The higher-level classification of the insect order Diptera has been subject to frequent revision. Over the past several decades, numerous of names have been proposed, rejected, redefined, or altered in spelling. No consensus exists regarding the appropriate classification for order, reflecting broader challenges to the principles of biological classification. This is particularly evident among Dipteran systematists. Obsolete names continue to appear in both printed and online resource; this article aims to assist readers in identifying them.
In addition, this list also contains names of fossil taxa, which are generally difficult to place within contemporary classifications, because these rely on molecular phylogenetics and do not include fossils evidence.
Family names in Nematocera Families in the list below marked with a plus sign are extinct.
+Ansorgiidae +Antefungivoridae Baenotidae - rank (genus) in Cecidomyiidae +Boholdoyidae Cecidomyidae - misspelling for Cecidomyiidae Cramptonomyiidae - rank in Pachyneuridae +Crosaphididae +Dixamimidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic) rank in Chaoboridae +Elliidae +Gracilitipulidae +Grauvogeliidae +Hennigmatidae Hyperoscelididae - rank in Canthyloscelidae Leptoconopidae - rank in Ceratopogonidae Lestremiidae - rank in Cecidomyiidae +Limnorhyphidae +Luanpingitidae Macroceridae - rank in Keroplatidae +Mesosciophilidae Mycetobiidae - rank in Anisopodidae +Nadipteridae Nemopalpidae - rank in Psychodidae Olbiogastridae - rank in Anisopodidae +Oreodomyiidae Orphnephilidae - rank in Thaumaleidae +Parapleciidae Penthrediidae - rank in Bibionidae Phlebotomidae - rank in Psychodidae +Phragmoligoneuridae - synonym for +Protopliciidae Pleciidae - rank in Bibionidae +Procramptonomyiidae +Protopliciidae +Rhaetomyiidae extinct (Upper Triassic) rank in Chaoboridae Rhyphidae - rank in Anisopodidae +Serendipidae +Siberhyphidae +Sinotendipedidae Synneuridae - rank in Canthyloscelidae +Zhangobiidae
Family names in Brachycera Non-cyclorrhaphan Brachycera Acanthomeridae - rank in Pantophthalmidae +Alinkidae - extinct (Triassic) +Archisargidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic) Coenomyiidae - rank in Xylophagidae Cyrtosiidae - rank in Mythicomyiidae +Eomyiidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic) +Eostratiomyiidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic) +Eremochaetidae - extinct (Cretaceous, Jurassic) Exeretonevridae - rank in Xylophagidae Glutopidae - rank in Pelecorhychidae Heterostomidae - rank in Xylophagidae Microphoridae - rank in Dolichopodidae Mydaidae - misspelling of Mydidae +Palaeostratiomyiidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic) rank in Rhagionidae +Protempididae - extinct (Upper Jurassic) +Protobrachycerontidae - extinct (Lower Jurassic) rank in Vermileonidae +Protocyrtidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic) rank in Heloridae, Hymenoptera - originally misidentified as Diptera +Protomphralidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic) Rachiceridae - rank in Xylophagidae +Rhagionempididae - extinct (Middle Jurassic) Solvidae - rank in Xylomyidae Stratiomyiidae - misspelling for Stratiomyidae Systropodidae - rank in Bombyliidae Usiidae - rank in Bombyliidae
Cyclorrhapha - Aschiza Aenigmatiidae - rank in Phoridae Microdontidae - rank in Syrphidae Sciadoceridae - rank in Phoridae Termitoxeniidae - rank in Phoridae Thaumatoxenidae - rank in Phoridae
Cyclorrhapha - Acalyptratae Borboridae - synonym for Sphaeroceridae Borboropsidae - rank in Heleomyzidae Calobatidae - rank in Micropezidae Campichoetidae - rank in Diastatidae Canaceidae - misspelling of Canacidae Centrioncidae - rank in Diopsidae Chiropteromyzidae - rank in Heleomyzidae Cnemospathidae - rank in Heleomyzidae Cremifaniidae - rank in Chamaemyiidae Cypselidae - synonym for Sphaeroceridae Diopseidae - misspelling of Diopsidae Eurychoromyiidae rank in Lauxaniidae Eurygnathomyidae - rank in Pallopteridae Euxestidae - rank in Ulidiidae Heteromyzidae - rank in Heleomyzidae Mindidae - synonym for Chloropidae Neottiophilidae - rank in Piophilidae Notomyzidae - rank in Heleomyzidae Otitidae - rank in Ulidiidae Phycodromidae - synonym for Coelopidae Proneottiophilidae - rank in Psilidae Pterocallidae - rank in Ulidiidae Rhinotoridae - rank in Heleomyzidae Rhopalomeridae - misspelling of Ropalomeridae Risidae - rank in Ephydridae Sapromyzidae - rank in Lauxaniidae Sepsididae - misspelling of Sepsidae Siphonellopsidae - rank in Chloropidae Stenomicridae - rank in Persicelididae Strongylophthalmidae - misspelling of Strongylophthalmyiidae Strongylophthalmyiidae - rank in Tanypezidae Stylogastridae (or Stylogasteridae) - rank in Conopidae Taeniapteridae - rank in Micropezidae Tetanoceridae - rank in Sciomyzidae Thyreophoridae - rank in Piophilidae Trixoscelididae - rank in Heleomyzidae Trypetidae - rank in Tephritidae Tunisimyiidae - rank in Xenasteiidae Tylidae - rank in Micropezidae
Cyclorrhapha - Calyptratae Acridomyiidae - rank in Anthomyiidae Anthomylidae (or Anthomyidae) - misspelling of Anthomyiidae Axiniidae - rank in Rhinophoridae Cordyluridae - rank in Scathophagidae Cuterebridae - rank in Oestridae Dexiidae - rank in Tachinidae Eginiidae - rank in Muscidae Gastrophilidae - rank in Oestridae Hypodermatidae - rank in Oestridae Leucostomatidae - rank in Sarcophagidae Mesembrinellidae - rank in Calliphoridae Phasiidae - rank in Tachinidae Scatophagidae - misspelling of Scathophagidae; Scatophagidae is a family of fish Stackelbergomyiidae - rank in Tachinidae Villeneuviellidae - rank in Calliphoridae
Higher level invalid names Anthomyiidea - superfamily, now in Muscoidea Asilidea - rank in Asiloidea Bibionidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha Bolitophilidea - invalid superfamily in Bibionomorpha Bombyliidea - rank in Asiloidea Borboridea - rank in family Stratiomyomorpha Braulomorpha - infraorder, now in superfamily Carnoidea Chironomidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha Chloropidea - superfamily, now in Carnoidea Conopidea - rank in Conopoidea Culicidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha Culicimorpha - misspelling? of Culicomorpha Dixidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha Drosophiloidea - superfamily, roughly equivalent to Ephydroidea Empididea - rank in Empidoidea Gastrophilidea - rank in family Oestridae Glossinidea - rank in superfamily Hippoboscoidea Heleomyzidea - superfamily, redistributed to Sphaeroceroidea, Sciomyzoidea and Opomyzoidea Hippoboscidea - rank in superfamily Hippoboscoidea Mesophantasmatidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha Muscidea - rank in superfamily Muscoidea Musidoromorpha - rank in superfamily Platypezoidea Myiomorpha - infraorder, roughly equivalent to Cyclorrhapha Nycteribiomorpha - rank in superfamily Hippoboscoidea Oestridea - rank in superfamily Oestroidea Orphnephilidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha Pachyneuridea - invalid superfamily in Bibionomorpha Phoromorpha - rank in superfamily Platypezoidea Phragmoligoneuridea - extinct rank in infraorder Culicomorpha Platypezidea - rank in superfamily Platypezoidea Psilidea - superfamily, redistributed to Diopsoidea and Nerioidea Pupipara - archaic equivalent of superfamily Hippoboscoidea Rhaetomyiidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha Rhyphidea - rank in infraorder Bibionomorpha Sapromyzidea - superfamily, redistributed between Lauxanioidea and Tephritoidea Sarcophagidea - rank in superfamily Oestroidea Somatiidea - superfamily, now in Diopsoidea Stratiomyidea - synonym for superfamily Stratiomyomorpha Streblomorpha - rank in superfamily Hippoboscoidea Syrphidea - rank in superfamily Syrphoidea Tabanidea - synonym for superfamily Tabanomorpha Tachinidea - rank in superfamily Oestroidea Termitoxeniomorpha - rank in superfamily Platypezoidea Trypetidea - superfamily, now in superfamily Tephritoidea
References
Curtis Williams Sabrosky Family group names in the Diptera and Bibliography downloadable pdf
External links The Diptera Site Congruence and Controversy Phylogeny of Diptera