The family Bombyliidae, members of which are commonly called bee flies,
are found worldwide and comprise approximately 4,500 species. Female adults
of extant forms are obligate nectar and pollen feeders and are major pollinators
of some desert wildflowers. Adult males can be found hovering over territories,
visiting flowers, or resting on rocks or bare ground in sunshine. Larvae
are all parasitoids of holometabolous insect larvae or predaceous on egg
pods of non-holometabolous insects.
Fossil specimens of the family are known primarily from compression fossils
of Florissant, Colorado and Baltic amber, though other Tertiary localities
in Europe have produced additional taxa. The family is apparently of relatively
recent origin. The oldest fossils described thus far are from the Eocene/Oligocene
Baltic amber.
Ref.: Paramonov (1939, review of fossils); Hennig (1966e, review
of Baltic amber taxa); Hull (1973, world review of fossils); Zaitzev (1986,
review of amber fossils); Evenhuis (1991, world catalog of genera).
ALEPIDOPHORA Cockerell, 1909b: 54. Type species: Alepidophora
pealei Cockerell, 1909, by monotypy.
cockerelli Melander, 1949: 32. NE : USA (Oligocene) [C].
maxima Lewis, 1972b: 1421. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
minor Melander, 1949: 31. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
pealei Cockerell, 1909b: 54. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
ALOMATIA Cockerell, 1914c: 721. Type species: Alomatia fusca
Cockerell, 1914, by monotypy.
fusca Cockerell, 1914c: 721. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
AMICTITES Hennig, 1966e: 9. Type species: Amictites regiomontana
Hennig, 1966, by monotypy.
regiomontana Hennig, 1966e: 9. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene)
[A].
*AMPHICOSMUS Coquillett, 1891: 219. Type species: Amphicosmus
elegans Coquillett, 1891, by monotypy.
delicatulus Melander, 1949: 32. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
*ANTHRAX Scopoli, 1763: 358. Type species: Musca morio
Linnaeus, 1758 [misidentification, = Musca anthrax Schrank, 1781],
by monotypy.
dentoni Lewis, 1969: 112. NE: USA (Miocene) [C].
*APOLYSIS Loew, 1860a: 86 [1860b: 269]. Type species: Apolysis
humilis Loew, 1860, by monotypy.
magister Melander, 1947: 47. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
Genus BOMBYLIUS Linnaeus
*BOMBYLIUS Linnaeus, 1758: 606. Type species: Bombylius major
Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation of Latreille (1810: 443).
depereti Meunier, 1915b: 13. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
fossilis Handlirsch, 1907c: 1012. PA: Germany (Miocene) [C].
tertiarius Handlirsch, 1907c: 1012. PA: Germany (Miocene) [C].
?Unidentified sp.-PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A] (Berendt, 1830:
30; Hennig, 1966e: 1).
Genus DESMATOMYIA Williston
*DESMATOMYIA Williston, 1895: 268. Type species Desmatomyia anomala
Williston, 1895, by monotypy.
ACREOTRICHITES Cockerell, 1917b: 376. Type species: Acreotrichites
scopulicornis Cockerell, 1917, by original designation.
scopulicornis Cockerell, 1917b: 376 (Acreotrichites). NE:
USA (Oligocene) [C].
scudderi Cockerell, 1916c: 90 (Psilocephala). NE: USA (Oligocene)
[C].
*DISCHISTUS Loew, 1855: 45 (as Bombylius subgenus). Type
species: Bombylius mystax Wiedemann, 1818, by subsequent designation
of Becker (1913: 494).
tertiarius Théobald, 1937a: 349. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
*DOLICHOMYIA Wiedemann, 1830: 642. Type species: Dolichomyia
nigra Wiedemann, 1830, by monotypy.
tertiaria Cockerell, 1917a: 20. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
testacea Melander, 1949: 35 (Melanderella). NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
*EXOPROSOPA Macquart, 1840: 35 (1841: 313). Type species: Anthrax
pandora Fabricius, 1805, by subsequent designation of Coquillett (1910:
544) [Designation conserved by I.C.Z.N. (1991: 82).]
romani Théobald, 1937a: 350. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
*GERON Meigen, 1820: 223. Type species: Geron gibbosus
Meigen, 1820 [preoccupied, = Bombylius gibbosus Olivier, 1789], by
subsequent designation of Duponchel in d'Orbigny (1845: 206).
figuratus Théobald, 1937a: 350. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
oligocaenica Timon-David, 1944: 132 (Phthiria). PA: France
(Oligocene) [C].
platysoma Cockerell, 1915a: 643. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
GLAESAMICTUS Hennig, 1966e: 12. Type species: Glaesamictus
hafniensis Hennig, 1966, by monotypy.
hafniensis Hennig, 1966e: 12. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene)
[A].
*HEMIPENTHES Loew, 1869: 28 [1872b: 141]. Type species: Musca
morio Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation of Bezzi (1908: 31).
gabbroensis Handlirsch, 1907c: 1011 (Anthrax). PA: Italy (Miocene)
[C].
provincialis Handlirsch, 1907c: 1011 (Anthrax). PA: France
(Oligocene) [C].
tertiarius Handlirsch, 1907c: 1011 (Anthrax). PA: Germany
(Oligocene) [C].
Unidentified sp.-PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A] (Burmeister, 1832:
636).
*MACROCONDYLA Rondani, 1863: 54 (1864: 54). Type species: Macrocondyla
pictinervis Rondani, 1863, by original designation.
MEGACOSMUS Cockerell, 1909a: 10. Type species: Megacosmus mirandus
Cockerell, 1909, by monotypy.
miranda Cockerell, 1909a: 10 (Megacosmus). NE: USA (Oligocene)
[C].
MELANDERELLA Cockerell, 1909c: 70. Type species: Melanderella
glossalis Cockerell, 1909, by monotypy.
glossalis Cockerell, 1909c: 70. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
PACHYSYSTROPUS Cockerell, 1909b: 56. Type species: Pachysystropus
rohweri Cockerell, 1909, by monotypy.
condemnatus Cockerell, 1910c: 287. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
rohweri Cockerell, 1909b: 56. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
PALAEOAMICTUS Meunier, 1916a: 276. Type species: Palaeoamictus
spinosus Meunier, 1916, by monotypy.
spinosus Meunier, 1916a: 276. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene)
[A].
PALAEOGERON Meunier, 1915a: 195. Type species: Palaeogeron
vetustus Meunier, 1915, by monotypy.
vetustus Meunier, 1915a: 195. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
PARACORSOMYZA Hennig, 1966e: 4. Type species: Corsomyia crassirostris
Meunier, 1910 [ as "crassirostris Loew, 1850"], by monotypy.
crassirostris Meunier, 1910g: 349 (Corsomyza). PA: Baltic
Region (Eocene/ Oligocene) [A].
crassirostris Loew, 1850b: 40 [1861: 91; 1864: 311] (Corsomyia).
Nomen nudum.
*ALLOCOTUS Loew, 1872a: 82 [1872b: 258]. Type species Allocotus
edwardsii Loew, 1872, by monotypy. [Preoccupied by Allocotus
Fisher von Waldheim, 1838.]
*PARACOSMUS Osten Sacken, 1877: 262 (new replacement name for Allocotus
Loew). Type species: Allocotus edwardsii Loew, 1872, automatic.
LITHOCOSMUS Cockerell, 1909c: 71. Type species: Lithocosmus coquilletti
Cockerell, 1909, by monotypy.
PROTOPHTHIRIA Cockerell, 1914c: 720. Type species: Protophthiria
palpalis Cockerell, 1914, by monotypy.
PROTOLOMATIA Cockerell, 1914c: 723. Type species: Protolomatia
antiqua Cockerell, 1914, by monotypy.
antiquus Cockerell, 1914c: 723 (Protolomatia). NE: USA (Oligocene)
[C].
coquilletti Cockerell, 1909c: 71 (Lithocosmus). NE: USA (Oligocene)
[C].
palpalis Cockerell, 1914c: 720 (Protophthiria). NE: USA (Oligocene)
[C].
recurrens Cockerell, 1916c: 93 (Protolomatia). NE: USA (Oligocene)
[C].
*PETROROSSIA Bezzi, 1908: 35. Type species: Bibio hesperus
Rossi, 1790, by original designation.
gracilis Giebel, 1862: 318 (Lomatia). ?AF: [Unknown] (Holocene)
[K].
*PHTHIRIA Meigen, 1803: 268. Type species: Bombylius pulicarius
Mikan, 1796, by monotypy.
fossa Lewis, 1975: 422. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
*POECILOGNATHUS Jaennicke, 1867: 350. Type species: Poecilognathus
thlipsomyzoides Jaennicke, 1867, by monotypy.
GERONITES Cockerell, 1915a: 643. Type species: Geronites stigmalis
Cockerell, 1915, by monotypy.
stigmalis Cockerell, 1915a: 643 (Geronites). NE: USA (Oligocene)
[C].
Undetermined sp. -- NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/Miocene) [A] (N.L.
Evenhuis, personal observation).
PRAECYTHEREA Théobald, 1937b: 168. Type species: Praecytherea
sardii Théobald, 1937, by monotypy.
sardii Théobald, 1937b: 168. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
*SPOGOSTYLUM Macquart, 1840: 53 (1841: 331). Type species: Spogostylum
mystaceum Macquart, 1840 [= Anthrax tripunctatus Wiedemann in
Meigen, 1820], by monotypy.
*SPONGOSTYLUM Agassiz, 1846: 349 (unjustified emendation of Spogostylum
Macquart). Type species: Spogostylum mystax Macquart, 1840 [= Anthrax
tripunctatus Wiedemann in Meigen, 1820], automatic.
Unidentified sp.-PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C] (Statz, 1940: 131).
*SYSTROPUS Wiedemann, 1820a: 18. Type species: Systropus macilentus
Wiedemann, 1820, by original designation (on plate).
acourti Cockerell, 1921c: 469. PA: UK (England) (Eocene/Oligocene)
[C].
rottensis Meunier, 1917b: 9. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
TITHONOMYIA Evenhuis, 1984: 160. Type species: Protophthiria
atra Melander, 1949, by original designation.
atra Melander, 1949: 33 (Protophthiria). NE: USA (Oligocene)
[C].
*VOLUCCELLA Fabricius, 1794: 412. Type species: Voluccella
florea Fabricius, 1794, automatic (by designation of type species
for Usia Latreille).
[Voluccella Fabricius not preoccupied by Volucella Geoffroy,
1762.]
*USIA Latreille, 1802: 430 (unjustified new replacement name for
Voluccella Fabricius). Type species: Voluccella florea Fabricius,
1794, by subsequent designation of Latreille (1810: 443).
[Contrary to opinion by the I.C.Z.N. (1957a), Voluccella Fabricius,
1794, is not a subsequent misspelling of Volucella Geoffroy, 1762,
and is the first available name for species in this genus. In order to follow
common usage and promote taxonomic stability, the use of Usia is
here maintained. An application to the I.C.Z.N. to suppress Voluccella
is in preparation.]
*ZERINTHIA Rafinesque, 1815: 130 (unnecessary new replacement name
for Usia Latreille). Type species: Voluccella florea Fabricius,
1794, automatic.
atra Statz, 1940: 131. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
VERRALLITES Cockerell, 1913b: 231. Type species: Verrallites
cladurus Cockerell, 1913, by monotypy.
VENALLITES. Incorrect original spelling of Verrallites (Cockerell,
1913b: 230).
cladurus Cockerell, 1913b: 231. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
*VILLA Lioy, 1864: 732. Type species: Anthrax concinna
Meigen, 1820 [= Anthrax abbadon Fabricius, 1794], by subsequent designation
of Coquillett (1910: 619).
PROTEPACMUS Cockerell, 1916c: 94. Type species: Protepacmus setosus
Cockerell, 1916, by monotypy.
setosa Cockerell, 1916c: 94 (Protepacmus). NE: USA (Oligocene)
[C].
*YLASOIA Speiser, 1920: 213. Type species: Anthrax pegasus
Wiedemann, 1828, by original designation.
secunda Cockerell, 1911: 80 (Megacosmus). NE: USA (Oligocene)
[C].
ANTHRACIDA Germar, 1849: 64. Type species Anthracida xylotona
Germar, 1849, by monotypy.
xylotona Germar, 1849: 64. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
This page last revised 2 March 1997 by nle.