The Pyrgotidae are an unusual 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 ...

(Diptera), one of only two families of Cyclorrhapha that lack

ocelli A simple eye (sometimes called a pigment pit) refers to a form of eye or an optical arrangement composed of a single lens and without an elaborate retina such as occurs in most vertebrates. In this sense "simple eye" is distinct from a multi-le ...

. Most species are "picture-winged" (i.e., have patterns of bands or spots on the wings), as is typical among the

Tephritoidea The Tephritoidea are a superfamily of flies. It has over 7,800 species, the majority of them in family Tephritidae. The following families are included: * Ctenostylidae * Eurygnathomyiidae * Lonchaeidae - lance flies * Pallopteridae — flutt ...

, but unlike other tephritoids, they are

endoparasitoid In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionary strategies within parasitis ...

s; the females pursue

scarab beetles The family Scarabaeidae, as currently defined, consists of over 30,000 species of beetles worldwide; they are often called scarabs or scarab beetles. The classification of this family has undergone significant change in recent years. Several sub ...

in flight, laying an egg on the beetle's back under the

elytra An elytron (; ; , ) is a modified, hardened forewing of beetles (Coleoptera), though a few of the true bugs (Hemiptera) such as the family Schizopteridae are extremely similar; in true bugs, the forewings are called hemelytra (sometimes alterna ...

where the beetle cannot reach it. The egg hatches and the fly larva enters the body cavity of the beetle, feeding and eventually killing the host before

pupa A pupa ( la, pupa, "doll"; plural: ''pupae'') is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their ...

ting. In the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

, some species of '' Pyrgota'' and '' Sphecomyiella'' can be quite common in areas where their host beetles (typically the genus ''

Phyllophaga ''Phyllophaga'' is a very large genus (more than 900 species) of New World scarab beetles in the subfamily Melolonthinae. Common names for this genus and many other related genera in the subfamily Melolonthinae are May beetles, June bugs, and J ...

'', or "June beetles") are abundant. Like their host beetles, these flies are primarily

nocturnal Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatures generally have highly developed sens ...

, and are often attracted to artificial lights. Pyrgotidae Diptera lateral Johan Heyns

Genera

*'' Acropyrgota'' Hendel, 1914 *'' Adapsilia'' Waga, 1842 *'' Adapsona'' Paramonov, 1958 *'' Afropyrgota'' V. Korneyev, 2015 *'' Austromyia'' Hardy, 1954 *'' Boreothrinax'' Steyskal, 1978 *'' Campylocera'' Macquart, 1843 *'' Cardiacera'' Macquart, 1847 *'' Carrerapyrgota'' Aczél, 1956 *'' Clemaxia'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Commoniella'' Paramonov, 1958 *'' Descoleia'' Aczel, 1956 *'' Diasteneura'' Hendel, 1908 *'' Epice'' Paramonov, 1958 *'' Eumorphomyia'' Hendel, 1907 *'' Eupyrgota'' Coquillett, 1898 (Synonyms: ''Apyrgota'' Hendel, 1909; ''Taeniomastix'' Enderlein, 1942) *''

Facilina ''Facilina'' is a genus of flies in the family Pyrgotidae The Pyrgotidae are an unusual family of flies (Diptera), one of only two families of Cyclorrhapha that lack ocelli. Most species are "picture-winged" (i.e., have patterns of bands or ...

'' Paramonov, 1958 *'' Frontalia'' Malloch, 1929 *'' Geloemyia'' Hendel, 1908 *'' Hendelpyrgota'' Vanschuytbroeck, 1963 *'' Hypotyphla'' Loew, 1873 *'' Leptopyrgota'' Hendel, 1914 *'' Lopadops'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Lygiohypotyphla'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Maenomenus'' Bezzi, 1929 *'' Metropina'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Neopyrgota'' Hendel, 1934 *'' Neotoxura'' Malloch, 1929 *'' Parageloemyia'' Hendel, 1934 *'' Platynostira'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Plectrobrachis'' Enderlein, 1942 *''

Porpomastix ''Porpomastix'' is a genus of flies in the family Pyrgotidae The Pyrgotidae are an unusual family of flies (Diptera), one of only two families of Cyclorrhapha that lack ocelli. Most species are "picture-winged" (i.e., have patterns of bands ...

'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Prodalmannia'' Bezzi, 1929 *'' Prohypotyphla'' Hendel, 1934 *'' Pyrgota'' Wiedemann, 1830 *'' Pyrgotella'' Curran, 1934 *'' Pyrgotina'' Malloch, 1929 *'' Pyrgotomyia'' Hendel, 1934 *'' Pyrgotosoma'' Malloch, 1933 *'' Siridapha'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Stirothrinax'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Tephritohypotyphla'' Vanschuytbroeck, 1963 *'' Tephritopyrgota'' Hendel, 1914 *'' Toxopyrgota'' Hendel, 1914 *'' Toxura'' Macquart, 1851 *'' Trichempodia'' Malloch, 1930 *'' Tropidothrinax'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Tylotrypes'' Bezzi, 1914

References

External links

* {{taxonbar, from1=Q4584118 Tephritoidea Brachycera families Diptera of Africa Diptera of Asia Diptera of Australasia Diptera of North America Taxa named by Hermann Loew