| Dolichopodidae Temporal range: Cretaceous – Recent |
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|---|---|
| Chrysosoma sp. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Suborder: | Brachycera |
| Infraorder: | Asilomorpha |
| Superfamily: | Empidoidea |
| Family: | Dolichopodidae |
| Subfamilies | |
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| Diversity | |
| About 230 genera, more than 7,000 species | |
| Synonyms | |
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Dolichopidae |
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Dolichopodidae, the long-legged flies, make up a large family of true flies with more than 7,000 described species in about 230 genera distributed worldwide. The genus Dolichopus is the most speciose, with some 600 species. They are generally small flies with large, prominent eyes and a metallic cast to their appearance, though considerable variation is observed. Most have long legs, though some do not. The males often have enlarged genitalia which can be useful for species recognition. The adults are predatory on other small animals.
This family includes the subfamily Microphorinae, formerly placed in Empididae, and briefly considered a separate family.[1]
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Dolichopodidae give visual (as distinct from chemical or other) signals during courtship; many studies have been undertaken of this behavior.[2] The larvae occupy a wide range of habitats, both terrestrial and aquatic, and can be predators or scavengers.
Dolichopodids are well represented in amber deposits throughout the world and the group has clearly been well distributed since the Cretaceous at the latest. Together with the Empididae they are the most advanced members of the Empidoidea. They represent the bulk of Empidoidea diversity, containing more than two-thirds of the known species in their superfamily.
Internal relationships of the Dolichopodidae and their delimitation versus the Empididae are not yet resolved to satisfaction. It is likely that the considerable number of subfamilies is subject to change.[3]