Atelestidae

Atelestidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Suborder: Brachycera
Infraorder: Asilomorpha
Superfamily: Empidoidea
Family: Atelestidae
Genera
  • Acarteroptera
  • Atelestus Walker, 1837
  • Meghyperus
  • Nemedina

Atelestidae is a family of true flies in the superfamily Empidoidea. These four genera were placed in a separate family in 1983.[1] They were formerly either in Platypezidae (which are not even particularly closely related) or considered incertae cedis. But while they are doubtless the most basal of the living Empidoidea, the monophyly of the family is not fully proven.[2] The genus Nemedina seems to represent a most ancient lineage among the entire superfamily, while Meghyperus is probably not monophyletic in its present delimitation, and it is liable to be split up eventually, with some species being placed elsewhere.[3]

Atelestidae are small (2–3 mm) greyish-dusted flies. They have a disjunct distribution, being found in both the Holarctic and southern Neotropical regions (Chile).

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Chvála (1983)
  2. ↑ Moulton & Wiegmann (2007)
  3. ↑ ToL (2007)

References

  • Chvála, M. (1983): The Empidoidea (Diptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark. II. General Part. The families Hybotidae, Atelestidae and Microphoridae. Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica 12: 1–279.
  • Moulton, J. K. & Wiegmann, B. M. (2007): The phylogenetic relationships of flies in the superfamily Empidoidea (Insecta: Diptera). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 43(3): 701-713. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.02.029 PMID 17468014 (HTML abstract)
  • Tree of Life Web Project (ToL) (2007): Atelestidae. Version of 2007-NOV-29. Retrieved 2008-JUL-30.
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