DIPTERA | True Flies

BRACHYCERA (Higher Diptera)

This is the more advanced Diptera suborder, which includes 84 families separated into various clades or unranked divisions, infraorders and superfamilies. The primary distinguishing characteristic is that unlike the Nematocera species that have long segmented antennae, all the Brachyceran flies have reduced antennal segments, as the flagella are fused together with the remaining diminutive segments forming a stumpy style or bristle-like arista. Whereas NEMATOCERA means ‘thread-horns’, BRACHYCERA means ‘shortened-horns’.

The following listing provides a personal reference document of all the species I've seen and have managed to photograph but, whereas the thumbnail images for most of the species in other orders link to a dedicated 'species account', there are simply too many individual Diptera species, so the arrangement here is different. Clicking any of the thumbnail images below will take you to a common 'family account' page, which includes a bit of basic information together with photos of each species. The details generally relate to the family as a whole but, for some species, there are extra notes with features to assist identification.

LOWER BRACHCERA

An unranked division of 11 families that are currently separated into five superfamilies and four infraorders, which together form what is almost certainly the most well-covered group of families. With the exception of the Syrphidae (Hoverfly) species that are equally well documented, all of my 'family accounts' in the other divisions quote 'general characters' as supportive information is sparse. That's certainly not the case with these families as they are all extensively covered within the excellent, and highly recommended, illustrated identification guide entitled 'British Soldierflies and their Allies' by Alan Stubbs and Martin Drake. The group is unusual in that all of the species have a recognised common name. Although I have a long way to go with DIPTERA species in general, I have photographed at least one species in each of the 6 major families of this division. The remaining 5 families are all very small with only two or three members so may not feature even in the future.

Lower Brachycera

Rhagionidae (Snipeflies)

Chrysopilus asilliformis

Little Snipefly

Chrysopilus cristatus

Black Snipefly

Rhagio scolopaceus

Downlooker Snipefly

Rhagio tringarius

Marsh Snipefly

Tabanidae (Horseflies)

Atylotus latistriatus

Saltmarsh Horsefly

Tabanus bromius

Band-eyed Brown Horsefly

Stratiomyidae (Soldierflies)

Beris geniculata

Long-horned Black Legionnaire

Chloromyia formosa

Broad Centurion

Bombyliidae (Bee-flies)

Bombylius discolor

Dotted Bee-fly

Bombylius major

Dark-edged Bee-fly

Bombylius minor

Heath Bee-fly

Villa cingulata

Downland Villa

Therevidae (Stiletto-flies)

Thereva nobilitata

Common Stiletto

Thereva plebeja

Crochet-hooked Stiletto

Asilidae (Robberflies)

Aisles craboniformis

Hornet Robberfly

Machimus atricapillus

Kite-tailed Robberfly

Machimus cingulatus

Brown Heath Robberfly

Dioctria rufipes

Common Red-legged Robberfly

EREMONEURA

An intermediate unranked clade of BRACHYCERA that in some classification systems includes the superfamily Empidoidea as well as the Cyclorrhapha (see below), which was once regarded as a third suborder. Current taxonomy lists 5 families that were traditionally referred to as the ‘Dolis and Empids’, the ‘Dolis’ for the Long-legged Flies of the Dolichopodidae family, and the ‘Empids’ for the Dance-flies that were all formally within Empididae, which is now split into separate families.

Eremoneura

Dioctria baumhaueri

Stripe-legged Robberfly

Hybotidae (Dance-flies)

Bicellaria sp.

Platypalpus sp.

Empididae (Dagger-flies)

Empis livida

Empis trigramma

Empis lutea

Empis pennipes

Empis tessalata

Hilara cf.maura

Dolichopodidae (Long-legged Flies)

unidentified species

Dolichopus sp.

Dolichopus cf.griseipennis

Dolichopus cf.ungulatus

Aschiza

MUSCOMORPHA

The largest division of BRACHYCERA; an infraorder that in most current classification systems is being used to replace Cyclorrhapha. Although, to all intents and purposes the two terms are synonymous, it's worth remembering that Cyclorrhapha relates to the manner in which these flies exit their puparium, which is through a special end-cap within a weakened circular seam (cyclor meaning circular, and rhapha meaning seam). Most new adults aid their emergence by inflating part of their face, the ptilinum, which sinks back after they exit to leave a sunken area surrounded by a horseshoe-shaped groove known as the ptilinal suture. All the flies that use this method are known as the Schizophora. Some of the flies that are closer to the LOWER BRACHYCERA lack this ability and thus have no ptilinal suture and are separated into a relatively small subdivision called the Aschiza.

Aschiza

This subdivision includes just 6 families, one of which is Syrphidae. Of all the DIPTERA families, no other group generates more interest, or has a greater following, than Hoverflies, which is why the thumbnail of the representative species below links to a separate dedicated page for all the species I've been fortunate enough to see and photograph.

Medetera cf.diadema

Neurigona quadrifasciata

Poecilobothrus nobilitatus

Phoridae (Scuttleflies)

Phoridae sp.

Lonchopteridae (Spear-winged Flies)

Lonchoptera cf.lutea

Syrphidae (Hoverflies)

Episyrphus balteatus

- representative species -

Acalyptrates

Schizophora

This is the major subdivision of MUSCOMORPHA consisting 62 families that are separated into two further unranked sections, called Acalyptratae and Calyptratae, more commonly known as the Acalyptrates and the Calyptrates.

Acalyptrates

Whilst Schizophora is by far the larger of the two divisions of MUSCOMORPHA, the Acalyptratae is the single largest section of the BRACHYCERA suborder representing no less than 49 families and around 1600 species. Given that the Acalyptrates are such a diverse group of species it's not surprising to note that the families are separated into ten superfamilies. Each of the accompanying 'family accounts' confirms the higher taxonomic structure for that particular family. The Acalyptrate species are defined by their lack calypters are certain other features that characterise the Calyptrates (as explained below).

Micropezidae (Stilt-legged Flies)

Neria cibaria

Psiliidae (Rust Flies)

Psila sp.

Conopidae (Thick-headed Flies)

Conops quadrifasciatus

Myopa pellucida

Myopa sp.

Sicus ferrugineus

Lonchaeidae (Lance Flies)

Lonchaeidae sp.

Ulidiidae (Picture-winged Flies)

Seioptera vibrans

Tephritidae (True Fruit Flies)

Chetostoma curvinerve

Euleia heraclei

Tephritis formosa

Urophora cuspidata

Lauxaniidae (Lauxaniid Flies)

Sapromyza sp.

Sapromyzosoma quadripunctata

Lauxaniidae sp.

Dryomyzidae (Dryomyzid Flies)

Dryomyza anilis

Sciomyzidae (Marsh Flies)

Coremacera marginata

Renocera pallida

Pherbellia dubia

Tetanocera ferruginea

Pherbellia ventralis

Tetanocera cf.fuscinervis

Pherbina coryleti

Trypetoptera punctulata

Sepsiidae (Black Scavenger Flies)

Sepsis cynipsea

Sepsis sp.

Opomyzidae (Opomyzid Flies)

Geomyza tripunctata

Milichiidae (Freeloader Flies)

Milichiidae sp.

Chloropidae (Grass Flies)

Lasiambia sp.

Heleomyzidae (Heleomyzid Flies)

Suillia affinis

Suillia variegata

Tephrochlamys rufiventis

Heleomyzidae sp.

Sphaeroceridae (Lesser Dungflies)

Copromyza equina

Copromyza nigrina

Copromyzinae sp.

Drosophilidae (Small Fruit Flies)

Drosophila melanogaster

Calyptrates

This final section includes flies with usually large and well developed calypters (except in Scathophagidae), often concealing the halteres when viewed from above; a thorax with well-defined greater ampulla; scutum with complete transverse suture and strongly developed posterior calli; and cleft in the second antennal segment. There are 13 families separated into three superfamilies, with Muscoidea and Oestroidea including some of our most familiar species, such as the Common Dungfly, Housefly, Bluebottles and Greenbottles.

Scathophagidae (Dungflies)