The Lauxanioidea are a superfamily 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 ...

that includes the two large families, the Lauxaniidae and

Chamaemyiidae The Chamaemyiidae are a small family of acalyptrate flies with less than 200 species described worldwide. The larvae of these small flies are active and predatory and are often used for biological control of aphids, scale insects, and similar ...

, and the small family Celyphidae. Generally, they are small to medium, densely populated, coloured flies. The Chamaemyiidae live as parasites on insects. The family Celyphidae look like beetles. Some authors also recognize the family Cremifaniidae, but most place this in the Chamaemyiidae.

Description

The superfamily has three synapomorphies (features present in all members due to a common ancestor): convergent postocellar bristles, an abbreviated anal vein in the wing, and fusion of male abdominal

tergites A ''tergum'' (Latin for "the back"; plural ''terga'', associated adjective tergal) is the dorsal ('upper') portion of an arthropod segment other than the head. The anterior edge is called the 'base' and posterior edge is called the 'apex' or 'mar ...

7 and 8. Within the superfamily, Celyphidae can be distinguished from other families by their scutellum, which is shiny, enlarged and covers most of the abdomen, similar to a beetle's

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 ...

. Lauxaniidae are yellowish-brown or black, usually have iridescent reddish/purplish or greenish eyes, and the wings are sometimes patterned. Chamaemyiidae are usually silvery gray with black spots, sometimes shiny and black.

Ecology

Larvae of most Lauxaniidae and Celyphidae feed on decaying vegetation. Some species of Lauxaniidae only occur in bird nests. Adult lauxaniids may visit flowers. Larvae of all known Chamaemyiidae have a rather different lifestyle, being predators of aphids and scale insects.

Phylogeny

A 2017 phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial genomes confirmed the

monophyly In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic gro ...

of Lauxaniidae and of Celyphidae, and that these two families are sister groups.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2327915 Diptera superfamilies