The Lauxaniidae are a family of acalyptrate flies. They generally are small flies (length 7 mm or less) with large compound eyes that often are brightly coloured in life, sometimes with characteristic horizontal stripes, such as in Cestrotus species. Many species have variegated patterns on their wings, but in contrast they generally do not have variegated bodies, except for genera such as Cestrotus, whose camouflage mimics lichens or the texture of granitic rocks.
Some 1800 species of Lauxaniidae have been described and they comprise some 126 genera. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, most of the species occurring in tropical regions of Asia and the Americas; relatively few species occur in Afrotropical regions, and Lauxaniid species diversity declines strongly towards the more temperate regions; for example fewer than 200 European species have been described. Most species inhabit forests, where the adults usually are found sitting on leaves of the understory. They are far less common in open country, such as grassland habitats.
Description For terms, see Morphology of Diptera Lauxaniidae are small flies (2–7 mm in length). They are often rather plump, dull, or partly lustrous flies. The body colour varies from yellow to brown or black, or with a combination of these colours. The head varies in shape, with the face potentially projecting or retreating, and may be convex, flat, or concave, often lacking oral vibrissae (though sometimes poorly developed or occasionally featuring strong bristles near the vibrissal angle). The postvertical bristles converge, though in rare cases they may be parallel. The frons is broad, with two pairs of frontal bristles; the upper pair is always reclinate, while the lower pair may sometimes be decussate. Interfrontal bristles are absent. Ocellar bristles may be present or minute. The antennae vary, and the arista is plumose, ranging from pubescent to bare. The thorax features bristles, at least behind the suture, and the scutellum is usually bare except for marginal bristles. Propleural bristles may be present or absent, and one or two sternopleural bristles are observed. All tibiae have a preapical bristle. The wings may be marked or unmarked (with some species showing spots along the veins). Wing venation is complete, the costa is continuous, and the subcosta is entire, ending in the costa. The second basal and anal cells are short, and the apical cell is usually widely open. The abdomen is oval, though it may be elongated in rare cases.
Biology
The larvae are mostly saprophagous, feeding in leaf litter, soil, bird nests, etc. Larvae of some mine fallen leaves, others live in rotten wood, and some cause deformation of the flowers and pistils of violets.
Genera
Afrominettia Stuckenberg, 1971 Agriphoneura Hendel, 1925 Allogriphoneura Hendel, 1926 Allominettia Hendel, 1925 Amblada Walker 1860 Arnomyia Malloch, 1925 Asilostoma Hendel, 1925 Aulogastromyia Hendel, 1925 Baliopteridion Papp & Silva, 1995 Calliopum Strand, 1928 Camptoprosopella Hendel, 1907 Cestrotus Loew, 1862SHI LI (China), DING YANG (China) & STEPHEN D. GAIMARI (USA). Species of the genus Cestrotus Loew from China (Diptera: Lauxaniidae) Zootaxa 2009: 41-68 (11 Feb. 2009) ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition Choryeuromyia Gaimari & Silva, 2010 Cnemacantha Macquart, 1835 Deceia Malloch, 1923 Deutominettia Hendel, 1925 Elipolambda Gaimari & Silva, 2020 Eurychoromyia Hendel, 1910 Euryhendelimyia Gaimari & Silva, 2010 Eurystratiomyia Gaimari & Silva, 2010 Eusapromyza Malloch, 1923 Exalla Gaimari, 2011 Gauzania Walker, 1856 Gibbolauxania Papp & Silva, 1995 Griphoneura Schiner, 1868 Griphoneuromima Gaimari & Silva, 2020 Hirtodeceia Shewell, 1986 Homoneura Wulp, 1891 Lauxania Latreille, 1804 Luzonomyza Malloch, 1925 Mallochomyza Hendel, 1925 Marmarodeceia Shewell, 1986 Meiosimyza Hendel, 1925 Melanomyza Malloch, 1923 Meraina Gaimari & Silva, 2020 Minettia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 Minilauxania Papp & Silva, 1995 Mycterella Kertész, 1912 Myzaprosa Gaimari & Silva, 2020 Neodeceia Malloch, 1924 Neogeomyza Séguy, 1938 Neogriphoneura Malloch, 1924 Neoparoecus Özdikmen & Merz, 2006 Oncodometopus Shewell, 1986 Pachycerina Macquart, 1835 Pachyopella Shewell, 1986 Paracestrotus Hendel, 1925 Paradeceia Gaimari & Silva, 2020 Paranomina Hendel, 1907 Parapachycerina Stuckenberg, 1971 Peplominettia Szilády, 1943 Peplomyza Haliday, 1837 Physegeniopsis Gaimari & Silva, 2010 Physegenua Macquart, 1848 Physoclypeus Hendel, 1907 Poecilohetaerella Tonnoir & Malloch, 1926 Poecilolycia Shewell, 1986 Poecilominettia Hendel, 1932 Prosopomyia Loew, 1856 Pseudocalliope Malloch, 1928 Pseudodeceia Gaimari & Silva, 2020 Pseudominettia Papp & Silva, 1995 Roryeuchomyia Gaimari & Silva, 2010 Sapromyza Fallén, 1810 Sapromyzosoma Lioy, 1864 Sciasminettia Shewell, 1986 Sericominettia Gaimari & Silva, 2020 Steganolauxania Frey, 1918 Stenolauxania Malloch, 1926 Tauridion Papp & Silva, 1995 Tricholauxania Hendel, 1925 Trigonometopus Macquart, 1835 Trisapromyza Shewell, 1986 Trivialia Malloch, 1923 Trypetisoma Malloch, 1924 Wawu Evenhuis 1989 Xangelina Walker 1856 Xeniconeura Shewell, 1986 Xenochaetina Malloch, 1923 Xenopterella Malloch, 1926 Zamyprosa Gaimari & Silva, 2020 Zargopsinettia Gaimari & Silva, 2020
Gallery
References
Further reading Evenhuis, N.L., and T. Okadome. 1989. Family Lauxaniidae, pp 576–589. In Evenhuis, N.L. (ed.), Catalog of the Diptera of the Australasian and Oceanian Regions. E.J. Brill, Leiden. 1155 pp.
Identification Czerny. 1932. Lauxaniidae.In: Lindner, E. (Ed.). Die Fliegen der Paläarktischen Region, 5, 50, 1-76. Keys to Palaearctic species but now needs revision (in German). Papp, L. 1978a Contribution to the revision of Palaearctic Lauxaniidae (Diptera). Annales historico naturales Musei nationalis Hungarici 70: 213–231. Papp, L. 1984. Lauxaniidae (Diptera), new Palaearctic species and taxonomic notes. Acta Zoologica Hungarica 30: 157–179. Papp, L. & Shatalkin, A.I., 1998 Family Lauxaniidae. In: Papp, L. & Darvas, B. (Eds.), Contributions to a Manual of Palaearctic Diptera. Volume 3, Higher Brachycera. Science Herald Publishers, Budapest, pp. 383–400 Séguy, E. (1934) Diptères: Brachycères. II. Muscidae acalypterae, Scatophagidae. Paris: Éditions Faune de France 28. virtuelle numérique Shatalkin, A.I. 2000. Keys to the Palaearctic flies of the family Lauxaniidae (Diptera). Zoologicheskie Issledovania 5: 1–102. Shtakel'berg, A.A. Family Lauxaniidae in Bei-Bienko, G. Ya, 1988 Keys to the insects of the European Part of the USSR Volume 5 (Diptera) Part 2 English edition.Keys to Palaearctic species but now needs revision .
Species lists Palaearctic Australasian/Oceanian Nearctic Japan World species
External links
Family Lauxaniidae at EOL image gallery Diptera.info image gallery BugGuide image gallery Lauxaniidae of Fiji Many images of types. Family descriptions Wing venation