Lauxaniidae are small to medium-sized acalypterate flies found worldwide, but with the greatest diversity in tropical areas. Over 1,300 species are known in about 130 genera. Adults of living forms are found most commonly in shaded woods or vegetation, though some can also be found in open areas (e.g., Cestrotus). Adults have been recorded as fungal grazers (Broadhead, 1984) and larvae are detritovores in leaf litter, decaying vegetation, and birds' nests.

Lauxaniids are uncommon in the described fossil record. A few species are known primarily from the Eocene/Oligocene Baltic amber, but undescribed species are also known from Oligocene Dominican amber (Poinar, 1992: 186; J. Brodzinsky, in litt.).

The Eocene Trypaneoides ellipticus (Hong, 1981; as "Tryaneoides") from China is not a member of that genus (Ilan Yarom, pers. comm.) and is here listed under unplaced species of Lauxaniidae. McAlpine (1962) transferred the North American Lonchaea senescens Scudder to the Lauxaniidae. It is listed here under unplaced species. No fossils of Lonchaeidae are known.

CHAMAELAUXANIA Hennig, 1965: 106. Type species: Chamaelauxania succini Hennig, 1965, by original designation.
succini Hennig, 1965: 108. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

HEMILAUXANIA Hennig, 1965: 109. Type species: Hemilauxania incurviseta Hennig, 1965, by original designation.
incurviseta Hennig, 1965: 112. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

*SAPROMYZA Fallén, 1810: 18. Type species: Musca flava Linnaeus, 1758 [misidentification, = Sapromyza obsoleta Fallén, 1820], by monotypy.
veterana Melander, 1949: 50. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
Unidentified sp.-PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A] (Hennig, 1965: 104).

ellipticusa Hong, 1981: 143 (Trypaneoides). PA: China (Eocene) [A].
senescens Scudder, 1877b: 278 (Lonchaea). NE: Canada (Oligocene) [C].