Chamaemyiidae Explained

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 pests. Chamaemyiid fossils are poorly represented in amber deposits, but a few examples are known from the Eocene epoch onwards.

Description

For terms, see Morphology of Diptera
The Chamaemyiidae are small flies 9 (1–5 mm), usually greyish in colour. The frons is wide, with at most two pairs of bristles (often bare). The face is gently concave or strongly receding. Oral vibrissae are absent and the postvertical bristles are convergent or absent. The proboscis is short and the antennae are short. The mesonotum is with or without bristles. Prothoracic bristles are absent and with one sternopleural bristle. The mesopleura are usually bare, rarely setulose. The front femora bear bristles. The tibiae are without preapical bristles. Wings with the subcosta are entire, sometimes touching the first vein before its end. The anal vein does not reach nearly to the wing margin, the anal and second basal cells are always complete, and the costa is not broken. The abdomen is short or slightly elongated.

Classification

• Subfamily Cremifaniinae
  • Genus Cremifania Czerny, 1904^[1]
• Subfamily Chamaemyiinae
  • Tribe Chamaemyiini
    • Genus Acrometopia Schiner, 1862^{[1] [2]}
    • Genus Chamaeleucopis Gaimari, 2012^[3]
    • Genus Chamaemyia Meigen, 1803^{[4] [1]}
    • Genus Hamecamyia Gaimari, 2001^[5]
    • Genus Melametopia Tanasijtshuk, 1992^[6]
    • Genus Melanochthiphila Frey, 1958^[7]
    • Genus Ortalidina Blanchard, 1852^[8]
    • Genus Parapamecia Cogan, 1978^[9]
    • Genus Parochthiphila Czerny, 1904
    • Genus Plunomia Curran, 1934^[1]
    • Genus Pseudoleucopis Malloch, 1925^[1]
    • Genus Pseudodinia Coquillett, 1902^[1]
  • Tribe Leucopini
    • Genus Anchioleucopis Tanasijtshuk, 1997
    • Genus Echinoleucopis Gaimari & Tanasijtshuk, 2001^[10]
    • Genus Leucopis Meigen, 1830^{[4] [1]}
      • Subgenus Leucopis Meigen, 1830^{[4] [1]}
      • Subgenus Leucopomyia Malloch, 1921^{[11] [1]}
      • Subgenus Neoleucopis Malloch, 1921^{[11] [1]}
      • Subgenus Xenoleucopis Malloch, 1933^[1]
    • Genus Leucopomyia Malloch, 1921^[11]
    • Genus Lipoleucopis de Meijere, 1928^[1]
    • Genus Neoleucopis Malloch, 1921^[11]

Further reading

• Tanasiychuk, VN, 1986 Fauna USSR: Diptera. Vol. 14, part 7: Mukhi-serebryanki (Chamaeiidae) Nauka Leningrad. Text Russian 608 text figs, 70 b/w photos. 335pp.

External links

• • Diptera info Images
• Family Chamaemyiidae at EOL
• West Palaearctic List
• Nearctic list
• Japan list
• Dipterists' Forum
• Fossil Diptera Catalogue
• Family description

Notes and References

1. Book: McAlpine . J.F. . Family Chamaemyiidae (Ochtiphilidae). in: Stone, A., Sabrosky, C.W., Wirth, W.W., Foote, R.H. & Coulson, J.R. (eds.), A Catalog of the Diptera of America North of Mexico . 1965 . United States Department of Agriculture . Washington, DC . 706–709.
2. Schiner . I. R. . Vorlaufiger Commentar zum dipterologischen Theile der "Fauna Austriaca", mit einer naheren Begrundung der in derselben aufgenommenen neuen Dipteren-Gattungen. V. [part] ]. Wiener Entomologische Monatschrift. . 1862 . 6 . 428–436 . 16 November 2019.
3. Gaimari . Stephen D. . A new genus and species of Chamaemyiidae (Diptera: Lauxanioidea) from South America feeding on Ceroplastes wax scales (Hemiptera: Coccidae), and status of the genus Ortalidina as a chamaemyiid . Zootaxa . 2012 . 3342 . 39–50 . 7 September 2018 . Magnolia Press . Auckland, New Zealand . 1175-5334. 10.11646/zootaxa.3342.1.2 . free .
4. Meigen. Johann Wilhelm. Versuch einer neuen Gattungseintheilung der europäischen zweiflügeligen Insekten. Magazin für Insektenkunde. 20 May 2017. 1803. 2. 259–281.
5. Gaimari . Stephen D. . A new Afrotropical genus of Chamaemyiidae (Diptera: Lauxanioidea) . . 2012 . 53 . 1 . 157–168. 10.5733/afin.053.0109 . free .
6. Tanasijtshuk . V. N. . Morphological differences and phyleti relations between the genera of chamaemyiid flies (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae) . Entomologicheskoe Obozrenie . 1992 . 71 . 1 . 199–230.
7. Frey . R. . Zur Kenntnis der Diptera brachycera p.p. der Kapverdischen Inseln. No. 20, Ergebnisse der zoologischen Forschungsreise von Prof. Dr. Haken Lindberg nach den Kapverdischen Inseln im Winter 1953-54. . Commentat. Biol. . 1958 . 18 . 4 . 61.
8. Book: Blanchard . E. . Orden IX. Dipteros. Pp. 327-468. In Gay, C. (ed.), Historia fisica y politica de Chile ... Zoologia. Vol. 7, pp. . 1852 . Published by Author, Paris & Museo de Historia Natural . Santiago . 1–471.
9. Cogan . B. H. . A revision of Acrometopia Schiner and closely related genera . Beiträge zur Entomologie . 1978 . 28 . 223–250 . 17 November 2019.
10. Gaimari . Stephen D. . Tanasijtshuk . Vitali N. . A new leucopine genus (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae) with species attacking Ceroplastes wax scales (Hemiptera:Coccidae) in South America . Systematic Entomology . 2001 . 26 . 3 . 311–328 . 7 September 2018. 10.1046/j.1365-3113.2001.00156.x . 83490828 .
11. Malloch . John Russell . Forest insects in Illinois. I. The subfamily Ochthiphilinae (Diptera, family Agromyzidae). Bulletin of the Illinois State Natural History Survey . 1921 . 13 . 345–361, 2 pls . 17 November 2019.