Family PHORIDAE

 

The family Phoridae is found worldwide. Adults of extant forms are commonly found around decaying vegetable matter or around the nests of termites, ants, or bees. Larvae are either scavengers or parasitic on other insects. About 2,500 extant species in more than 230 genera are known. Over seventy species in 22 genera are known as fossils.


In addition to the determined forms listed below, Schumann & Wendt (1989: 42) recorded undetermined material from the Miocene Bitterfeld amber of Germany.


Three genera, Eosciadocera, Sciadophora, and Prioriphora, were originally thought to be sciadocerids. Reevaluation of the characters exhibited by these genera show that they are phorids and not sciadocerids. This view is supported by Brown's (1992) review and phylogenetic classification of the genera of Phoridae, Sciadoceridae, and Ironomyiidae. However, Disney (1985) preferred to keep Sciadophora and Prioriphora in Sciadoceridae.


The genus Palaeophora Rohdendorf, originally described in Phoridae and later removed to its own family, is listed in this catalog under Unplaced Brachycera.

Ref.: Borgmeier (1968, world catalog); Brown (1992, review and classification of phorid genera).

 

Genus ANEVRINA Lioy

*ANEVRINA Lioy, 1864: 77. Type species: Phora urbana Meigen, 1830, by subsequent designation of Coquillett (1910: 506).
ANEURINA Kertész, 1910: 388 (unjustified emendation of Anevrina Lioy). Type species: Phora urbana Meigen, 1830, automatic.

oligocoenica Brues, 1939: 417. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
oligocaenica. Incorrect original spelling of oligocoenica (Brues, 1939: 418).

 

Genus ANTIPODOPHORA Schmitz

*ANTIPODOPHORA Schmitz, 1939: 55 (as Abaristophora Schmitz subgenus). Type species: Abaristophora tonnoiri Schmitz, 1939, by original designation.

Unidentified sp.-NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/Miocene) [A] (Brown, 1992: 33).

 

Genus APOCEPHALUS Coquillett

*APOCEPHALUS Coquillett in Pergande, 1901: 501. Type species: Apocephalus pergandei Coquillett, 1901, by original designation.

Unidentified sp.-NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/Miocene) [A] (Brown, 1992: 82).

 

Genus CHAETOPLEUROPHORA Schmitz

*CHAETOPLEUROPHORA Schmitz, 1922: 131. Type species: Phora erythronota Strobl, 1892, by subsequent designation of Schmitz (1927: 31).

electra Brues, 1939: 419 (Chaetocnemistoptera). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/ Oligocene) [A].
gastracanthoidis Hong, 1981: 119. PA: China (Eocene) [A].
gastracanthoidas. Incorrect original spelling of gastracanthoidis (Hong, 1981: 123).
laminarum Brues, 1908: 275 (Phora). NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
longispina Hong, 1981: 127. PA: China (Eocene) [A].
sinica Hong, 1981: 124. PA: China (Eocene) [A].

 

Genus CONICERA Meigen

*CONICERA Meigen, 1830: 226. Type species: Conicera atra Meigen, 1830 [= Phora dauci Meigen, 1830], by monotypy.

eocenica Meunier, 1910d: 78. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus DIPLONEVRA Lioy

*DIPLONEVRA Lioy, 1864: 77. Type species: Bibio florea Fabricius, 1794, by subsequent designation of Enderlein (1924: 272).
DIPLONEURA Scudder, 1882: 110 (unjustified emendation of Diplonevra Lioy). Type species: Bibio florea Fabricius, 1794, automatic.

abducta Meunier, 1910d: 86 (Phora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
ablata Meunier, 1910d: 87 (Phora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
alaceris Meunier, 1910d: 83 (Phora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
eridana Meunier, 1910d: 88 (Phora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
loewi Brues, 1923: 61 (Dohrniphora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
magna Dürrenfeldt, 1968: 46. PA: Germany (Pliocene) [C].
meunieri Brues, 1939: 416. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
simplicior Brues, 1939: 415. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
trepida Meunier, 1910d: 88 (Phora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
vetusta Meunier, 1910d: 84 (Phora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
vincta Meunier, 1910d: 89 (Phora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus DOHRNIPHORA Dahl

*DOHRNIPHORA Dahl, 1898: 188. Type species: Dohrniphora dohrni Dahl, 1898, by original designation.

poinari Disney, 1988: 377. NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
?Unidentified sp.-NE: USA (Upper Cretaceous) [A] (Grimaldi et al., 1989: 22).

 

Genus ELECTROPHORA Brues

ELECTROPHORA Brues, 1939: 426. Type species: Electrophora persetosa Brues, 1939, by original designation.

persetosa Brues, 1939: 426. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus EOPHORA Handschin

EOPHORA Handschin, 1944: 16. Unavailable name; genus-group name proposed after 1930 without named included species.

 

Genus EOSCIADOCERA Hong

EOSCIADOCERA Hong, 1981: 140. Type species: Eosciadocera helodis Hong, 1981, by original designation.
EOSCIDOCERA. Incorrect original spelling of Eosciadocera (Hong, 1981: 140).

helodis Hong, 1981: 140. PA: China (Eocene) [A].

 

Genus HYPOCERIDITES Brues

HYPOCERIDITES Brues, 1939: 429. Type species: Hypoceridites dubitatus Brues, 1939, by original designation.

dubitatus Brues, 1939: 429. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus MEGASELIA Rondani

*MEGASELIA Rondani, 1856: 137. Type species: Megaselia crassineura Rondani, 1856 [= Phora costalis von Roser, 1840], by original designation.
MEGASELIDA Kertész, 1910: 388 (unjustified emendation of Megaselia Rondani). Type species: Megaselia crassineura Rondani, 1856 [= Megaselia costalis von Roser, 1840], automatic.

Subgenus APHIOCHAETA Brues

*APHIOCHAETA Brues, 1903: 337 (as genus). Type species: Phora nigriceps Loew, 1866, by subsequent designation of Brues (1906: 9).

inclusa Meunier, 1910a: 6 (Aphiochaeta). AF: Tanzania (Pleistocene/Holocene) [K].
indistincta Meunier, 1910b: 18 (Aphiochaeta). AF: Madagascar (Holocene) [K].
inflata Meunier, 1910b: 19 (Aphiochaeta). AF: Madagascar (Holocene) [K].
infossa Meunier, 1910a: 6 (Aphiochaeta). AF: Tanzania (Pleistocene/Holocene) [K].
obruta Meunier, 1910a: 6, fig. 12 [1910b: 18] (Aphiochaeta). AF: Tanzania (Holocene) [K].
obstricta Meunier, 1910b: 19 (Aphiochaeta). AF: Ghana (?Holocene) [K].
praepedita Meunier, 1910a: 5 (Aphiochaeta). AF: Tanzania (Pleistocene/Holocene) [K].

Subgenus MEGASELIA Rondani

amberae Disney, 1988: 378. NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
bernsteinae Disney, 1988: 378. NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
copalina Meunier, 1905e: 211 (Phora). AF: Tanzania (Pleistocene/Holocene) [K].
dominicana Disney, 1988: 378. NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
ethiopia Meunier, 1905e: 212 (Phora). AF: Tanzania (Pleistocene/Holocene) [K].
ethiopica Meunier, 1910a: 5 (Phora; unjustified emendation of ethiopia Meunier).
exporrecta Meunier, 1910d: 80 (Aphiochaeta). PA: Baltic (Oligocene/Eocene) [A].
inclusa Meunier, 1910d: 82 (Aphiochaeta). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A]. [Preoccupied by inclusa Meunier, 1910a; no new replacement name proposed at this time.]
inflata Meunier, 1910d: 79 (Aphiochaeta). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A]. Preoccupied by inflata Meunier, 1910a; no new replacement name proposed at this time.]
insolita Meunier, 1910d: 81 (Aphiochaeta). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
lauta Meunier, 1910d: 81 (Aphiochaeta). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
multipalpulata Hong, 1981: 137. PA: China (Eocene) [A].
sepulta Meunier, 1910d: 80 (Aphiochaeta). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
uncifera Brues, 1939: 434. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
veterana Brues, 1939: 435. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus METOPINA Macquart

*METOPINA Macquart, 1835: 666. Type species: Phora galeata Haliday, 1833, by monotypy.

goeleti Grimaldi, 1989a: 68. NE: USA (Upper Cretaceous) [A].
Unidentified sp.-NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/Miocene) [A] (Grimaldi, 1989: 65; Brown, 1992: 71).
Unidentified sp.-NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A] (Grimaldi, 1989: 65).

 

Genus PHALACROTOPHORA Enderlein

*PHALACROTOPHORA Enderlein, 1912a: 21. Type species: Phalacrotophora bruesiana Enderlein, 1912, by original designation.

tertiara Statz, 1940b: 140. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus PHORA Latreille

*PHORA Latreille, 1797: 169. Type species: Musca aterrima Fabricius, 1794 [preoccupied by Villers, 1789, = Musca atra Meigen, 1804], by subsequent monotypy in Latreille (1802: 464).
*TRINEURA Meigen, 1803: 276. Type species: Trineura atra Meigen, 1804, by subsequent designation of Brues (1906: 8).

bicalchrata Keilbach, 1982: 377. Nomen nudum.
calchrata Keilbach, 1982: 377. Nomen nudum.
dispar Keilbach, 1982: 377. Nomen nudum.
humilis Keilbach, 1982: 377. Nomen nudum.
hybosa Hong, 1981: 130. PA: China (Eocene) [A].
bybosa. Incorrect original spelling of hybosa (Hong, 1981: 131, 164).
labiosa Meunier, 1910d: 19. AF: Madagascar (Holocene) [K].
manca Keilbach, 1982: 377. Nomen nudum.
parva Keilbach, 1982: 378. Nomen nudum.
simplex Keilbach, 1982: 378. Nomen nudum.
stigmatica Keilbach, 1982: 378. Nomen nudum.
tarsalis Keilbach, 1982: 378. Nomen nudum.
tumbae Melander, 1949: 47. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
Unidentified sp.-PA: France (Oligocene) [C] (Meunier, 1923c: 611).

 

Genus PRIORIPHORA McAlpine & Martin

PRIORIPHORA McAlpine & Martin, 1966: 532. Type species: Prioriphora canadambra McAlpine & Martin, 1966, by original designation.

canadambra McAlpine & Martin, 1966: 532. NE: Canada (Upper Cretaceous) [A].
intermedia Brown & Pike, 1990: 846. NE: Canada (Upper Cretaceous) [A].
longicostalis Brown & Pike, 1990: 846. NE: Canada (Upper Cretaceous) [A].
setifemoralis Brown & Pike, 1990: 847. NE: Canada (Upper Cretaceous) [A].

 

Genus PROTOPHORITES Brues

PROTOPHORITES Brues, 1939: 430. Type species: Protophorites fimbriatus Brues, 1939, by original designation.

fimbriatus Brues, 1939: 430. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus PROTOPLATYPHORA Brues

PROTOPLATYPHORA Brues, 1939: 432. Type species: Protoplatyphora tertiaria Brues, 1939, original designation.

tertiaria Brues, 1939: 432. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus PULICIPHORA Dahl

*PULICIPHORA Dahl, 1897: 410. Type species: Puliciphora lucifera Dahl, 1897, by monotypy.

Unidentified sp.-NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/Miocene) [A] (Brown, 1992: 71).

 

Genus RHOPTROCERA Hong

RHOPTROCERA Hong, 1981: 133. Type species: Rhoptrocera eocenica Hong, 1981, by original designation.
RHOPTOCERA. Incorrect original spelling of Rhoptrocera (Hong, 1981: 20).
RHOPTEROCERA. Incorrect original spelling of Rhoptrocera (Hong, 1981: 134).

eocenica Hong, 1981: 133. PA: China (Eocene) [A].

 

Genus SCIADOPHORA McAlpine & Martin

SCIADOPHORA McAlpine & Martin, 1966: 530. Type species: Sciadophora bostoni McAlpine & Martin, 1966, by original designation.

bostoni McAlpine & Martin, 1966: 530. NE: Canada (Upper Cretaceous) [A].

 

Genus SPINIPHORA Malloch

*SPINIPHORA Malloch, 1909: 26. Type species: Phora maculata Meigen, 1830, by subsequent designation of Malloch (1910: 20).

cockerelli Brues, 1908: 274 (Phora). NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
concitata Meunier, 1910d: 85 (Phora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
corrupta Meunier, 1910d: 85 (Phora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
eoconcinna Borgmeier, 1968: 292 (new replacement name for concinna Meunier). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
concinna Meunier, 1910d: 85 (Phora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A]. [Preoccupied by Meigen, 1830.]
impedita Meunier, 1910d: 86 (Phora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
parvipalpata Brues, 1939: 422 (Paraspiniphora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/ Oligocene) [A].
petulans Meunier, 1910d: 84 (Phora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
schmitzi Brues, 1939: 424 (Paraspiniphora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
transita Brues, 1923: 60 (Dohrniphora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus STEPHANOSTORISCUS Keilbach

STEPHANOSTORISCUS Keilbach, 1982: 377. Unavailable name; genus-group name proposed after 1930 without description, indication or diagnosis.

 

Genus TRIPHLEBA Rondani

*TRIPHLEBA Rondani, 1856: 136. Type species: Triphleba hyemalis Rondani, 1856, by original designation.

praeterita Brues, 1939: 425. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
territa Meunier, 1910d: 82 (Phora). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].