Family BOMBYLIIDAE

The family Bombyliidae, members of which are commonly called bee flies, are found worldwide and comprise over 4,500 species (Evenhuis & Greathead, 1999). 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 amber of France.

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 & Greathead (1999, world catalog).

Genus ALEPIDOPHORA Cockerell

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].

Genus ALOMATIA Cockerell

ALOMATIA Cockerell, 1914c: 721. Type species: Alomatia fusca Cockerell, 1914, by monotypy.
fusca Cockerell, 1914c: 721. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

Genus AMICTITES Hennig

AMICTITES Hennig, 1966e: 9. Type species: Amictites regiomontana Hennig, 1966, by monotypy.
regiomontana Hennig, 1966e: 9. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

Genus AMPHICOSMUS Coquillett

*AMPHICOSMUS Coquillett, 1891: 219. Type species: Amphicosmus elegans Coquillett, 1891, by monotypy.
delicatulus Melander, 1949: 32. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

Genus ANTHRAX Scopoli

*ANTHRAX Scopoli, 1763: 358. Type species: Musca morio Linnaeus, 1758 [misidentification, = Musca anthrax Schrank, 1781], by monotypy.
succini Greenwalt & Evenhuius in Greenwalt, Wingerath & Evenhuuis, 2015: 3. NE: USA (Washington) (Eocene) [C].

Genus APOLYSIS Loew

*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 COMPTOSIA Macquart

*COMPTOSIA Macquart, 1840: 80 (1841: 358). Type species: Comptosia fascipennis Macquart, 1840, by monotypy.
MEGACOSMUS Cockerell, 1909a: 10. Type species: Megacosmus mirandus Cockerell, 1909, by monotypy.
miranda Cockerell, 1909a: 10 (Megacosmus). NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
pria Wedmann & Yeates, 2008: 233. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].

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 (Eocene) [C].

Genus DISCHISTUS Loew

*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].

Genus DOLICHOMYIA Wiedemann

*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].

Genus ELEKTROPHTHIRIA Nel

ELEKTROPHTHIRIA Nel, 2006: 109. Type species: Elektrophthiria magnifica Nel, 2006, by original designation.
magnifica Nel, 2006: 109. PA: France (Eocene) [A].

Genus ENDYMIOMYIA Grimaldi

ENDYMIOMYIA Grimaldi, 2016: 72. Type species: Endymiomyia quadra Grimaldi, 2016, by original designation.
quadra Grimaldi, 2016: 73. OR: Burma (Upper Cretaceous) [A].

Genus EOANOMALA Greenwalt & Evenhuis

EOANOMALA Greenwalt & Evenhuis in Greenwalt, Wingerath & Evenhuis, 2015: 7. Type species: Eoanomala melas Greenwalt & Evenhuis, 2015, by original designation.
melas Greenwalt & Evenhuis in Greenwalt, Wingerath & Evenhuis, 2015: 7. NE: USA (Washington) (Eocene) [C].

Genus EXOPROSOPA Macquart

*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].

Genus GERON Meigen

*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].

Genus GLAESAMICTUS Hennig

GLAESAMICTUS Hennig, 1966e: 12. Type species: Glaesamictus hafniensis Hennig, 1966, by monotypy.
hafniensis Hennig, 1966e: 12. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

Genus HEMIPENTHES Loew

*HEMIPENTHES Loew, 1869: 28 [1872b: 141]. Type species: Musca morio Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation of Bezzi (1908: 31).
dominicana Evenhuis, 2013a: 2182. NT: Dominican Republic (Miocene) [A].
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).

Genus MELANDERELLA Cockerell

MELANDERELLA Cockerell, 1909c: 70. Type species: Melanderella glossalis Cockerell, 1909, by monotypy.
glossalis Cockerell, 1909c: 70. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

Genus NEALIMYIA Grimaldi

NEALIMYIA Grimaldi, 2016: 64. Type species: Nealimyia evenhuisi Grimaldi, 2016, by original designation.
evenhuisi Grimaldi, 2016: 64. OR: Burma (Upper Cretaceous) [A].

Genus PACHYSYSTROPUS Cockerell

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].

Genus PALAEOAMICTUS Meunier

PALAEOAMICTUS Meunier, 1916a: 276. Type species: Palaeoamictus spinosus Meunier, 1916, by monotypy.
spinosus Meunier, 1916a: 276. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

Genus PALAEOGERON Meunier

PALAEOGERON Meunier, 1915a: 195. Type species: Palaeogeron vetustus Meunier, 1915, by monotypy.
vetustus Meunier, 1915a: 195. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].

Genus PARACORSOMYZA Hennig

PARACORSOMYZA Hennig, 1966e: 4. Type species: Corsomyia crassirostris Meunier, 1910 [ as "crassirostris Loew, 1850"], by monotypy.
crassirostris Meunier, 1910g: 349 (Corsomyia). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/ Oligocene) [A].
crassirostris Loew, 1850b: 40 [1861: 91; 1864: 311] (Corsomyia). Nomen nudum.

Genus PARADOLICHOMYIA Nel & de Ploëg

PARADOLICHOMYIA Nel & de Ploëg, 2004: 58. Type species: Paradolichomyia eocenica Nel & de Ploëg, 2004, by original designation.
eocenica Nel & de Ploëg, 2004: 58. PA: France (Eocene) [A].

Genus PARACOSMUS Osten Sacken

*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].

Genus PETROROSSIA Bezzi

*PETROROSSIA Bezzi, 1908: 35. Type species: Bibio hesperus Rossi, 1790, by original designation.
gracilis Giebel, 1862: 318 (Lomatia). ?AF: [Unknown] (Holocene) [K].

Genus PHTHIRIA Meigen

*PHTHIRIA Meigen, 1803: 268. Type species: Bombylius pulicarius Mikan, 1796, by monotypy.
fossa Lewis, 1975: 422. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

Genus PIONEERIA Grimaldi

PIONEERIA Grimaldi, 2016: 67. Type species: Pioneeria bombylia Grimaldi, 2016, by original designation.
bombylia Grimaldi, 2016: 67. OR: Burma (Upper Cretaceous) [A].

Genus POECILOGNATHUS Jaennicke

*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 (Miocene) [A] (N.L. Evenhuis, personal observation).

Genus PRAECYTHEREA Théobald

PRAECYTHEREA Théobald, 1937b: 168. Type species: Praecytherea sardii Théobald, 1937, by monotypy.
sardii Théobald, 1937b: 168. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].

Genus PROCROCIDIUM Grimaldi

PROCROCIDIUM Grimaldi, 2016: 69. Type species: Procrocidium minutum Grimaldi, 2016, by original designation.
minutum Grimaldi, 2016: 70. OR: Burma (Upper Cretaceous) [A].

Genus PSEUDORHAGIO Zhang, Zhang & Wang

PSEUDORHAGIO Zhang, Zhang & Wang, 2016: 3. Type species: Pseudorhagio zhangi Zhang, Zhang & Wang, 2016, by original designation.
zhangi Zhang, Zhang & Wang, 2016: 3. OR: Burma (Upper Cretaceous) [A].

Genus SPOGOSTYLUM Macquart

*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).

Genus SYSTROPUS Wiedemann

*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].

Genus TITHONOMYIA Evenhuis

TITHONOMYIA Evenhuis, 1984: 160. Type species: Protophthiria atra Melander, 1949, by original designation.
atra Melander, 1949: 33 (Protophthiria). NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

Genus USIA Latreille

*VOLUCCELLA Fabricius, 1794: 412. Type species: Voluccella florea Fabricius, 1794, automatic (by designation of type species for Usia Latreille).
Nomen oblitum (Evenhuis & Greathead, 2003). [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). Nomen protectum (Evenhuis & Greathead, 2003).
*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].

Genus VERRALLITES Cockerell

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].

Genus VILLA Lioy

*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].

Genus YLASOIA Speiser

*YLASOIA Speiser, 1920: 213. Type species: Anthrax pegasus Wiedemann, 1828, by original designation.
secunda Cockerell, 1911: 80 (Megacosmus). NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Incertae sedis in ANTHRACINAE

dentoni Lewis, 1969: 112 (Anthrax). NE: USA (Miocene) [C].

Questionably Placed in BOMBYLIIDAE

Genus ANTHRACIDA Germar

ANTHRACIDA Germar, 1849: 64. Type species Anthracida xylotona Germar, 1849, by monotypy.
xylotona Germar, 1849: 64. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].