''Tachydromia'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...
of
hybotid 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 hindwing ...
. It is widespread around the world, with species found essentially everywhere except the
polar region
The polar regions, also called the frigid zones or polar zones, of Earth are the regions of the planet that surround its geographical poles (the North and South Poles), lying within the polar circles. These high latitudes are dominated by flo ...
s and some remote islands. They are not very diverse in
East
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fa ...
and
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
,
or in Africa
[Shamshev, I. & Grootaert, P. 2010. The genus ''Tachydromia'' Meigen (Diptera: Hybotidae) from the Afrotropics. '']African Invertebrates
''African Invertebrates'' is a peer-reviewed open access scientific journal that covers the Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, systematics, biogeography, ecology, Conservation biology, conservation, and paleontology, palaeontology of Afrotropical realm ...
'' 51 (1): 207-218.
Description
''Tachydromia'' are minute, slender flies of shining jet-black color, that are almost devoid of hairs and bristles.
The globular head bears large eyes with large facets. Three ocelli are present. The two-jointed antennae are short. The vertical, rigid proboscis is shorter than the head.
The thorax is longer than broad. The slender legs bear microscopic hairs, but no bristles. The front femora are somewhat thickened. The males of some species have small spines on the middle femora or tibiae beneath.
The wings are narrow, with the costa ending at the fourth vein and sometimes thickened beyond the insertion of t