Mydidae

Belongs within: Asiloidea.

The Mydidae, mydas flies, are a group of predatory flies with a characteristic clubbed second antennal flagellomere. The Neotropical species Mydas heros is one of the world’s largest flies (Colless & McAlpine 1991). The genus Rhaphiomidas, found in southwestern North America, differs from other mydids in several features including the possession of an elongate proboscis, several times longer than the head (Woodley 2009).

Characters (from Wilcox 1981): Medium to very large flies, 9-60 mm long, usually sparsely pilose, and without bristles except on legs. Second flagellomere of antenna clubbe. Abdomen long, cylindrical, and slightly tapered apically in male, but usually widest at segment 4 in female. Hindleg much longer and stronger than midleg and foreleg; hind femur usually swollen, with ventral spines; hind tibia with apical spur or bristles. Wing long, narrow to wide; most veins ending in upper margin before apex.

<==Mydidae [Mydaidae]
    |--AnomalomydasCM91 [AnomalomydinaeW81]
    |--ApiophorinaeW81
    |--CacatuopyginaeW81
    |--RhopalinaeW81
    |--Syllegomydas [Syllegomydinae]W81
    |    `--S. daltoniW81
    |--LeptomydinaeW09
    |    |--Pseudonomoneura hirtaW81
    |    `--NemomydasW81
    |         |--N. melanopogonW81
    |         `--N. pantherinusW09
    |--EctyphinaeW81
    |    |--Ectyphus armipesW81
    |    |--Heteromydas bicolorW81
    |    `--OpomydasW81
    |         |--O. limbatusW81
    |         `--O. townsendiW09
    |--Diochlistus Gerstaecker 1868P50 [DiochlistinaeW81]
    |    |--D. analogus Paramonov 1950P50
    |    |--D. apollinosus Paramonov 1950P50
    |    |--D. auripennis Westwood 1835 [incl. Mydas fulvipennis Macq. 1849]P50
    |    |--D. gracilis Macq. 1847 (see below for synonymy)P50
    |    |--D. hackeri Paramonov 1950P50
    |    |--D. melleipennis Westw. 1848 [incl. D. claviger Walk. 1848, D. effractus Walk. 1857, D. flavipes Thoms. 1868]P50
    |    |--D. mitis Gerst. 1868P50
    |    |--D. neogracilis Hardy 1948P50
    |    |--D. nicholsoni Mackerras 1928P50
    |    `--D. tenebrosus Paramonov 1950P50
    `--MydinaeW09
         |--Phyllomydas curraniW81
         |--MessiasiaW81
         |    |--M. decorW09
         |    |--M. perpolitaW09
         |    `--M. pertenuisW81
         `--Mydas [incl. Gauromydas, Protomydas, Stratiomydas]W09
              |--M. basifasciaO98
              |--M. bitaeniatus [=Stratiomydas bitaeniatus]W09
              |--M. clavatusW09
              |--M. filataG20
              |--M. fruhstorferiO98
              |--M. herosW09
              |--M. illucensL02
              |--M. rubidapex [=Protomydas rubidapex]W09
              `--M. rufiventris [=Stratiomydas rufiventris]W09
Mydidae incertae sedis:
  DolichogasterP50
  TriclonusP50
  HarmophanaP50
  MitrodetusW81
    |--M. dentitarsusW81
    `--M. microglossaW81
  Midacritus kuscheliW81
  Miltinus Gerst. 1868P50
    |--M. atripes Paramonov 1950P50
    |--M. australicus Paramonov 1950P50
    |--M. cardinalis Gerst. 1868P50
    |--M. commoni Paramonov 1950P50
    |--M. dentipennis Mackerras 1928P50
    |--M. mackerrasi Norr. 1937P50
    |--M. maculipennis Westw. 1841P50
    |--M. minutus Mackerras 1928P50
    |--M. musgravei Mackerras 1928 [incl. M. concinnus Macq. 1846 (n. d.)]P50
    |--M. norrisi Paramonov 1950P50
    |--M. parviduatus Paramonov 1950P50
    |--M. rieki Paramonov 1950P50
    |--M. sordidus Westw. 1848 [incl. M. limpidipennis Westw. 1848]P50
    |--M. stenogaster Westw. 1841 [incl. M. bicolor Westw. 1841, M. haemorrhous Gerst. 1868]P50
    |--M. tenuis Mackerras 1928P50
    `--M. viduatus Westw. 1835 [incl. M. signatus Walk. 1857, M. varipes Macq. 1849]P50
  Rhaphiomidas Osten-Sacken 1874W09, P53 [=RhaphiomydasP53; incl. Apomidas Coquillett 1892P53, ApomydasP53]
    |--R. actonW09
    |--R. episcopusW09
    |--R. terminatusP81
    `--R. xanthosW09

Diochlistus gracilis Macq. 1847 [incl. D. bispinifer Westw. 1848, D. clavatus Macq. 1849, D. clavata, D. macquarti Schin. 1868]^P50

*Type species of generic name indicated

References

[CM91] Colless, D. H., & D. K. McAlpine. 1991. Diptera (flies). In: CSIRO. The Insects of Australia: A textbook for students and research workers 2^nd ed. vol. 2 pp. 717–786. Melbourne University Press: Carlton (Victoria).

[G20] Goldfuss, G. A. 1820. Handbuch der Naturgeschichte vol. 3. Handbuch der Zoologie pt 1. Johann Leonhard Schrag: Nürnberg.

[L02] Latreille, P. A. 1802. Histoire Naturelle, générale et particulière des crustacés et des insectes vol. 3. Familles naturelles des genres. F. Dufart: Paris.

[O98] Oosterbroek, P. 1998. The Families of Diptera of the Malay Archipelago. Brill: Leiden.

[P50] Paramonov, S. J. 1950. A review of the Australian Mydaidae (Diptera). CSIRO Bulletin 255: 1–32.

[P53] Paramonov, S. J. 1953. A review of Australian Apioceridae (Diptera). Australian Journal of Zoology 1 (3): 449–536.

[P81] Peterson, B. V. 1981. Apioceridae. In: McAlpine, J. F., B. V. Peterson, G. E. Shewell, H. J. Teskey, J. R. Vockeroth & D. S. Wood (eds) Manual of Nearctic Diptera vol. 1 pp. 541–548. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada.

[W81] Wilcox, J. 1981. Mydidae. In: McAlpine, J. F., B. V. Peterson, G. E. Shewell, H. J. Teskey, J. R. Vockeroth & D. S. Wood (eds) Manual of Nearctic Diptera vol. 1 pp. 533–540. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada.

[W09] Woodley, N. E. 2009. Mydidae (mydas flies). In: Brown, B. V., A. Borkent, J. M. Cumming, D. M. Wood, N. E. Woodley & M. A. Zumbado (eds) Manual of Central American Diptera vol. 1 pp. 579–583. NRC Research Press: Ottawa.