Bombyliidae

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Bombyliidae
Lepidophora lepidocera
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Diptera Suborder: Brachycera Superfamily: Asiloidea Family: Bombyliidae Latreille , 1802
Subfamilies
Anthracinae Antoniinae Bombyliinae Crocidiinae Cythereinae Ecliminae Heterotropinae Lomatiinae Mariobezziinae Oligodraninae Oniromyiinae Phthiriinae Tomomyzinae Toxophorinae Usiinae Xenoprosopinae

Bombyliidae is a large family of flies with hundreds of genera, although their life cycles are not well known. Adults generally feed on nectar and pollen, thus are pollinators of flowers. They superficially resemble bees, thus are commonly called bee flies, and this may offer the adults some protection from predators.

The larval stages are predators or parasitoids of other insect eggs and larvae. The adult females usually deposit eggs in the vicinity of possible hosts, quite often in the burrows of beetles or wasps/solitary bees. Where most often in the insect world parasitoids are highly specific in the host species that they will infect, some bombyliids are opportunistic and will use a variety of hosts.

While bombyliids have a great variety of species, rarely are individuals of any one species abundant, and this is perhaps one of the poorest known families of insects relative to its size. There are at least 4,500 described species, and probably thousands as of yet undescribed.

Species include:

Major bee-fly (Bombylius major)
Williston's bee-fly (Poecilanthrax willistoni)
Alkali bee fly (Heterostylum robustum)

[edit] Genera

Acanthogeron Bezzi, 1925 Acreophthiria Evenhuis, 1986 Acreotrichus Macquart, 1840 Acrophthalmyda Bigot, 1858 Adelidea Macquart, 1840 Adelogenys Hesse, 1938 Aldrichia Coquillett, 1894 Alepidophora Cockerell, 1909 Aleucosia Edwards, 1934 Alomatia Cockerell, 1914 Amictites Hennig, 1966 Amictus Wiedemann, 1817 Amphicosmus Coquillett, 1891 Anastoechus Osten-Sacken, 1877 Anisotamia Macquart, 1840 Anthrax Scopoli, 1763 Antonia Loew, 1856 Antoniaustralia Becker, 1913 Apatomyza Wiedemann, 1820 Aphoebantus Loew, 1872 Apolysis Loew, 1860 Astrophanes Osten Sacken, 1877 Atrichochira Hesse, 1956 Australiphthiria Evenhuis, 1986 Australoechus Greathead, 1995 Balaana Lambkin & Yeates, 2003 Beckerellus Greathead, 1995 Bombomyia Greathead, 1995 Bombylella Greathead, 1995 Bombylisoma Rondani, 1856 Bombylius Linnaeus, 1758 Brachyanax Evenhuis, 1981 Brachydemia Hull, 1973 Bromoglycis Hull, 1971 Brychosoma Hull, 1973 Bryodemina Hull, 1973 Cacoplox Hull, 1970 Caecanthrax Greathead, 1981 Callostoma Macquart, 1840 Callynthrophora Schiner, 1868 Canariellum Strand, 1928 Chalcochiton Loew, 1844 Choristus Walker, 1852 Chrysanthrax Osten Sacken, 1886 Colossoptera Hull, 1973 Comptosia Macquart, 1840 Conomyza Hesse, 1956 Cononedys Hermann, 1907 Conophorina Becker, 1920 Conophorus Meigen, 1803 Corsomyza Wiedemann, 1820 Coryprosopa Hesse, 1956 Crocidium Loew, 1860 Cryomyia Hull, 1973 Cyananthrax Painter, 1959 Cyllenia Latreille, 1802 Cyrtomyia Bigot, 1892 Cytherea Fabricius, 1794 Cyx Evenhuis, 1993 Dasypalpus Macquart, 1840 Desmatomyia Williston, 1895 Desmatoneura Williston, 1895 Deusopora Hull, 1971 Diatropomma Bowden, 1962 Dicranoclista Bezzi, 1924 Diochanthrax Hall, 1975 Dipalta Osten Sacken, 1877 Diplocampta Schiner, 1868 Dischistus Loew, 1855 Docidomyia White, 1916 Doddosia Edwards, 1934 Dolichomyia Wiedemann, 1830 Doliogethys Hesse, 1938 Eclimus Loew, 1844 Edmundiella Becker, 1915 Efflatounia Bezzi, 1925 Enica Macquart, 1834 Epacmoides Hesse, 1956 Epacmus Osten Sacken, 1886 Eremyia Greathead, 1996

Eristalopsis Evenhuis, 1985 Eucessia Coquillett, 1886 Euchariomyia Bigot, 1888 Euprepina Hull, 1971 Eurycarenus Loew, 1860 Euryphthiria Evenhuis, 1986 Eusurbus Roberts, 1929 Exechohypopion Evenhuis, 1991 Exepacmus Coquillett, 1894 Exhyalanthrax Becker, 1916 Exoprosopa Macquart, 1840 Geminaria Coquillett, 1894 Geron Meigen, 1820 Glaesamictus Hennig, 1966 Gnumyia Bezzi, 1921 Gonarthrus Bezzi, 1921 Gyrocraspedum Becker, 1913 Hallidia Hull, 1970 Hemipenthes Loew, 1869 Heteralonia Rondani, 1863 Heterostylum Macquart, 1848 Heterotropus Loew, 1873 Hyperalonia Rondani, 1863 Hyperusia Bezzi, 1921 Inyo Hall & Evenhuis, 1987 Isocnemus Bezzi, 1924 Kapu Lambkin & Yeates, 2003 Karakumia Paramonov, 1927 Laminanthrax Greathead, 1967 Larrpana Lambkin & Yeates, 2003 Laurella Hull, 1971 Legnotomyia Bezzi, 1902 Lepidanthrax Osten Sacken, 1886 Lepidochlanus Hesse, 1938 Lepidophora Westwood, 1835 Ligyra Newman, 1841 Litorhina Bowden, 1975 Lomatia Meigen, 1822 Lordotus Loew, 1863 Macrocondyla Rondani, 1863 Mallophthiria Edwards, 1930 Mancia Coquillett, 1886 Mandella Evenhuis, 1983 Mariobezzia Becker, 1913 Marleyimyia Hesse, 1956 Marmosoma White, 1916 Megapalpus Macquart, 1834 Megaphthiria Hall, 1976 Melanderella Cockerell, 1909 Meomyia Evenhuis, 1983 Metacosmus Coquillett, 1891 Micomitra Bowden, 1964 Munjua Lambkin & Yeates, 2003 Muscatheres Evenhuis, 1986 Muwarna Lambkin & Yeates, 2003 Myonema Roberts, 1929 Neacreotrichus Cockerell, 1917 Nectaropota Philippi, 1865 Neobombylodes Evenhuis, 1978 Neodiplocampta Curran, 1934 Neodischistus Painter, 1933 Neosardus Roberts, 1929 Nomalonia Rondani, 1863 Nothoschistus Bowden, 1985 Notolomatia Greathead, 1998 Oestranthrax Bezzi, 1921 Oestrimyza Hull, 1973 Ogcodocera Macquart, 1840 Oligodranes Loew, 1844 Oncodosia Edwards, 1937 Oniromyia Bezzi, 1921 Othniomyia Hesse, 1938 Pachyanthrax François, 1964 Pachysystropus Cockerell, 1909 Palaeoamictus Meunier, 1916 Palaeogeron Meunier, 1915 Palintonus François, 1964 Palrika Lambkin & Yeates, 2003 Pantarbes Osten Sacken, 1877

Pantostomus Bezzi, 1921 Paracorsomyza Hennig, 1966 Paradiplocampta Hall, 1975 Parachistus Greathead, 1980 Paracosmus Osten Sacken, 1877 Parageron Paramonov, 1929 Paranthrax Bigot, 1876 Parasysteochus Hall, 1976 Paratoxophora Engel, 1936 Paravilla Painter, 1933 Parisus Walker, 1852 Perengueyimyia Bigot, 1886 Petrorossia Bezzi, 1908 Phthiria Meigen, 1803 Pilosia Hull, 1973 Pipunculopsis Bezzi, 1925 Platamomyia Brèthes, 1925 Plesiocera Macquart, 1840 Poecilanthrax Osten Sacken, 1886 Poecilognathus Jaennicke, 1867 Praecytherea Théobald, 1937 Prorachthes Loew, 1868 Prorostoma Hesse, 1956 Prothaplocnemis Bezzi, 1925 Pseudopenthes Roberts, 1928 Pteraulacodes Hesse, 1956 Pteraulax Bezzi, 1921 Pterobates Bezzi, 1921 Pusilla Paramonov, 1954 Pygocona Hull, 1973 Relictiphthiria Evenhuis, 1986 Rhynchanthrax Painter, 1933 Satyramoeba Sack, 1909 Semiramis Becker, 1913 Semistoechus Hall, 1976 Sericosoma Macquart, 1850 Sericothrix Hall, 1976 Sericusia Edwards, 1937 Sinaia Becker, 1916 Sisyromyia White, 1916 Sisyrophanus Karsch, 1886 Sosiomyia Bezzi, 1921 Sparnopolius Loew, 1855 Sphenoidoptera Williston, 1901 Spogostylum Macquart, 1840 Staurostichus Hull, 1973 Stomylomyia Bigot, 1888 Stonyx Osten Sacken, 1886 Synthesia Bezzi, 1921 Systoechus Loew, 1855 Systropus Wiedemann, 1820 Thevenetimyia Bigot, 1875 Thraxan Yeates & Lambkin, 1998 Thyridanthrax Osten Sacken, 1886 Tillyardomyia Tonnoir, 1927 Timiomyia Evenhuis, 1978 Tithonomyia Evenhuis, 1984 Tmemophlebia Evenhuis, 1986 Tomomyza Wiedemann, 1820 Tovlinius Zaitzev, 1979 Toxophora Meigen, 1803 Triplasius Loew, 1855 Triploechus Edwards, 1937 Turkmeniella Paramonov, 1940 Usia Latreille, 1802 Veribubo Evenhuis, 1978 Verrallites Cockerell, 1913 Villa Lioy, 1864 Villoestrus Paramonov, 1931 Walkeromyia Paramonov, 1934 Wurda Lambkin & Yeates, 2003 Xenoprosopa Hesse, 1956 Xenox Evenhuis, 1984 Xerachistus Greathead, 1995 Xeramoeba Hesse, 1956 Ylasoia Speiser, 1920 Zaclava Hull, 1973 Zinnomyia Hesse, 1955 Zyxmyia Bowden, 1960

[edit] References

• Hull, F.M. ,1973. Bee flies of the world. The genera of the family Bombyliidae.Washington (Smithsonian Institution Press) 687 pp. Keys subfamilies, genera (many generic placements superseded by Evenhuis & Greathead, 1999).
• Evenhuis, N.L. 1991.Catalog of genus-group names of bee flies (Diptera: Bombyliidae) Bishop Museum Bulletin of Entomology5: 1–105.
• Evenhuis, N.L. & Greathead, D.J. 1999. World catalog of bee flies (Diptera: Bombyliidae). Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, 756 pp.
• Bowden, J.,1980 Family Bombyliidae. pp. 381–430. In R.W. Crosskey (ed.), Catalogue of the Diptera of the Afrotropical Region, 1437 pp., London: British Museum (Natural History)
• Engel, E.O., 1932-1937. Bombyliidae. In: Die Fliegen der paläarktischen Region 4(3) ( Erwin Lindner, ed.): 1-619, pl. 1-15. E. Schweizerbart, Stuttgart.). Old and outdated, not easy to get and expensive but some of the only keys to taxa in the Palaearctic Region.
• Greathead & Evenhuis (Greathead, D.J., & N.L. Evenhuis, 1997. Family Bombyliidae. In: Contributions to a manual of Palaearctic Diptera Volume 2 (L. Papp & B. Darvas, eds.): 487-512. Science Herald, Budapest.) provide a key to the Palaearctic genera and (may) give references to available generic revisions.

[edit] External links

• Image Gallery from Diptera.info
• Bee flies of North America - diagnostic photographs, natural history
• Bee fly - Lepidophora lepidocera large format photographs, descriptions, natural history
• Bee fly Bombylius major
• Bee fly Aldrichia sp.
• Bee fly - Anthrax sp.
• Bee fly Villa sp.
• BioLib Bombyliidae taxon tree
• Bombyliidae (Bee Flies) by David K. Yeates and Christine L. Lambkin in the Tree of Life web project. Consulted March 28, 2007.