Empidoidea

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Empidoidea
Empis sp.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Diptera Suborder: Brachycera Infraorder: Asilomorpha Superfamily: Empidoidea
Families
Atelestidae Brachystomatidae Dolichopodidae Empididae Hybotidae

The Empidoidea are a large, monophyletic superfamily of flies, the sister taxon to the Muscomorpha (= "Cyclorrhapha"); these two groups together are sometimes given the unranked taxon name "Eremoneura". The most familiar families in the group are the Empididae and Dolichopodidae, both of which occur worldwide and contain thousands of species. The remaining three families were all formerly included in the Empididae, but have since been accorded family status (Sinclair & Cumming, 2006).

The majority of these insects are predatory, often with large eyes (sometimes forming almost the entire surface of the head), and tend to be associated with moist, temperate habitats. Many have a well-developed anal lobe in the wings, and/or a small but distinct anal cell.

[edit] References

Sinclair, B.J., Cumming, J.M. (2006). The morphology, higher-level phylogeny and classification of the Empidoidea (Diptera). Zootaxa 1180: 1-172