Anthomyzidae is small, slender, yellow to black

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 ...

with narrow and elongated wings, which may have distinct markings. Some species have greatly reduced wings. Fewer than 100 species are known, mostly from

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

. Although they occur in all major regions, they seem to be most varied 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 reg ...

region. Around 20 diverse genera have been placed in the family. Two, ''Teratomyza'' and ''Teratoptera'', are now in the

Teratomyzidae Teratomyzidae are a family of small 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, ...

, and ''Cyamops'' and ''Stenomicra'' are in the Stenomicridae. ''Melanthomyza'' Malloch from

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

should probably not be retained in the family. The remaining genera are very similar to one another.

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 minute to small (1.3-4.5 mm), slender flies. They are yellow (sometimes with dark spots or stripes) to black in colour. The postverticals on the head are small, convergent or parallel, and rarely absent. Two or three pairs of frontal bristles, which curve backward, are present and usually preceded by one or more weaker bristles. Interfrontal bristles are absent or present. Peristomal bristles ("false vibrissae") are present. In the more common ''Anthomyza'' and ''Paranthomyza'', the lower side of femur 1 has a well-developed spine in apical third. Wings are usually long and narrow and immaculate (sometimes marked). Some species are brachypterous. The costa has a subcostal break and the subcosta is incomplete.

Biology

Larvae have been reported from decaying

dicotyledonous The dicotyledons, also known as dicots (or, more rarely, dicotyls), are one of the two groups into which all the flowering plants (angiosperms) were formerly divided. The name refers to one of the typical characteristics of the group: namely, t ...

plants, from

fungi A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...

, and in Europe from leaf sheaths of various grasses and of '' Typha,

Scirpus ''Scirpus'' is a genus of grass-like species in the sedge family Cyperaceae many with the common names club-rush, wood club-rush or bulrush (see also bulrush for other plant genera so-named). They mostly inhabit wetlands and damp locations. Taxo ...

'', and ''

Juncus ''Juncus'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants, commonly known as rushes. It is the largest genus in the family Juncaceae, containing around 300 species. Description Rushes of the genus ''Juncus'' are herbaceous plants that superfic ...

'', from '' Lipara galls on ''

Phragmites ''Phragmites'' () is a genus of four species of large perennial reed grasses found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Taxonomy The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, maintained by Kew Garden in L ...

''. They may be either phytophagous or saprophagous, but damage to cereals or other plants has not been reported. Adults are usually found in moist habitats such as damp meadows, marshes, bogs, and damp deciduous or mixed forests with rich undergrowth. Some species inhabit dry grasslands (some species of'' Anthomyza'' and the brachypterous ''Stiphrosoma sabulosum'').

Phylogeny and taxa

up'' Lacrimyza_lacrimosa''_in_ Lacrimyza_lacrimosa''_in_Baltic_Amber_">Baltic_Amber.html"_;"title="Lacrimyza_lacrimosa''_in_Baltic_Amber">Lacrimyza_lacrimosa''_in_Baltic_Amber_ file:Protanthomyza_grimaldii_holotype_male_fig1.jpg.html" ;"title="Baltic_Amber_.html" ;"title="Baltic_Amber.html" ;"title="Lacrimyza lacrimosa'' in Lacrimyza_lacrimosa''_in_Baltic_Amber_">Baltic_Amber.html"_;"title="Lacrimyza_lacrimosa''_in_Baltic_Amber">Lacrimyza_lacrimosa''_in_Baltic_Amber_ file:Protanthomyza_grimaldii_holotype_male_fig1.jpg">thumb.html" ;"title="Baltic Amber">Lacrimyza lacrimosa'' in Baltic_Amber.html"_;"title="Lacrimyza_lacrimosa''_in_Baltic_Amber">Lacrimyza_lacrimosa''_in_Baltic_Amber_ file:Protanthomyza_grimaldii_holotype_male_fig1.jpg">thumb">right.html" ;"title="Baltic Amber ">Baltic_Amber.html" ;"title="Lacrimyza lacrimosa'' in Baltic Amber">Lacrimyza lacrimosa'' in Baltic Amber file:Protanthomyza grimaldii holotype male fig1.jpg">thumb">right">up''Protanthomyza grimaldii'' in Baltic amber Baltic amber fossil Anthomyzidae Fig4 Reliquantha eocena

Baltic amber fossil Anthomyzidae Fig4 Reliquantha eocena

The family includes a number of genera in two subfamilies. *Subfamily Anthomyzinae **''Amnonthomyza'' **''Amygdalops'' **''Anagnota'' **''Anthomyza'' **''Apterosepsis'' **''Barbarista'' **''Carexomyza'' **''Cercagnota'' **''Epischnomyia'' **'' Fungomyza'' **†'' Grimalantha'' (

Burdigalian The Burdigalian is, in the geologic timescale, an age or stage in the early Miocene. It spans the time between 20.43 ± 0.05 Ma and 15.97 ± 0.05 Ma (million years ago). Preceded by the Aquitanian, the Burdigalian was the first and longest w ...

Dominican amber Dominican amber is amber from the Dominican Republic derived from resin of the extinct tree '' Hymenaea protera''. Dominican amber differentiates itself from Baltic amber by being nearly always transparent, and it has a higher number of fossil inc ...

) **'' Ischnomyia'' **†'' Lacrimyza'' (

Lutetian The Lutetian is, in the geologic timescale, a stage or age in the Eocene. It spans the time between . The Lutetian is preceded by the Ypresian and is followed by the Bartonian. Together with the Bartonian it is sometimes referred to as the ...

Baltic Amber The Baltic region is home to the largest known deposit of amber, called Baltic amber or succinite. It was produced sometime during the Eocene epoch, but exactly when is controversial. It has been estimated that these forests created more than ...

) **'' Margdalops'' **'' Mumetopia'' **'' Paranthomyza'' **'' Receptrixa'' **'' Reliquantha'' (

Baltic amber The Baltic region is home to the largest known deposit of amber, called Baltic amber or succinite. It was produced sometime during the Eocene epoch, but exactly when is controversial. It has been estimated that these forests created more than ...

) **'' Santhomyza'' **'' Stiphrosoma'' **'' Typhamyza'' **'' Zealantha'' *Subfamily † Protanthomyzinae **†'' Protanthomyza'' (

Bitterfeld amber The Baltic region is home to the largest known deposit of amber, called Baltic amber or succinite. It was produced sometime during the Eocene epoch, but exactly when is controversial. It has been estimated that these forests created more than ...

)

References

External links

Encyclopedia of Life The ''Encyclopedia of Life'' (''EOL'') is a free, online encyclopedia intended to document all of the 1.9 million living species known to science. It is compiled from existing trusted databases curated by experts and with the assistance of ...

Family Anthomyzidae at EOLDiptera.info
images {{Taxonbar, from=Q1617278 Brachycera families Articles containing video clips

Description

Biology

Phylogeny and taxa

References

Further reading

Species lists

External links