Ropalomeridae

Ropalomeridae
figure 3
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Superfamily: Sciomyzoidea
Family: Ropalomeridae [1]
Linder, 1930 [2]
Synonyms

Rhopalomeridae

Ropalomeridae is a family of acalyptrate flies.[1]

Description

Ropalomeridae are robust flies of 6–12 millimetres (0.24–0.47 in) body length, with a superficial resemblance to Sarcophagidae in terms of body colour. The hind femora, especially the hind femur are conspicuously enlarged and the hind tibia often laterally flattened and broadened and with broad excavated frons.[3]

Biology

The biology of ropalomerid flies is little known, although they are thought to associated with rotting wood.[2]

Classification

Ropalomeridae currently comprises 29 species distributed in eight genera. Ropalomera is by far the largest genus of the family, with 15 known species.[3]

Distribution

Ropalomeridae are predominantly Neotropical, found from the southern United States to northern Argentina, with a single species (Rhytidops floridensis) known from the Nearctic region. Most species occur in the central portion of South America.[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Brake, Irina (5 December 2011). "Ropalomeridae". The Diptera Site. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ibáñez-Bernal, Sergio; Hernández-Ortiz, Vicente (2010). "76". In Brown, B.V., Borkent, A., Cumming, J.M., Wood, D.M., Woodley, N.E., and Zumbado, M. Manual of Central American Diptera. (Print) 2. Ottawa, Canada: NRC Research Press. pp. 1025–1030. ISBN 0-660-19958-0.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kirst, Frederico Dutra; Ale-Rocha, Rosaly (2012). "Taxonomic revision of the Amazonian species of Ropalomera Wiedemann, 1824 (Diptera: Ropalomeridae)" (PDF excerpt). Zootaxa 3151: 1–27.

External links