The Anthomyiidae are a large and diverse

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Muscoidea Muscoidea is a superfamily of flies in the subsection Calyptratae. Muscoidea, with approximately 7000 described species, is nearly 5% of the known species level diversity of the Diptera, the true flies. Most muscoid flies are saprophagous, copr ...

flies Flies are insects of the Order (biology), order Diptera, the name being derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwin ...

. Most look rather like small houseflies. Most species are drab grey to black. Many ''Pegomya'' are yellow, and some members of the

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

''Anthomyia'' and ''Eutrichota'' are patterned in black-and-white or black-and-silvery-grey. Most are difficult to identify, apart from a few groups such as the kelp flies that are conspicuous on beaches. The name Anthomyiidae was derived from Greek ''anthos'' (flower) plus ''myia'' (a fly). Some species are commonly called "root-maggots", as the

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e are found in the stems and roots of various plants. As larvae, some also feed on decaying plant material. The well-known grey "seaweed flies" or "kelp flies" ('' Fucellia'') are examples. Others are scavengers in such places as birds' nests; yet other species are

leaf miner A leaf miner is any one of numerous species of insects in which the larval stage lives in, and eats, the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths (Lepidoptera), sawflies (Symphyta, a paraphyletic group which ...

s; the family also includes

inquiline In zoology, an inquiline (from Latin ''inquilinus'', "lodger" or "tenant") is an animal that lives commensally in the nest, burrow, or dwelling place of an animal of another species. For example, some organisms, such as insects, may live in the ...

commensal Commensalism is a long-term biological interaction (symbiosis) in which members of one species gain benefits while those of the other species neither benefit nor are harmed. This is in contrast with mutualism, in which both organisms benefit f ...

s, and

parasitic Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The ent ...

larvae. Some species in the family are significant agricultural pests, particularly some from the genus '' Delia'', which includes the onion fly ('' D. antiqua''), the wheat bulb fly (''D. coarctata''), the turnip root fly ('' D. floralis''), the seedcorn maggot ('' D. platura''), and the cabbage root fly ('' D. radicum''). In some contexts, like mountain environments, the adults can be common flower visitors, also being involved in pollination.

Description

These flies are small or moderate in size. Hypopleural bristles found on the sides of the thorax are apical. The anal vein of the wing reaches the margin of the wings (except in ''Chelisia''). The median vein is straight, not curved towards the anterior alar margin. Three pairs of postsutural dorsocentral bristles almost always are present. The first segment of the posterior tarsi are on the lower side near the base with minute bristles. The sternopleuron lower side often has short, soft hairs. Eyes in the male in most cases are close-set or contiguous. Females of many species are not known as of yet. Anthomyiidae, commonly referred to as "root-maggot flies," exhibit small to moderate sizes and distinctive anatomical features, including hypopleural bristles on the thorax and a characteristic wing vein structure. Notably, the presence of three pairs of postsutural dorsocentral bristles is a common trait among these flies. Furthermore, the close-set or contiguous eyes in males and the limited knowledge about females in many species underscore the need for further research into Anthomyiidae biology and behavior.

Classification

* Family Anthomyiidae -- anthomyiid flies :*Subfamily Anthomyiinae ::*Tribe Anthomyiini :::*Genus '' Anthomyia'' Meigen, 1803 :::*Genus '' Botanophila'' Lioy, 1864 :::*Genus '' Chiastocheta'' Pokorny, 1889 :::*Genus '' Fucellia'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1842 :::*Genus '' Hylemya'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 :::*Genus '' Hylemyza'' Schnabl & Dziedzicki, 1911 ::*Tribe Chirosiini :::*Genus '' Chirosia'' Rondani, 1856 :::*Genus '' Egle'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 :::*Genus '' Lasiomma'' Stein, 1916 :::*Genus '' Strobilomyia'' Michelsen, 1988 ::*Tribe Hydrophoriini :::*Genus '' Acridomyia'' Stackelberg, 1929 :::*Genus '' Adia'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 :::*Genus '' Boreophorbia'' Michelsen, 1987 :::*Genus '' Coenosopsia'' Malloch, 1924 :::*Genus '' Delia'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 :::*Genus '' Eustalomyia'' Kowarz, 1873 :::*Genus '' Heterostylodes'' Hennig, 1967 :::*Genus '' Hydrophoria'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 :::*Genus '' Leucophora'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 :::*Genus '' Paregle'' Schnabl, 1911 :::*Genus '' Phorbia'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 :::*Genus '' Subhylemyia'' Ringdahl, 1933 :::*Genus '' Zaphne'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 :*Subfamily Pegomyinae ::*Tribe Pegomyini :::*Genus '' Alliopsis'' Schnabl & Dziedzicki, 1911 :::*Genus '' Emmesomyia'' Malloch, 1917 :::*Genus '' Eutrichota'' Kowarz, 1893 :::*Genus '' Mycophaga'' Rondani, 1856 :::*Genus '' Paradelia'' Ringdahl, 1933 :::*Genus '' Parapegomyia'' Griffiths, 1984 :::*Genus '' Pegomya'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 ::*Tribe Myopinini :::*Genus '' Pegoplata'' Schnabl & Dziedzicki, 1911 :::*Genus '' Calythea'' Schnabl in Schnabl & Dziedzicki, 1911 :::*Genus '' Myopina'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830

References

Wyman, J. A., Libby, J. L., & Chapman, R. K. (1977). Cabbage Maggot Management Aided by Predictions of Adult Emergence12. Journal of Economic Entomology., 70(3), 327–331. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/70.3.327 GRISALES, D., LOPES, A. C., & DE CARVALHO, C. J. B. (2016). FAMILY ANTHOMYIIDAE. Zootaxa, 4122(1), 803–806. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4122.1.68 Lasa, R., Córdova-García, G., Navarro-de-la-Fuente, L., & Williams, T. (2024). Sticky traps and water pan traps to monitor Delia planipalpis (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), an emerging pest of broccoli in Mexico. Crop Protection, 176, 106495-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2023.106495

* Genera - Suwa, M., & B. Darvas, 1998. Family Anthomyiidae. In: ''Contributions to a manual of Palaearctic Diptera'' Volume 3 (L. Papp & B. Darvas, eds.): 571–616. Science Herald, Budapest. * Species - Hennig, W., 1966–1976. 63a. Anthomyiidae. In: ''Die Fliegen der paläarktischen Region'' 7(1) (

Erwin Lindner Erwin Lindner (7 April 1888 – 30 November 1988) was a German entomologist mainly interested in Diptera. He was born in Böglins, Memmingen, and died in Stuttgart, at age 100 years. In 1913, Erwin Lindner joined the State Museum of Natural His ...

, ed.): 1–974, pl. 1-78. E. Schweizerbart, Stuttgart.

Identification

* Ackland, D. M. 2001. Revision of afrotropical ''Anthomyia'' Meigen, 1803 (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), with descriptions of ten new species. ''

African Invertebrates ''African Invertebrates'' is a peer-reviewed open access scientific journal that covers the taxonomy, systematics, biogeography, ecology, conservation, and palaeontology of Afrotropical invertebrates, whether terrestrial, freshwater, or marine. A ...

'' 42: 1-94

* Ackland, D. M. 2008. Revision of Afrotropical ''Delia'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), with descriptions of six new species. ''

'' 49 (1): 1-75

* K. Yu. Elberg Family Anthomyiidae in Grigory Bey-Bienko, Bei-Bienko, G. Ya, 1988 ''Keys to the insects of the European Part of the USSR'' Volume 5 (Diptera) Part 2 English edition * Emden, F. I. Van (1941): Keys to the Muscidae of the Ethiopian Region :Scatophaginae, Anthomyiinae, Lispinae, Fanniinae. ''Bull. Ent.Res.'', 1941–1942, 32: 251–275. Keys to

Afrotropical The Afrotropical realm is one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Sub-Saharan Africa, the southern Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, and the islands of the western Indian Ocean. It was formerly known as the Ethiopi ...

and

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

. See Pont & Ackland in Crosskey, R. W. ''et al.'' 1980 for updated classification and nomenclature. * Hennig, W., 1966–1976. 63a. Anthomyiidae. In: ''Die Fliegen der paläarktischen Region'' 7(1) (

, ed.): 1–974, pl. 1-78. E. Schweizerbart, Stuttgart. Monograph of

Palaearctic The Palearctic or Palaearctic is a biogeographic realm of the Earth, the largest of eight. Confined almost entirely to the Eastern Hemisphere, it stretches across Europe and Asia, north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. Th ...

species. * Huckett, H. C. (1965): The Muscidae of Northern Canada, Alaska and Greenland (Diptera). ''Mem. Ent. Soc. Canada'', 42: 1–369. Keys, illustrations. * Huckett H. C. (1971): The Anthomyiidae of California exclusive of. the subfamily Scatophaginae (Diptera). ''Bull. Calif. Insect Survey''. 12: 1–121. Illustrated Keys. South Nearctic and North Neotropical. * Pont, A.C., 1972, ''Family Muscidae''. In: ''A Catalogue of the Diptera of the Americas South of the United States'', 97, 111 p. Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo. * Suwa, M. (1974): Anthomyiidae of Japan (Diptera). ''Insecta Matsumurana New Series'' 4 : 1–247. Comprehensive revision. Excellent illustrations. * Suwa, M., & B. Darvas (1998): Family Anthomyiidae. In: ''Contributions to a manual of Palaearctic Diptera'' Volume 3 (L. Papp & B. Darvas, eds.): 571–616. Science Herald, Budapest.

Species lists

Palaearctic

Japan

External links

at the Hawaii Biological Survey

Anthomyiid Pack

Diptera.info Gallery

Anthomyiidae at Bug Guide

Family Anthomyiidae at EOL
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Morphology of important Central Europe species
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