Odiniidae are a small group of flies (almost 60 described species in about
10 genera) found worldwide but predominantly in the Holarctic Region. Adults
of extant species are occur in sylvan habits where they can be found resting
on tree trunks near slime fluxes or fungi. Larvae are reported as parasitic
on the larvae of wood infesting Diptera and can be found in the galleries
of wood-boring beetles or cossid moths.
In addition to the only described fossil member of the family, the Baltic
amber species listed below, the family is also known from undetermined material
originating from the Oligocene/Miocene amber of the Dominican Republic (Poinar,
1992).
ODINIA Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830: 648. Type species: Odinia trinotata Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 [= Milichia maculata Meigen, 1830], by subsequent designation (Rondani, 1875: 167).
Undetermined sp. -- NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/Miocene) [A] (Grimaldi, 1995).
PROTODINIA Hennig, 1965: 124. Type species Protodinia electrica
Hennig, 1965, by monotypy.
electrica Hennig, 1965: 124. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene)
[A].