Diptera
Two pairs of wings. Halteres. Mobile head. Large, compound eyes. Piercing and sucking mouthparts. Complete metamorphosis.
Greek: di- = two, ptera = wings.
Suborder Nematocera
Long, thin, finely-jointed antennae. Male mosquitoes have plumose antennae. Elongated bodies. Pupae are orthorrhaphous (adults emerge through a straight, longitudinal seam in dorsal surface of the pupal cuticle). Larvae mostly aquatic; some are soil dwelling or fungivores.
Greek: nemato = thread, cera = horn (in reference to their long, thin antennae).
Infraorder Tipulomorpha
Slender body. Long, stilt-like legs. V-shaped suture on back of thorax. Two complete anal veins (A1, A2) that reach the wing margin.Short antennae.
Family Trichoceridae (winter crane flies)
Family Tanyderidae (primitive crane flies)
Family Ptychopteridae (phantom crane flies)
Infraorder Psychodomorpha
Rounded wings with hair along the veins.
Family Psychodidae (moth and sand flies)
Infraorder Culicomorpha
Long proboscis. Hump-backed thorax. Scales on wing veins. Many are blood feeders. Most lay eggs on water. Important vectors of disease.
Family Dixidae (dixid midges)
Family Chaoboridae (phantom midges)
Family Culicidae (mosquitoes)
Infraorder Bibionomorpha
Most larvae are saprophagous or fungivores.
Family Bibionidae (March flies)
Family Mycetophilidae (fungus gnats)
Family Sciaridae (dark-winged fungus gnats)
Family Scatopsidae (minute black scavenger flies)
Family Cecidomyiidae (gall gnats)
Suborder Brachycera
Reduction or fusion of antennal segments to 8 or less. Larvae with modified heads and mouthparts.
Greek: brachy = short, cera = horn (in reference to their short antennae).
Infraorder Stratiomyomorpha
Family Stratiomydidae (soldier flies)
Family Tabanidae (horse and deer flies)
Infraorder Rhagionomorpha
Family Rhagionidae (snipe flies)
Family Acroceridae (small-headed flies)
Family Therevidae (stilleto flies)
Family Apioceridae (flower-loving flies)
Family Scenopinidae (window flies)
Family Asilidae (robber flies)
Family Mydidae (Mydas flies)
Family Bombyliidae (bee flies)
Infraorder Empioidea (sometimes grouped under Asilomorpha)
Family Empididae (dance flies)
Family Dolichopodidae (long-legged flies)
Infraorder Cyclorrhapha
Ptilinum. Three-segmented antennae, last segment with an arista or style.
Latin/Greek: circular-seamed flies (in reference to the ptilinum).
Family Phoridae (humpbacked flies)
Family Pipunculidae (big-headed flies)
Family Syrphidae (syrphid flies)
Family Conipidae (thick-headed flies)
Section Schizophora
Ptilinum.
Latin: schiz- = split, -phora = bearers; in reference to the ptilinal or frontal suture (see Ptilinum).
Family Otitidae (picture-winged flies)
Family Tephritidae (fruit flies)
Family Sepsidae (black scavenger flies)
Family Sciomyzidae (marsh flies)
Family Clusiidae (clusiid flies)
Family Chyromyidae (chyromyid flies)
Family Sphaeroceridae (small dung flies)
Family Cryptochetidae (cryptochetid flies)
Family Chloropidae (frit flies)
Family Agromyzidae (leaf miner flies)
Family Ephydridae (shore flies)
Family Drosophilidae (pomace flies)
Family Hippoboscidae (louse flies)
Family Nycteribiidae (bat flies)
Family Gasterophilidae (horse bot flies)
Family Oestridae (bot and warble flies)
Family Anthomyiidae (anthomyiid flies)
Family Muscidae (muscid flies)
Family Tachinidae (tachinid flies)
Family Calliphoridae (blow flies)
Family Sarcophagidae (flesh flies)
