Empidinae, also called dance flies, are a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

of empidoid

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 ...

. They are mainly

predatory Predation is a biological interaction in which one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill ...

flies like most of their relatives, and generally small to medium-sized. Most species are

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

visitors and they can be effective

pollinator A pollinator is an animal that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female carpel, stigma of a flower. This helps to bring about fertilization of the ovules in the flower by the male gametes from the pollen grains. Insects are ...

Description

Most dance fly species perform

lek mating A lek is an aggregation of male animals gathered to engage in competitive displays and courtship rituals, known as lekking, to entice visiting females which are surveying prospective partners with which to mate. It can also refer to a space us ...

, where males give courtship gifts to females. About a third of such species also have sex-specific markings, which include pinnate leg scales, darkened or enlarged wings, and inflatable abdominal air sacs. Empis_stercorea01

Genera

*'' Afroempis'' Smith, 1969 *'' Allochrotus'' Collin, 1933 *'' Amictoides'' Bezzi, 1909 *'' Aplomera'' Macquart, 1838 *'' Atrichopleura'' Bezzi, 1909 *'' Bandella'' Bickel, 2002 *'' Calohilara'' Frey, 1952 *'' Clinorhampha'' Collin, 1933 *'' Cunomyia'' Bickel, 1998 *'' Deuteragonista''

Philippi Philippi (; , ''Phílippoi'') was a major Greek city northwest of the nearby island, Thasos. Its original name was Crenides (, ''Krēnĩdes'' "Fountains") after its establishment by Thasian colonists in 360/359 BC. The city was renamed by Phili ...

, 1865 *'' Empidadelpha'' Collin, 1928 *'' Empis''

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the starting point of modern zoologic ...

*'' Gynatoma'' Collin, 1928 *'' Hilara'' Meigen, 1822 *'' Hilarempis'' Bezzi, 1905 *'' Hilarigona'' Collin, 1933 *'' Hybomyia'' Plant, 1995 *'' Hystrichonotus'' Collin, 1933 *'' Lamprempis'' Wheeler & Melander, 1901 *'' Macrostomus'' Wiedemann, 1817 *'' Opeatocerata'' Melander, 1928 *'' Pasitrichotus'' Collin, 1933 *'' Porphyrochroa'' Melander, 1928 *'' Rhamphella'' Malloch, 1930 *'' Rhamphomyia'' Meigen, 1822 *'' Sphicosa''

, 1865 *'' Thinempis'' Bickel, 1996 *'' Trichohilara'' Collin, 1933

References

Empididae Asilomorpha subfamilies {{Empidoidea-stub