Carnidae, also known as bird flies or filth flies, is a family of flies (

Diptera 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 advance ...

). There are 6 genera, containing about 93 species worldwide.

Description

Carnidae in general are small (1–2 mm) black flies. One feature of Carnidae is the frons of the head having some orbital

setae In biology, setae (; seta ; ) are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms. Animal setae Protostomes Depending partly on their form and function, protostome setae may be called macrotrichia, chaetae ...

medioclinate (pointing inwards) and others lateroclinate (pointing outwards). In ''Carnus'', ''Hemeromyia'', ''Meoneura'' and ''Enigmocarnus'', the anterior two pairs of setae are medioclinate and the posterior two pairs are lateroclinate. In ''Neomeoneurites'' and the extinct genus ''Meoneurites'', the anteriormost pair is medioclinate and the posterior three pairs are lateroclinate.

Ecology

Most Carnidae are

saprophagous Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi ...

. Adults have been found on dung, carrion, flowers of

Apiaceae Apiaceae () or Umbelliferae is a family of mostly aromatic flowering plants named after the type genus ''Apium,'' and commonly known as the celery, carrot, or parsley family, or simply as umbellifers. It is the 16th-largest family of flowering p ...

and other plants, in bird nests and sometimes in bird feathers. Larvae have been found in bird and mammal nests, damaged pupae of ''

Sarcophaga ''Sarcophaga'' is a genus of true flies and the type genus of the flesh-fly family ( Sarcophagidae). The members of this cosmopolitan genus are frequently known as common flesh flies. There are more than 1000 species in ''Sarcophaga''. This ge ...

'' sp. (

Sarcophagidae Sarcophagidae () are a family (biology), family of fly, flies commonly known as flesh flies. They differ from most flies in that they are Ovoviviparity, ovoviviparous, opportunistically depositing hatched or hatching maggots instead of eggs on c ...

), stems of ''

Ferula ''Ferula'' (from Latin ''ferula'' ) is a genus of about 220 species of flowering plants in the family Apiaceae, native to the Mediterranean region east to central Asia, mostly growing in arid climates. Many plants of this genus, especially '' F ...

'' sp. (Apiaceae), ''

Leccinum ''Leccinum'' is a genus of fungi in the family Boletaceae. It was the name given first to a series of fungi within the genus '' Boletus'', then erected as a new genus last century. Their main distinguishing feature is the small, rigid projection ...

'' fungus (

Boletaceae The Boletaceae are a Family (biology), family of mushroom-forming fungi, primarily characterised by small pores on the spore-bearing hymenium, hymenial surface (at the underside of the mushroom), instead of Lamella (mycology), gills as are found ...

), dung, salted fish and plant remains. Adults of ''

Carnus In Greek mythology, Carnus (also spelled Carneus and Carneius) (Ancient Greek: Κάρνος) was a seer from Acarnania, who was instructed in the art of divination by Apollo. According to the poet Praxilla, he was a son of Europa, who was brough ...

'' such as '' C. hemapterus'' and ''C. orientalis'' are exceptions, feeding on blood of birds. They are associated with bird nests and nestlings.

Genera

*''

'' Nitzsch, 1818 *'' Enigmocarnus'' Buck, 2007 *'' Hemeromyia'' Coquillett, 1902 *'' Meoneura''

Rondani Rondani is an Italian surname. Notable people having this name include: * Camillo Rondani, (1808–1879), an Italian entomologist noted for his studies of Diptera * Giovanni Maria Francesco Rondani Giovanni Maria Francesco Rondani (15 July 1490 � ...

, 1856 *†'' Meoneurites'' Hennig, 1965 *'' Neomeoneurites'' Hennig, 1972

External links

Dedicated sit

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1410931 Carnidae, Brachycera families Wingless Diptera Taxa named by Edward Newman