptera, and formerly included in the Calliphoridae. There are 36 described species.
Mesembrinella is a genus of Neotropical flies in the family Mesembrinellidae, and formerly placed in the Calliphoridae.
Mesembrinellinae is a subfamily of Neotropical flies in the order Diptera, and formerly included in the Calliphoridae. There are 33 described living species.
Pollenia labialis is a species of cluster fly in the family Polleniidae.
