Ironomyiids are small flies that resemble platypezids somewhat. Little is
known of the biology of extant forms. Immatures are recorded by Ferrar (1987)
as being reared from Eucalyptus leaves and leaf litter.
Mostovski (1996) recently revised the fossil respresentatives of the family,
added much new material, transferred the genus Palaeopetia Zhang
and its species from the Platypezidae to here, and synonymized Sinolesta
Hong & Wang under Palaeopetia. [Original Russian version of Mostovski's
paper is not at hand, so Russian pagination for original descriptions of
many of Mostovski's new taxa are not known--instead, the pagination of new
descriptions of the English translation version (published later) is noted
for all taxa].
Distribution of the family is zoogeographically perplexing. The single extant
species is found only in southeastern Australia. Fossil forms are known
only from the Northern Hemisphere.
Ref.: Brown (1992, review of ironomyiid genera), Mostovski (1996,
rev. fossil Ironomyiidae).
CRETONOMYIA McAlpine, 1973: 106. Type species: Cretonomyia
pristina McAlpine, 1973, by original designation.
pristina McAlpine, 1973: 106. NE: Canada (Upper Cretaceous) [A].
ERIDOMYIA Mostovski, 1996a: 101 (1996b: 329). Type species: Eridomyia
ales Mostovski, 1996, by original designation.
ales Mostovski, 1996a: 101 (1996b: 329). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Upper
Cretaceous) [C].
captiosa Mostovski, 1996a: 102 (1996b: 330). PA: Russia (Siberia)
(Upper Cretaceous) [C].
HERMAEOMYIA Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 324). type species:
Hermaeomyia baisica Mostovski, 1996, by original designation.
armata Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 325). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Lower
Cretaceous) [C].
asaetigera Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 328). PA: Mongolia (Lower
Cretaceous) [C].
baisica Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 324). PA: Russia (Siberia)
(Lower Cretaceous) [C].
bellula Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 325). PA: Russia (Siberia)
(Lower Cretaceous) [C].
bisaetigera Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 327). PA: Russia (Siberia)
(Lower Cretaceous) [C].
dubia Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 329). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Upper
Cretaceous) [C].
opinata Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 328). PA: Mongolia (Lower Cretaceous)
[C].
parva Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 328). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Lower
Cretaceous) [C].
saeticaudata Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 328). PA: Russia (Siberia)
(Lower Cretaceous) [C].
unisaetigera Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 327). PA: Russia (Siberia)
(Lower Cretaceous) [C].
PALAEOPETIA Zhang, 1987: 595. Type species: Palaeopetia laiyangensis
Zhang, 1987, by original designation.
SINOLESTA Hong & Wang, 1988: 387. Type species: Sinolesta
lata Hong & Wang, 1988, by original designation.
commemorabilis Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 324). PA: Russia (Siberia)
(Upper Cretaceous) [C].
gemina Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 321). PA: Mongolia (Lower Cretaceous)
[C].
laiyangensis Zhang, 1987: 596. PA: China (Upper Jurassic) [C].
lata Hong & Wang, 1988: 388 (Sinolesta). PA: China (Upper
Jurassic) [C].
longisaetigera Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 323). PA: Mongolia (Lower
Cretaceous) [C].
mina Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 323). PA: Mongolia (Lower Cretaceous)
[C].
minor Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 323). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Lower
Cretaceous) [C].
tertia Mostovski, 1996a: 87 (1996b: 319). PA: Mongolia (Lower Cretaceous)
[C].
volacris Mostovski, 1996a: xxx (1996b: 321). PA: Mongolia (Lower
Cretaceous) [C].