The Pyrgotidae are an unusual family of

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 ...

(Diptera), one of only two families of

Cyclorrhapha Cyclorrhapha is an Taxon#Ranks, unranked taxon within the infraorder (biology), infraorder Muscomorpha. They are called "Cyclorrhapha" ('circular-seamed flies') with reference to the circular aperture through which the adult escapes the puparium. ...

that lack

ocelli A simple eye or ocellus (sometimes called a pigment pit) is a form of eye or an optical arrangement which has a single lens without the sort of elaborate retina that occurs in most vertebrates. These eyes are called "simple" to distinguish the ...

. Most species are "picture-winged" (i.e., have patterns of bands or spots on the wings), as is typical among the Tephritoidea, but unlike other tephritoids, they are endoparasitoids; the females pursue scarab beetles in flight, laying an egg on the beetle's back under the elytra where the beetle cannot reach it. The egg hatches and the fly larva enters the body cavity of the beetle, feeding and eventually killing the host before

pupa A pupa (; : pupae) is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their life cycle, the stages th ...

ting. In the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, some species of '' Pyrgota'' and '' Sphecomyiella'' can be quite common in areas where their host beetles (typically the genus '' Phyllophaga'', or "June beetles") are abundant. Like their host beetles, these flies are primarily

nocturnal Nocturnality is a ethology, behavior in some non-human animals characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnality, diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatur ...

, and are often attracted to artificial lights. Pyrgotidae Diptera lateral Johan Heyns

Genera

*'' Acropyrgota'' Hendel, 1914 *'' Adapsilia'' Waga, 1842 *'' Adapsona'' Paramonov, 1958 *'' Afropyrgota'' V. Korneyev, 2015 *'' Austromyia'' Hardy, 1954 *'' Boreothrinax'' Steyskal, 1978 *'' Campylocera'' Macquart, 1843 *'' Cardiacera'' Macquart, 1847 *'' Carrerapyrgota'' Aczél, 1956 *'' Clemaxia'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Commoniella'' Paramonov, 1958 *'' Descoleia'' Aczel, 1956 *'' Diasteneura'' Hendel, 1908 *'' Epice'' Paramonov, 1958 *'' Eumorphomyia'' Hendel, 1907 *'' Eupyrgota'' Coquillett, 1898 (Synonyms: ''Apyrgota'' Hendel, 1909; ''Taeniomastix'' Enderlein, 1942) *'' Facilina'' Paramonov, 1958 *'' Frontalia'' Malloch, 1929 *'' Geloemyia'' Hendel, 1908 *'' Hendelpyrgota'' Vanschuytbroeck, 1963 *'' Hypotyphla'' Loew, 1873 *'' Leptopyrgota'' Hendel, 1914 *'' Lopadops'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Lygiohypotyphla'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Maenomenus'' Bezzi, 1929 *'' Metropina'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Neopyrgota'' Hendel, 1934 *'' Neotoxura'' Malloch, 1929 *'' Parageloemyia'' Hendel, 1934 *'' Platynostira'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Plectrobrachis'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Porpomastix'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Prodalmannia'' Bezzi, 1929 *'' Prohypotyphla'' Hendel, 1934 *'' Pyrgota'' Wiedemann, 1830 *'' Pyrgotella'' Curran, 1934 *'' Pyrgotina'' Malloch, 1929 *'' Pyrgotomyia'' Hendel, 1934 *'' Pyrgotosoma'' Malloch, 1933 *'' Siridapha'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Stirothrinax'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Tephritohypotyphla'' Vanschuytbroeck, 1963 *'' Tephritopyrgota'' Hendel, 1914 *'' Toxopyrgota'' Hendel, 1914 *'' Toxura'' Macquart, 1851 *'' Trichempodia'' Malloch, 1930 *'' Tropidothrinax'' Enderlein, 1942 *'' Tylotrypes'' Bezzi, 1914

References

External links

* {{taxonbar, from1=Q4584118 Tephritoidea Brachycera families Diptera of Africa Diptera of Asia Diptera of Australasia Diptera of North America Taxa named by Hermann Loew