Family PLATYPEZIDAE

 

Platypezidae, or flat-footed flies, are found worldwide primarily in sylvan habitats and are comprised of about 250 species in some 14 genera. Immatures of extant forms are fungivores. Adult males swarm before mating using trees or bushes as swarm markers. Some are attracted to wood smoke. The family is found in the fossil record as long ago as the Jurassic and consists of 11 species in 9 genera.


In addition to the determined material listed below, the family has been recorded by Poinar (1992) from the Oligocene/Miocene amber of the Dominican Republic. Undetermined material from the Cretaceous has been recorded by McAlpine & Martin (1969) (Canada), and Whalley (1981) (Lebanon). The record of the family from the Upper Jurassic/Lower Cretaceous of Siberia (Zherichin, 1978) has been shown by Kovalev (1989b) to be a misidentification for the thaumaleid Mesothaumaleia fossilis Kovalev.

 

Genus CALLOMYIA Meigen

CLEONA Meigen, 1800: 30. Suppressed by I.C.Z.N. (1963: 339).
*CALLOMYIA Meigen, 1804: 311. Type species: Callomyia elegans Meigen, 1804, by monotypy.
*CALLIMYIA Agassiz, 1846: 59, 60 (unjustified emendation of Callomyia). Type species: Callomyia elegans Meigen, 1804, automatic.

hypolitha Cockerell, 1909b: 57. NE: USA (Eocene) [C].
torporata Scudder, 1890: 555. NE: USA (Eocene) [C].

 

Genus EUCALLIMYIA Cockerell

*EUCALLIMYIA Cockerell, 1911: 82. Type species: Eucallimyia fortis Cockerell, 1911, by monotypy.

fortis Cockerell, 1911: 82. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus LITHOPETIA Zhang

LITHOPETIA Zhang, 1987: 598. Type species: Lithopetia hirsuta Zhang, 1987, by original designation.

hirsuta Zhang, 1987: 598. PA: China (Upper Jurassic) [C].



Genus MESOPETIA Zhang

MESOPETIA Zhang, 1987: 597. Type species: Mesopetia tuanwangensis Zhang, 1987, by original designation.

tuanwangensis Zhang, 1987: 597. PA: China (Upper Jurassic) [C].

 

Genus OPETIA Meigen

*OPETIA Meigen, 1830: 357. Type species: Opetia nigra Meigen, 1830, by monotypy.

atra Statz, 1940: 141. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus OPPENHEIMIELLA Meunier

OPPENHEIMIELLA Meunier, 1893d: 231. Type species: Oppenheimiella baltica Meunier, 1893, by monotypy.

baltica Meunier, 1893d: 232. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus PALAEOPETIA Zhang

PALAEOPETIA Zhang, 1987: 596. Type species: Palaeopetia laiyangensis Zhang, 1987, by original designation.

laiyangensis Zhang, 1987: 596. PA: China (Upper Jurassic) [C].

 

Genus PSEUDOPETIA Zhang

PSEUDOPETIA Zhang, 1987: 598. Type species: Pseudopetia grandis Zhang, 1987, by original designation.
PSEDOPETIA. Incorrect original spelling of Pseudopetia (Zhang, 1987: 602).

exilis Zhang, 1987: 600. PA: China (Upper Jurassic) [C].
grandis Zhang, 1987: 599. PA: China (Upper Jurassic) [C].

 

Genus SINOLESTA Hong & Wang

SINOLESTA Hong & Wang, 1988: 388. Type species: Sinolesta lata Hong & Wang, 1988, by original designation.

lata Hong & Wang, 1988: 388. PA: China (Upper Jurassic) [C].