Stratiomyoidea is a
superfamily 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 ...
(order Diptera).
The antennae have a primitive structure. A characteristic morphological characteristic of one family,
Pantophthalmidae, is the size of the body: this family includes some species that are among the largest Diptera, reaching wingspans of up to 10 cm.
Stratiomyoidea larvae live in aquatic or terrestrial habitats and are mostly
scavenger
Scavengers are animals that consume Corpse decomposition, dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While scavenging generally refers to carnivores feeding on carrion, it is also a he ...
s that feed on organic material.
These flies can be easily distinguished as adults by the following characters: radial veins grouped together anteriorly, ending before tip of the wing; costal vein, usually ending well before wing apex and discal cell.
References
Diptera superfamilies
Taxa named by Friedrich Georg Hendel
{{Stratiomyomorpha-stub