Heleomyzidae

The Heleomyzidae is a small family of true flies in the insect order Diptera. Over 740 described species of Heleomyzidae occur in about 76 genera^[1] distributed throughout the world.

Heleomyzidae
Suillia sp.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Section:	Schizophora
Subsection:	Acalyptratae
Superfamily:	Sphaeroceroidea
Family:	Heleomyzidae Westwood, 1840
Subfamilies
Borboropsinae Chiropteromyzinae Cinderellinae Cnemospathidinae Diaciinae Heleomyzinae Heteromyzinae Rhinotorinae Suilliinae Tapeigastrinae Trixoscelidinae
Diversity
At least 80 genera

Mating behaviour of Suillia cf. bicolor on fungus

Tephrochlamys

Eccoptomera longiseta

Description

Heleomyzids are small to medium-sized flies which vary in colour from yellow to reddish yellow or reddish brown to black. The wings often have small but distinctly longer, well-spaced spines mixed with the shorter spines along the leading edge and the crossveins are often clouded.

Taxonomy

See also: List of Heleomyzidae genera

Over 740 described species of Heleomyzidae occur in about 76 genera^[1] and 22 tribes distributed throughout the world; the greatest number occur in the Holarctic region. Around 100 species of Heleomyzidae are found in North America. Most of the subfamilies have been commonly recognized as families in the past, but are now included within the Heleomyzidae.^[2] The composition and monophyly of the family continues to be controversial. McAlpine^[3] recently combined Heleomyzidae and Sphaeroceridae into Heteromyzidae, but this arrangement has not been widely accepted.

Ecology

Adults of Borboroides and Heleomicra are attracted to carcasses and faeces. Larvae feed on decaying plant and animal matter, mushrooms, and various fungi. The larvae of the Holarctic Suilliinae and Tapeigaster occur principally in fungi. Larvae of Cairnsimyia live in borer tunnels in trees.