Fanniidae

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Fanniidae

Fannia canicularis

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Suborder:	Brachycera
Section:	Schizophora
Subsection:	Calyptratae
Superfamily:	Muscoidea
Family:	Fanniidae

Genera

Euryomma
Fannia
Piezura

The Fanniidae are a small (285 species in 4 genera) group of true flies largely confined to the Holarctic and temperate Neotropical regions.

There are 11 Afrotropical species, 29 Oriental, and 14 Australasian. See Biogeographic Regions.

Adults are medium-sized to small and usually have mainly dark body and leg colour. Males congregate in characteristic dancing swarms beneath trees; females are more retiring in habit. Larvae are characterised by their flattened bodies with striking lateral protuberances, and live as scavengers in various kinds of decaying organic matter.

Lesser housefly Fannia canicularis picture [1] This is a worldwide synanthropic species.Other features are shown in this picture [2]

Fannidae are indicators useful to forensic entomologists.Here is a picture of a muscoid fly maggot of the genus Fannia collected from a homicide victim during a murder investigation in northeastern Ohio [3]

1 Identifying characteristics for the family Fanniidae
2 Identification
3 Species lists
4 Other
5 External links

[edit] Identifying characteristics for the family Fanniidae

The Fanniidae were once a sub-family of Muscidae from which they may be distinguished by:

A (strictly)dorsal bristle on the hind tibia below the middle and in addition to the dorsal preapical; axillary vein strongly curved towards the wingtip so as if extended the axillary and anal veins would meet before reaching the wing tip; in males middle tibia with erect pubescence beneath; in females frontalia without crossed bristles, frontal orbits broad, convex towards median line of frons and with two pairs of strong upper orbital bristles, the anterior pair turned outwards.For a pictorial atlas explaining these terms go to[4] and for images to the Diptera.info site [5]

[edit] Identification

Chillcott, J.G. 1961. A revision of the Nearctic species of Fanniinae (Diptera: Muscidae). Can. Entomol. Suppl. 14, 295 p. Keys to Nearctic genera and species. Excellent figures.
Willi Hennig Muscidae in Erwin Lindner: Die Fliegen der Paläarktischen Region,7 (63b) 1-1110. Out of date. But good keys and figures.
Lyneborg, L. 1970. Taxonomy of European Fannia larvae (Diptera, Fanniidae) Stuttg. Beitr. Naturkd. 215, 28 p.