Pipunculidae is a family of flies (Diptera) commonly termed big-headed flies, a reference to the large (holoptic) eyes, which cover nearly the entire head. The family is found worldwide and more than 1300 species have been described.
The larvae of Pipunculidae develop as parasitoids almost exclusively in Auchenorrhyncha, the exception being the genus Nephrocerus, whose hosts are adult Tipulidae (crane flies). The larvae develop rapidly within the crane flies before pupating in the soil. In all pipunculids there are only two larval stages. Some species are used as biological control agents in rice fields.
Evolution Molecular analysis show that Pipunculidae appeared in the Maastrichtian age of the Cretaceous. The oldest fossils of this group were found in the Eocene formations. North American Metanephrocerus belgardeae and Priabona florissantius were collected from the Ypresian and Priabonian deposits, respectively. Younger specimens of Pipunculidae were discovered in the Miocene Dominican amber.
Taxonomy Taxonomy as shown at the Tree of life,Pipunculidae at the Tree of life with modification based on Kehlmaier, Dierick and Skevington (2014). The name Pipunculidae is derived from the type genus Pipunculus which is thought to be derived from Latin pepo for pumpkin, thus pipunculus would mean "little pumpkin", referring to the large heads.
Subfamily Chalarinae Genus Chalarus Walker, 1834 Genus Jassidophaga Aczél, 1939 Genus Protoverrallia Aczél, 1948 Baltic amber Eocene (Priabonian) Genus Verrallia Mik, 1899 Subfamily Nephrocerinae Tribe Nephrocerini Genus Nephrocerus Zetterstedt, 1838 Tribe incertae sedis Genus Priabona Archibald, Kehlmaier & Mathewes, 2014 Florissant Formation, Eocene (Priabonian) Subfamily Protonephrocerinae Genus Protonephrocerus Collin, 1931 Genus Metanephrocerus Carpenter & Hull, 1939 Klondike Mountain Formation, Washington, Eocene (Ypresian) Baltic amber Eocene (Priabonian) Subfamily Pipunculinae Tribe Cephalopsini Genus Cephalops Fallén, 1810 Genus Cephalosphaera Enderlein, 1936 Tribe Microcephalopsini Genus Collinias Aczél, 1940 Genus Microcephalops De Meyer, 1989 Tribe Eudorylini Genus Allomethus Hardy, 1943 Genus Amazunculus Rafael, 1986 Genus Basileunculus Rafael, 1987 Genus Claraeola Aczél, 1940 Genus Clistoabdominalis Skevington, 2001 Genus Dasydorylas Skevington, 2001 Genus Elmohardyia Rafael, 1987 Genus Eudorylas Aczél, 1940 Tribe Tomosvaryellini Genus Dorylomorpha Aczél, 1939 Genus Tomosvaryella Aczél, 1939 Tribe Pipunculini Genus Pipunculus Latreille, 1802
Gallery
See also List of Pipunculidae species of Great Britain
References
External links
Kehlmaier on Pipunculidae Dedicated site Scientific paper on Pipunculidae with structural diagrams Images at BugGuide Gallery at Diptera.info Family Pipunculidae at EOL Image Gallery West Palaearctic including Russia Nearctic Japan World list