The Micropezidae are a moderate-sized family of acalyptrate muscoid flies in the insect order

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 advanced ...

, comprising about 500 species in about 50 genera and five subfamilies worldwide, (except New Zealand and Macquarie Island).McAlpine, D.K. (1998). Review of the Australian stilt flies (Diptera: Micropezidae) with a phylogenetic analysis of the family. ''Invertebrate Taxonomy'' 12:55–134. (with key to Australian species) They are most diverse in tropical and subtropical habitats, especially in the Neotropical Region. Insects in this family are commonly called stilt-legged flies, after their characteristically long legs. The fore legs are markedly smaller than the other pairs. Mostly, they are long-bodied, often black flies, usually with infuscated (darkened) wings. Wings are reduced in the genera '' Calycopteryx'' and entirely absent in the ant-like '' Badisis ambulans''.

Description

For terms see Morphology of Diptera
Very slender, small to large (3–16 mm) flies, they have long, thin legs and narrow wings. The head is small and elongated or rounded. The antennae are small and the arista is bare or pubescent. Ocelli are present, but ocellar bristles are absent. Vibrissae are absent and the postvertical bristles are divergent or absent. Up to three pairs of frontal bristles curve forward or backward. Interfrontal bristles are absent. The wings are clear or have a smoky pattern. The costa is without interruptions. The subcosta is complete, its ending in the costa close to vein R1. The posterior basal wing cell and discoidal wing cell are sometimes fused. Crossvein BM-Cu present or (Micropezinae) absent. The abdomen is long and narrow. The tibiae lack a dorsal preapical bristle.

Biology

Some species, much the same as in the strongylophthalmyiid genus, '' Strongylophthalmyia'', mimic ants; others mimic wasps and are especially similar in appearance to some ichneumonid wasps. Species of the genus ''

Anaeropsis ''Anaeropsis'' is a genus of stilt-legged fly. It is found in New Guinea. Species *'' Anaeropsis guttipennis'' (Walker Walker or The Walker may refer to: People *Walker (given name) *Walker (surname) *Walker (Brazilian footballer) (born 1982) ...

'' have stalked eyes. Little is known of the larval habits, but they are probably phytophagous or

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 ( ...

in decayed vegetation, old manure, or fungi. Larvae of certain ''Mimegralla'' species have been found to live in the roots of

ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices ...

and other plants, under the bark of dead trees, or in other decaying material. Species of ''Micropeza'' have phytophagous larvae feeding in the root nodules of leguminous plants in open habitats. Species of ''Rainieria'' develop in rotting wood and are found in old forests. Adults are either predatory on small insects (for example ''

Calobata ''Calobata'' is a genus of flies belonging to the family Micropezidae The Micropezidae are a moderate-sized family of acalyptrate muscoid flies in the insect order Diptera, comprising about 500 species in about 50 genera and five subfamilies ...

'' in Britain) or are attracted to

excrement Feces ( or faeces), known colloquially and in slang as poo and poop, are the solid or semi-solid remains of food that was not digested in the small intestine, and has been broken down by bacteria in the large intestine. Feces contain a relati ...

or decaying fruit. Adults are found on low herbage, flowers, leaves, rotting fruit, and excrement. Many species (for example those of genus '' Mimegralla'') are known for their habit of standing motionless while waving their prominently marked front legs in front of their heads, a behavior which contributes to their mimicry of wasps. At least one species of '' Metopochetus'' (''M. curvus'') was observed to wave its hind legs instead, though these are not conspicuously colored.

Identification

Czerny Czerny is a surname meaning "black" in some Slavic languages. It is one of many variant forms, including Czarny, Černý, Czernik, Cherney, and Čierny, among others. People Notable people with this surname include: *Adalbert Czerny (1863−1941 ...

. 1930. Tylidae. In: Lindner, E. (Ed.). ''Die Fliegen der Paläarktischen Region'' 5, 42a, 13–16. Keys to Palaearctic species but now needs revision (in German). * Séguy, E. (1934) Diptères: Brachycères. II. Muscidae acalypterae, Scatophagidae. Paris: Éditions Faune de France 28
virtuelle numérique
*Shtakel'berg, A.A. Family Micropezidae (Tylidae in part) in Bei-Bienko, G. Ya, 1988 ''Keys to the insects of the European Part of the USSR'' Volume 5 (Diptera) Part 2 English edition. Keys to Palaearctic species but now needs revision.

Conservation

'' Calycopteryx mosleyi'', found on the

Kerguelen Islands The Kerguelen Islands ( or ; in French commonly ' but officially ', ), also known as the Desolation Islands (' in French), are a group of islands in the sub-Antarctic constituting one of the two exposed parts of the Kerguelen Plateau, a large ...

and Heard Island, is associated with the Kerguélen cabbage (''

Pringlea antiscorbutica ''Pringlea antiscorbutica'', commonly known as Kerguelen cabbage, is a flowering plant and the sole member of the monotypic genus ''Pringlea'' in the family Brassicaceae. Its common name comes from the archipelago of its discovery, the Kerguelen ...

'', Brassicaceae). As this plant is being destroyed by introduced

rabbits Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit specie ...

, the fly is considered vulnerable. The larvae of '' Badisis ambulans'' live in the pitchers of the endangered Albany pitcher plant ('' Cephalotus follicularis'', Cephalotaceae).

Fossil record

Several fossil species have been found in Baltic amber, probably from the Late Eocene (about 36 million years old). However, most were washed onto beaches after wearing from Tertiary strata, making their age uncertain. Two fossil genera are presently recognized, '' Cypselosomatites'' Hennig, 1965 and the advanced '' Electrobata'' Hennig, 1965 which may be more than one genus however.

Genera

This list is compiled from th
BioSystematic Database of World Diptera
and probably complete as of January 2007. *''

'' Bigot, 1866 *''

Badisis ''Badisis'' is a Micropezidae, stilt-legged fly genus with only one known species, ''Badisis ambulans''. This is a wingless, haltere-less fly with an Ant mimicry, ant-like appearance. It is only found in the Southwest Australian bioregion of West ...

'' McAlpine, 1990 *''

'' Meigen, 1803 *'' Calobatella'' Mik, 1898 *''

Calobatina ''Calobatina'' is a genus of stilt-legged flies in the family Micropezidae. Species *'' Calobatina geometra'' (Robineau-Desvoidy André Jean Baptiste Robineau-Desvoidy (1 January 1799 in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye – 25 June 1857 in Paris) was ...

'' Enderlein, 1922 *'' Calosphen'' Hennig, 1934 *'' Calycopteryx''

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, 1875 *'' Cardiacephala'' Macquart, 1843 *'' Cephalosphen'' Hennig, 1934 *'' Chaetotylus'' Hendel, 1932 *'' Cliobata'' Enderlein, 1923 *'' Cnodacophora''

, 1930 *'' Compsobata''

, 1930 *'' Cothornobata''

, 1932 *'' Courtoisia'' Barraclough, 1993 *'' Crepidochetus'' Enderlein, 1922 *'' Crosa'' Steyskal, 1952 *'' Cryogonus''

Cresson ''Cresson'' is the French word for ''watercress''. It may refer to: ; Places * Battle of Cresson, a small battle fought on May 1, 1187, in what now is Israel, near Nazareth * Cresson, Pennsylvania, a United States borough * Cressona, Pennsylvania, ...

, 1926 *'' Ectemnodera'' Enderlein, 1922 *'' Electrobata'' Hennig, 1965 *'' Erythromyiella'' Hennig, 1935 *'' Eurybata''

Osten Sacken The House von der Osten-Sacken is an old and distinguished noble family of Baltic Germans. The family members held the titles of ''Baron'', ''Graf'', ''Knyaz'' and ''Fürst''. History The origins of the family are traced to 14th century. In 16 ...

, 1882 *'' Globomyia'' Hennig, 1935 *'' Globopeza'' Marshall, 2005 *'' Glyphodera'' Enderlein, 1922 *''

Grallipeza ''Grallipeza'' is a genus of stilt-legged flies in the family Micropezidae. There are at least 40 described species in ''Grallipeza''. Species These 47 species belong to the genus ''Grallipeza'': * '' Grallipeza abeja'' * '' Grallipeza acutivi ...

'' Rondani, 1850 *'' Grammicomyia'' Bigot, 1859 *'' Hemichaeta'' Hennig, 1934 *'' Hoplocheiloma''

, 1926 *'' Mesoconius'' Enderlein, 1922 *'' Metasphen'' Frey, 1927 *'' Metopochetus'' Enderlein, 1922 *''

Micropeza ''Micropeza'' is a genus of stilt-legged flies in the family Micropezidae The Micropezidae are a moderate-sized family of acalyptrate muscoid flies in the insect order Diptera, comprising about 500 species in about 50 genera and five subfami ...

'' Meigen, 1803 *'' Mimegralla'' Rondani, 1850 *'' Mimomyrmecia'' Frey, 1927 *'' Neograllomyia'' Hendel, 1933 *''

Neria ''Neria'' is a Zimbabwean film made in 1991, written by the novelist Tsitsi Dangarembga. It is directed by Godwin Mawuru and the screenplay was written by Louise Riber. It is the highest-grossing film in Zimbabwean history. The film concerns ...

Robineau-Desvoidy André Jean Baptiste Robineau-Desvoidy (1 January 1799 in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye – 25 June 1857 in Paris) was a French physician and entomologist specialising in the study of Diptera (flies) and to some extent of the Coleoptera (beetles). Ach ...

, 1830 *'' Nestima''

, 1881 *'' Notenthes'' Marshall, 2002 *'' Papeza'' McAlpine, 1975 *'' Paramimegralla'' Hennig, 1937 *'' Parasphen'' Enderlein, 1922 *''

Plocoscelus ''Plocoscelus'' is a genus of flies in the family Micropezidae. Species are found in Central and South Americas. References * Mortal mimicry in the fly, Plocoscelus sp.(Diptera, Micropezidae). WG Eberhard, Biotropica, 1999 External links ...

'' Enderlein, 1922 *'' Poecilotylus'' Hennig, 1934 *'' Pseudeurybata'' Hennig, 1934 *'' Ptilosphen'' Enderlein, 1922 *''

Rainieria ''Rainieria'' is a genus of stilt-legged flies in the family Micropezidae. There are at least 20 described species in ''Rainieria''. Species These 25 species belong to the genus ''Rainieria'': * '' Rainieria alternata'' Cresson, 1926 * '' Raini ...

'' Rondani, 1843 *'' Scipopus'' Enderlein, 1922 *'' Steyskalia'' Aczel, 1959 *'' Stiltissima'' Barraclough, 1991 *''

Taeniaptera ''Taeniaptera'' is a genus of stilt-legged flies in the family Micropezidae. There are at least 3 described species in ''Taeniaptera''. Species *'' Taeniaptera feei'' Steyskal, 1986 (palm grove stilt-legged fly) *'' Taeniaptera lasciva'' (Fabri ...

'' Macquart, 1835 *'' Tenthes''

, 1930 *'' Trepidarioides'' Frey, 1927 *'' Zelatractodes'' Enderlein, 1922