The family Protempididae was originally proposed by Ussatchev (1968) based on the single specimen of Protempis antennata Ussatchev. Much import has been placed upon the existence of this fossil with regard to the phylogeny and putative sister-group of the Empididae. The wing has characters of primitive Empididae, but also is reminiscent of such orthorrhaphous fly genera as Apystomyia Melander and Hilarimorpha Schiner. A reexamination of the type specimen of Protempis and comparison with these two and other asilomorph genera should be conducted before any conclusions about its putative phylogenetic relationships with the Empididae are made.

Ref.: Chvála (1983, review and classification).

PROTEMPIS Ussatchev, 1968: 623 (382). Type species: Protempis antennata Ussatchev, 1968, by original designation.
antennata Ussatchev, 1968: 624 (382). PA: Kazakhstan (Upper Jurassic) [C].