Catalog of the fossil flies of the world (Insecta: Diptera) (Version 2.0)

By Neal L. Evenhuis


Originally published 29 July 1994 by Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, that printed catalog and its original website recorded over 3,100 species of fossil flies throughout the world. This current web version of that catalog (here completely redesigned and revised in 2014) presents the most up-to-date version of each family chapter of the catalog and will be continually updated as published information becomes available. In order to ensure that the information here is current, please send pdf files of your published articles dealing with fossil Diptera to: NealE [at]bishopmuseum[dot] org. Corrections and additions are welcome.

The list below indicates those families that are currently available for viewing online. The family order and classification used here (i.e., valid taxonomically, and/or what genus belongs in what family) follows the standards for the Systema Dipterorum combined with extinct family classification based in part on Pape et al. (2011) as well as recent papers and previous papers dealing with families not listed in that latter work. Listed below are all the family names of recent and fossil Diptera and links to current (updated) html files (with last revised date in last column -- those in red are the most recent updates) and pdf links to their original chapters in the 1994 catalog. Families that are extinct are indicated by an asterisk (*).

Acknowledgments
Many people have been thanked in the original 1994 catalog and many more have assisted since then to help update family chapters, help procure literature, and point out, ommissions, errors, and/or inconsistencies. There are too many to name individually, but their generous help was essential in getting Version 2.0 of this online catalog posted on the web. Thanks to all!

A short note on phylogenetic classification
The actual phylogenetic classification of families within fossil and extant Diptera has been and will continue to be subject to change as more work is done to better circumscribe family definitions and determine relationships. To avoid frequent changes to this website when revised relationships are discovered -- and also to allow quick searching -- all families are listed here in alphabetical order, with cross reference to senior synonyms if they have been synonymized. The original 1994 catalog followed to a large degree the phylogenetic classification given in Carpenter's 1992 treatise on fossil Diptera genera. Much work has been done in the subsequent decades to improve upon that classification and, as a result, a large number of groups he treated as separate families have been relegated to synonymy under other families, while other taxa have been raised to familial status and new families proposed.

Citation:
Family chapters updated below as html files should be cited as:

Evenhuis, N.L. [year of last revision]. Family [family name ]. In: Catalog of the fossil flies of the world (Insecta: Diptera) website. Available at: http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/fossilcat/[filename].html. Version [last revised date].


Contents:
 
Family     Current 1994 version Last Revised
Introduction         HTML PDF 28 Mar 2006
Fossils and Preservation     HTML PDF 15 Sep 1996
Taphonomy     HTML PDF 15 Sep 1996
Major Workers and Collections     HTML PDF 15 Sep 1996
Localities and Ages:          
      Compression, Impression, and Trace Fossils       PDF 29 Jul 1994
      Copal       PDF 29 Jul 1994
      Amber       PDF 29 Jul 1994
      Permineralization       PDF 29 Jul 1994
References for Localities and Ages       PDF 29 Jul 1994
Catalog Format     HTML PDF 15 Dec 1996
Nomenclatural notes     HTML PDF 15 Dec 1996

CATALOG
Family chapters:
 
Family Species Genera Current 1994 version Last Revised/Notes
Acartophthalmidae 1 1 HTML PDF 20 Jan 2014
Acroceridae 10 10 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Agromyzidae 22 9 HTML PDF 20 Jan 2014
Alinkidae* 1 1 HTML PDF 20 Jan 2014
Anisopodidae 48 19 HTML PDF 9 Feb 2014
Ansorgiidae* 1 1 HTML PDF 20 Jan 2014
Antefungivoridae* 41 9 HTML PDF 20 Jan 2014
Anthomyiidae 3 2 HTML PDF 20 Jan 2014
Anthomyzidae 14 4 HTML PDF 20 Jan 2014
Apioceridae 2 2 HTML - 20 Jan 2014
Apsilocephalidae 5 3 HTML - 2 Apr 2014
Apystomyiidae 6 1 HTML - 2 Apr 2014
Archisargidae* 61 15 HTML - 16 Jan 2017
Archilimoniidae* - - - - see Pediciidae
Architendipedidae* - - - PDF see Ptychopteridae
Architpulidae* - - - - see Limoniidae
Archizelmiridae* 5 4 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Archocyrtidae* 1 1 HTML - 20 Jan 2014
Asilidae 54 31 HTML PDF 17 January 2017
Asiochaoboridae* 4 4 HTML PDF 20 Jan 2014
Asteiidae 5 4 HTML PDF 20 Jan 2014
Atelestidae 11 8 HTML - 14 Feb 2014
Athericidae 14 9 HTML PDF 27 Feb 2014
Aulacigastridae 1 1 HTML PDF 20 Jan 2014
Australimyzidae - - - - no fossils known
Austroleptidae - - - - no fossils known
Axiniidae - - - - see Rhinophoridae
Axymyiidae 7 4 HTML - 9 Feb 2014
Baeonotidae - - - - see Cecidomyiidae
Bengaliidae - - - - see Calliphoridae
Bibionidae 372 9 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Blephariceridae 7 5 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Boholdoyidae* 3 2 HTML PDF 20 Jan 2014
Bolitophilidae 2 1 HTML PDF 20 Jan 2014
Bombyliidae 63 35 HTML PDF 17 January 2017
Borboridae - - - - see Sphaeroceridae
Borboropsidae - - - - see Heleomyzidae
Brachystomatidae 7 5 HTML - 26 Jan 2014
Braulidae - - - - no fossils known
Calliphoridae 4 3 HTML PDF 9 Feb 2014
Calobatidae - - - - see Micropezidae
Camillidae 2 1 HTML PDF 9 Feb 2014
Campichoetidae - - - - see Diastatidae
Canacidae - - HTML - 9 Feb 2014
Canthyloscelididae 2 2 HTML PDF 9 Feb 2014
Carnidae 2 2 HTML PDF 9 Feb 2014
Cecidomyiidae 181 84 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Celyphidae - - - - no fossils known
Ceratopogonidae 298 50 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Chamaemyiidae 1 1 HTML PDF 9 Feb 2014
Chaoboridae 47 20 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Chimeromyiidae* 8 2 HTML - 9 Feb 2014
Chironomidae 287 119 HTML PDF 21 Jun 2002
Chiropteromyzidae - - - - see Heleomyzidae
Chloropidae 7 3 HTML PDF 16 Feb 2014
Chyromyidae 1 1 HTML PDF 12 Feb 2014
Clusiidae 3 2 HTML PDF 12 Feb 2014
Cnemospathidae - - - - see Heleomyzidae
Coelopidae - - - - no fossils known
Coenomyiidae - - - - see Xylophagidae
Conopidae 1 2 HTML PDF 12 Feb 2014
Corethrellidae 9 1 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Cramptonomyiidae - - - - see Pachyneuridae
Cratomyiidae* - - - - see Zhangsolvidae
Cremfaniidae - - - - see Chamaemyiidae
Crosaphididae* 2 1 HTML PDF 12 Feb 2014
Cryptochetidae 1 1 HTML PDF 12 Feb 2014
Ctenostylidae - - - - no fossils known
Culicidae 34 11 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Curtonotidae 3 2 HTML PDF 13 Feb 2014
Cuterebridae - - - - see Oestridae
Cylindrotomidae 15 1 HTML PDF 13 Feb 2014
Cyselidae - - - - see Sphaeroceridae
Cypselosomatidae 2 2 HTML PDF 13 Feb 2014
Cyrtosiidae - - - - see Mythicomyiidae
Deuterophlebiidae - - - - no fossils known
Diadocidiidae 2 2 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Diastatidae 4 1 HTML PDF 13 Feb 2014
Diopsidae 5 2 HTML PDF 13 Feb 2014
Diplopolyneuridae* - - - PDF see Pediciidae
Ditomyiidae 4 3 HTML PDF 13 Feb 2014
Dixamimidae* - - - PDF see Chaoboridae
Dixidae 16 4 HTML PDF 26 Jan 2014
Dolichopodidae 154 60 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Drosophilidae 13 8 HTML PDF 13 Feb 2014
Dryomyzidae 4 3 HTML PDF 13 Feb 2014
Eginiidae - - - - see Muscidae
Elliidae* 4 2 HTML PDF 14 Feb 2014
Empididae 83 25 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Eoditomyiidae* 1 1 HTML - 15 Feb 2014
Eomycetophilidae* - - - - see Paraxymyiidae
Eomyiidae* 1 1 HTML PDF 15 Feb 2014
Eophlebomyiidae* 1 1 HTML PDF 15 Feb 2014
Eopleciidae* 6 6 HTML PDF 15 Feb 2014
Eopolyneuridae* 2 2 HTML PDF 15 Feb 2014
Eoptychopteridae* - - - PDF see Ptychopteridae
Eostratiomyiidae* 1 1 HTML PDF 16 Feb 2014
Ephydridae 7 5 HTML PDF 16 Feb 2014
Eremochaetidae* 14 9 HTML PDF 16 Feb 2014
Eriopteridae - - - - see Limoniidae
Eurychoromyiidae - - - - no fossils known
Eurygnathomyiidae - - - - see Pallopteridae
Euxestiidae - - - - see Ulidiidae
Evocoidae - - - - no fossils known
Exeretonevridae - - - - see Xylophagidae
Fanniidae - - - PDF no fossils known
Fergusoninidae - - - - no fossils known
Gasterophilidae - - - - see Oestridae
Glossinidae 2 1 HTML PDF 16 Feb 2014
Gnomuscidae* 2 1 HTML - 16 Feb 2014
Gobryidae - - - - no fossils known
Gracilituplidae* - - - PDF see Pediciidae
Grauvogeliidae* 4 3 HTML -  
Helcomyzidae - - - - no fossils known
Heleomyzidae 19 11 HTML PDF 27 Feb 2014
Helosciomyzidae - - - - no fossils known
Hennigmatidae* 5 4 HTML -  
Hesperinidae 5 2 HTML -  
Heterocheilidae - - - - no fossils known
Heterorhyphidae* 3 2 HTML -  
Heterostomyzidae - - - - see Heleomyzidae
Heterostomidae - - - - see Xylophagidae
Hilarimorphidae 1 1 HTML -  
Hippoboscidae 2 2 HTML PDF 27 Feb 2014
Hoffeinsmyiidae* 1 1 HTML -  
Homalocnemidae - - - - no fossils known
Huaxiasciaritidae* - - - - see Mycetophildae
Huttoninidae - - - - no fossils known
Hybotidae 59 29 HTML -  
Hyperpolyneuridae* 2 2 HTML -  
Hyperoscelididae - - - - see Canthyloscelididae
Hypodermatidae - - - - see Oestridae
Inbiomyiidae - - - - no fossils known
Ironomyiidae 23 6 HTML - 18 January 2017
Iteaphila group - - - - no fossils known
Keroplatidae 53 18 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Kovalevisargidae* 6 2 HTML -  
Kuperwoodiidae* 1 1 HTML -  
Lauxaniidae 6 3 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Leptoconopidae - - - - see Ceratopogonidae
Lestremiidae - - - - see Cecidomyiidae
Limnorhyphidae* - - - PDF see Perissommatidae
Limoniidae 481 99 HTML PDF 16 Feb 2014
Lonchaeidae 1 1 HTML -  
Lonchopteridae 3 3 HTML PDF 27 Jan 2014
Luanpingitidae* 1 1 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Lygistorrhinidae 2 1 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Macroceridae - - - - see Keroplatidae
Mangasidae* 1 1 HTML -  
Manotidae - - - - see Mycetophilidae
Marginidae - - - - no fossils known
Megamerinidae 1 1 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Mesembrinelliidae - - - - see Calliphoridae
Mesophantasmatidae* 1 1 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Mesosciophilidae* 9 5 HTML PDF 18 Dec 1996
Microdontidae - - - - see Syrphidae
Micropezidae 5 4 HTML PDF 11 May 1997
Microphoridae - - - - see Empididae
Milichiidae 11 4 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Mindidae - - - - see Chloropidae
Mormotomyiidae - - - - no fossils known
Muscidae 7 6 HTML PDF 23 Nov 1996
Musidoromimidae* - - - PDF see Trichoceridae
Mycetobiidae - - - - see Anisopodidae
Mycetophilidae 397 126 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Mydidae 1 1 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Mystacinobiidae - - - - no fossils known
Mythicomyiidae 25 14 HTML - 2 Apr 2014
Nadipteridae * 4 2 HTML -  
Nannodastiidae - - - - no fossils known
Natalimyzidae 1 1 HTML -  
Necromyzidae* - - - - see Keroplatidae
Nemestrinidae 14 9 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Neminidae - - - - no fossils known
Neottiophilidae - - - - see Piophilidae
Neriidae - - - - no fossils known
Neurochaetidae 2 1 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Nothybidae - - - - no fossils known
Notomyzidae - - - - see Heleomyzidae
Nycteribiidae - - - - see Hippoboscidae
Nymphomyiidae 1 1 HTML - 26 Jan 2014
Odiniidae 2 2 HTML PDF 11 May 1997
Oestridae 7 6 HTML PDF 17 Nov 2001
Olbiogastridae - - - - see Anisopodidae
Oligophrynidae* 1 1 HTML -  
Opetiidae 8 7 HTML -  
Opomyzidae 1 1 HTML -  
Orientisargidae* 1 1 HTML -  
Oreogetonidae - - - - no fossils known
Oreoleptidae - - - - no fossils known
Origoasilidae* - - - - see Archisargidae
Otitidae - - - PDF see Ulidiidae
Pachyneuridae 3 2 HTML PDF 12 Feb 2014
Palaeolimnobiidae* - - - - see Pediciidae
Palaeopleciidae* - - - PDF see Protopleciidae
Palaeostratiomyidae* 1 1 HTML -  
Paleophoridae* 1 1 HTML -  
Pallopteridae 5 4 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Pantophthalmidae - - - - no fossils known
Parapleciidae* - - - PDF see Perissommatidae
Paraxymyiidae* 8 4 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Pediciidae 23 7 HTML - 13 Feb 2014
Pelecorhynchidae - - - - see Rhagionidae
Penthetriidae - - - - see Bibionidae
Periscelididae 7 3 HTML -  
Perisommatidae 3 2 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Phaeomyiidae 1 1 HTML -  
Phlebotomidae - - - - see Psychodidae
Phoridae 74 22 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Phragmoligoneuridae* - - - - see Protopleciidae
Phycodromidae - - - - see Coelopidae
Phytalmiidae - - - - see Tephritidae
Piophilidae 1 1 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Pipunculidae 8 6 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Platypezidae 9 7 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Platystomatidae 2 2 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Pleciidae - - - - see Bibionidae
Pleciodictyidae* - - - PDF see Protopleciidae
Pleciofungivoridae* 66 18 HTML PDF 11 Dec 1996
Procramptonomyiidae* 3 2 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Proneottiophilidae 1 1 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Prosechamyiidae* 2 1 HTML -  
Protapioceridae* 3 1 HTML -  
Protempididae* - - - PDF see Empididae
Protendipedidae* 3 2 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Protobibionidae* - - - PDF see Chironomidae
Protobrachyceridae* 3 1 HTML    
Protolbiogastridae* - - - - see Anisopodidae
Protoligoneuridae* - - - PDF see Protopleciidae
Protomphralidae* 2 2 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Protopleciidae* 43 15 HTML PDF 11 Mar 1997
Protorhyphidae* 12 5 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Protoscatopsidae* 2 2 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Pseudopomyzidae - - - PDF see Cypselosomatidae
Psilidae 3 3 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Psychodidae 52 18 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Psychotipidae* 1 1 HTML -  
Pterocallidae - - - - see Ulidiidae
Ptychopteridae 85 17 HTML PDF 2 Apr 2014
Pyrgotidae 1 1 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Rachiceridae - - - PDF see Xylophagidae
Rangomaramidae - - - - no fossils known
Rhaetaniidae* - - - - see Tillyardipteridae
Rhaetomyiidae* - - - PDF see Chaoboridae
Rhagionemestridae* 5 5 HTML -  
Rhagionempididae* 6 5 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Rhagionidae 51 24 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Rhiniidae - - - - no fossils known
Rhinophoridae - - - - no fossils known
Rhinotoridae - - - - see Heleomyzidae
Richardiidae 3 3 HTML -  
Risidae - - - - see Ephydridae
Ropalomeridae - - - - no fossils known
Sarcophagidae 2 2 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Scathophagidae 5 3 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Scatopsidae 15 5 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Scenopinidae 1 1 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Sciadoceridae       PDF see Phoridae
Sciaridae 142 14 HTML PDF 8 Dec 1996
Sciomyzidae 13 6 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Sepsidae 5 3 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Serendipidae* 3 2 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Siberhyphidae* 1 1 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Simuliidae 13 7 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Sinemediidae* - - - - see Antefungivoridae
Sinotendipedidae* - - -PDF see Blephariceridae
Siphonellopsidae - - - - see Chloropidae
Solvidae - - - - see Xylomyidae
Somatiidae - - - - no fossils known
Spaniidae - - - - no fossils known
Sphaeroceridae 2 2 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Stackelbergomyiidae - - - - see Tachinidae
Stenomicridae ---- see Periscelididae
Strashilidae* 2 2 HTML -  
Stratiomyidae 24 18 HTML PDF 17 Nov 2001
Streblidae --- - see Hippoboscidae
Strongylophthalmyiidae - - - - -
Stylogastridae - - - - see Conopidae
Synneuridae 1 1   PDF see Cathyloscelididae
Syringogastridae 1 1   - no fossils known
Syrphidae 100 38 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Tabanidae 14 7 HTML PDF 15 Sep 1996
Tachinidae 10 8 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Tachiniscidae - - - - no fossils known
Taeniapteridae - - - - see Micropezidae
Tanyderidae 6 3 HTML PDF 29 Sep 1996
Tanyderophrynidae* 1 1 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Tanypezidae 1 1 HTML -  
Tephritidae 6 6 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Teratomyzidae - - - - no fossils known
Termitoxeniidae - - - - see Phoridae
Tethepomyiidae* 1 1 HTML -  
Tethinidae - - - PDF see Canacidae
Thaumaleidae 1 1 HTML PDF 17 Feb 1997
Therevidae 11 6 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Thyreophoridae - - - - see Piophilidae
Tillyardipteridae* 2 2 HTML -  
Tipulidae 100 8 HTML PDF 18 Dec 1996
Tipulodictyidae* 1 1 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Tipulopleciidae* 1 1 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Trichoceridae 84 13 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Trixoscelididae - - - - see Heleomyzidae
Trypetidae - - - - see Tephritidae
Tunisimyiidae - - - - see Xenasteiidae
Tylidae - - - - see Micropezidae
Ulidiidae 4 3 HTML -  
Unplaced Asilomorpha 2 2 HTML -  
Unplaced Brachycera 12 4 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Unplaced Diptera 23 14 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Unplaced Nematocera 34 26 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Unplaced Tabanoidea 2 2 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Valeseguyidae 2 2 HTML - 2 Apr 2014
Vermileonidae 1 1 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Xylomyidae 4 3 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Xylophagidae 8 7 HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Vladipteridae* 2 2 HTML -  
Xenasteiidae - - - - no fossils known
Zhangobiidae* - - - PDF see Pediciidae
Zhangsolvidae* 3 3 HTML -  
Totals 4327 1469     18 Jan 2017
1994 totals 3114** 1036      
           
Taxa Removed from Diptera     HTML PDF 29 Jul 1994
Literature Cited     HTML PDF 26 Feb 2014

** Equals corrected count from 1994

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Last revised 18 January 2017