The Psilidae are family 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 ...
. Commonly called the rust flies, at least 38 species are in four genera. The
carrot fly
The carrot fly (''Chamaepsila rosae'') is a pest of gardens and farms, and mainly affects the crop of carrots, but can also attack parsnips, parsley and celery. It is a member of the family Psilidae (order Diptera).
Larvae
Crop damage is caused ...
(''Chamaepsila rosae'') is a member of this group. They are found mainly in the
Holarctic
The Holarctic realm is a biogeographic realm that comprises the majority of habitats found throughout the continents in the Northern Hemisphere. It corresponds to the floristic Boreal Kingdom. It includes both the Nearctic zoogeographical region ...
.
Description
For terms see
Morphology of Diptera
Dipteran morphology differs in some significant ways from the broader morphology of insects. The Diptera is a very large and diverse order of mostly small to medium-sized insects. They have prominent compound eyes on a mobile head, and (at most) ...
These are small or medium-sized (1.5 mm.-10 mm.) flies with slender bodies. They are yellow to reddish, brown or black in colour. The head is spherical with (relatively) small eyes and the face is often slanted backward. The antennae are small, with the third antennal segment conspicuously elongated. The arista has a short or long pubescence. The postvertical bristles are divergent or absent. Ocelli and ocellar bristles are present. Vibrissae are always absent. Up to two pairs of frontal bristles and scattered interfrontal setulae are present. The costa is interrupted at some distance from R1 and only the basal part of the subcosta is developed. The vein bordering the anal cell is straight on the outer side. Crossvein BM-Cu is present and the cell cup is closed. The wing is usually clear to slightly tinged, but in some cases along the costa, the wing tip or the cross-veins there are dark bands. The wing has a transverse weakening in the basal half. Tibiae are without a dorsal preapical bristle.
Se
Description and plates from
Francis Walker (entomologist), Francis Walker's ''Insecta Britannica Diptera''.
Biology
Psilidae are especially common in cool places on low-density vegetation. This explains why the family is well represented in temperate zones. The larvae are almost exclusively phytophagous on nonwoody plants. They live either in stems, tubers, or roots. A few species live under tree bark. Some form galls. Several species are pests in agriculture and horticulture. ''
Chamaepsila rosae
The carrot fly (''Chamaepsila rosae'') is a pest of gardens and farms, and mainly affects the crop of carrots, but can also attack parsnips, parsley and celery. It is a member of the family Psilidae (order Diptera).
Larvae
Crop damage is caused ...
'' Fabricius, and ''
Psila nigricornis
''Psila'' is a European genus of flies which is a member of the family Psilidae or rust flies.
Genera
* ''Psila acmocephala''
* '' Psila aethiopica''
* '' Psila albiseta''
* '' Psila amurensis''
* ''Psila andreji''
* '' Psila angustata''
* ''Ps ...
'' Meigen are instances.
List of genera
*''
Belobackenbardia''
*''
Chamaepsila
''Chamaepsila'' is a genus of flies in the family Psilidae
The Psilidae are family of flies. Commonly called the rust flies, at least 38 species are in four genera. The carrot fly (''Chamaepsila rosae'') is a member of this group. They are found ...
''
*''
Chyliza''
*''
Loxocera
''Loxocera'' is a genus of flies and member of the family Psilidae.
Species
Species within this genus include:
*'' L. achaeta'' Shatalkin, 1989
*'' L. africana'' Hennig, 1940
*'' L. albiseta'' ( Schrank, 1803)
*'' L. algerica'' Villeneuve, ...
''
*''
Loxocerosoma''
*''
Oxypsila''
*''
Phytopsila''
*''
Psila''
*''
Psilosoma''
*''
Schizostomyia''
*''
Synaphopsila''
*''
Tropeopsila''
References
Further reading
Distribution
Western Palaearctic(including Russia,Turkey)
JapanWorld list
Identification
* Hennig. 1941. Psilidae.In: Lindner, E. (Ed.). ''Die Fliegen der Paläarktischen Region'' 5,41,1-38. Keys to Palaearctic species but now needs revision (in German).
* Séguy, E. (1934) ''Diptères: Brachycères''. II. Muscidae acalypterae, Scatophagidae. Paris: Éditions Faune de France 28
virtuelle numérique
* Stackelberg, A.A. Family Psilidae in Bei-Bienko, G. Ya, 1988 ''Keys to the insects of the European Part of the USSR'' Volume 5 (Diptera) Part 2 English edition.Keys to Palaearctic species but now needs revision .
External links
Family Psilidae at EOL
images
Image Gallery at Diptera.infoWing venation
*
Brachycera families
Articles containing video clips
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