Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
The sole member of this family has in recent times been placed in Bombyliidae, Hilarimorphidae, and Scenopinidae
Explanation of Names
Apystomyiidae Nagatomi & Liu 1994
Numbers
a single species in the family
Identification
Adults:
Head usually not hemispherical, but if so then flagellum without a dorsal arista, vertex not or only slightly concave, ocellar tubercle usually elevated above dorsal level of eyes, eyes usually holoptic in male, eyes bare, hind margin of eye entire, ocelli present, first flagellomere slender, acutely pointed, stylus if present terminal, stylus possibly terminating in a tuft, face relatively short, sometimes hairy, but without a mystax, proboscis short with large fleshy labella, palpus usually small (present and usually large?), hypopharynx not protrusible and adapted for piercing, occiput flat or rounded, occipital fringe next to eye margin, hair of gena not curving forward
Thorax with bristles not strongly developed, pronotum not developed, scutellum with bristles on posterior margin or bare, hairs usually present on anepisternum,
Legs slender with or without bristles, tibiae without medial setae or palpus 2 segmented, almost always with small or large apical tibial bristles, pulvilli present or absent
Wing pictured or hyaline, spurious vein undeveloped, C usually continuing around wing, Rs usually with 3 branches, sometimes with crossvein between R2+3 and R4, R2+3 ending in C near apex of wing, sometimes in R1, R4+5 furcate, branching near wing apex, R5 present, branches of M not curved as above, but if forwardly bent then not ending freely in wing margin, M with 2 free branches, M1 and M2 united beyond pointed apex of cell dm, M1 usually not curved forward in a crossvein-like manner, but if so then joining a furcate R4+5, vein M2 present, base of cell M3 when present pointed, cell dm usually present, cell bm when pointed distally and with 3 corners from which rise M1+2, M3+CuA1, and CuA2, cell dm usually present, but if not, then R4+5, and M1+2 not similarly forked, cell cup elongate, petiolate, closed, or open, usually CuA2 at least 1.5 times longer than apical section of A1, anal lobe enlarged in small species, alula well developed or lacking
Abdomen short, broad, abdominal spiracles located on pleural membrane
Remarks
considered sister to Cyclorrhapha
(1)Print References
Melander, A. L. 1950. Taxonomic notes on some smaller Bombyliidae (Diptera). Pan-Pacif. Ent. 26: 139-156. (
Biodiversity Heritage Library)
