The Helcomyzidae are a small
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
of
flies
Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advanced m ...
in the
Acalyptratae
The Acalyptratae or Acalyptrata are a subsection of the Schizophora, which are a section of the order Diptera, the "true flies". In various contexts the Acalyptratae also are referred to informally as the acalyptrate muscoids, or acalyptrates, ...
. The larvae feed on kelp and other organic matter washed up on shorelines. Species diversity is highest in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
and south temperate
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...
. They are sometimes allied with the families
Dryomyzidae or
Coelopidae
The Coelopidae or kelp flies are a family of Acalyptratae flies (order Diptera), they are sometimes also called seaweed flies, though both terms are used for a number of seashore Diptera. Fewer than 40 species occur worldwide. The family is fou ...
.
Classification
*Genus: ''
Helcomyza''
Curtis
Curtis or Curtiss is a common English given name and surname of Anglo-Norman origin from the Old French ''curteis'' ( Modern French ''courtois'') which derived from the Spanish Cortés (of which Cortez is a variation) and the Portuguese and Ga ...
, 1825
:*''
Helcomyza mediterranea''
Loew, 1854
:*''
Helcomyza mirabilis''
Melander, 1920
:*''
Helcomyza ustulata''
Curtis
Curtis or Curtiss is a common English given name and surname of Anglo-Norman origin from the Old French ''curteis'' ( Modern French ''courtois'') which derived from the Spanish Cortés (of which Cortez is a variation) and the Portuguese and Ga ...
, 1825
*Genus: ''
Maorimyia''
Tonnoir & Malloch, 1928
:*''
Maorimyia bipunctata''
( Hutton, 1901)
*Genus: ''
Paractora''
Bigot
Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of race, gender, age, rel ...
, 1888
:*''
Paractora angustata''
Malloch, 1933
:*''
Paractora antarctica''
(Thomson Thomson may refer to:
Names
* Thomson (surname), a list of people with this name and a description of its origin
* Thomson baronets, four baronetcies created for persons with the surname Thomson
Businesses and organizations
* SGS-Thomson Mic ...
, 1869)
:*''
Paractora asymmetrica''
( Enderlein, 1930)
:*''
Paractora bipunctata''
( Hutton, 1901)
:*''
Paractora dreuxi''
Seguy, 1965
:*''
Paractora jeanneli''
Seguy, 1940
:*''
Paractora moseleyi''
( Austen, 1913)
:*''
Paractora rufipes''
( Macquart, 1844)
:*''
Paractora trichosterna''
(Thomson, 1869)
References
*McAlpine, J. P. (ed.), 1981–89.''Manual of Nearctic Diptera''. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada Monograph
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1266001
Brachycera families