The family Psychodidae, or moth flies, are a cosmopolitan family often associated with moist or sylvan habitats. Habits of the adults of extant forms vary. Some are blood feeders such as the phlebotomines and sycoracines. Most are nocturnal and can be found resting in shaded places in the daylight hours. Larvae of most genera are found in moist or semiaquatic conditions, though some phlebotomines are known to breed in soil in semi-desert areas.
The fossil taxa of psychodids are primarily of Tertiary origin, although Eopericoma Kalugina was described from the Jurassic deposits of Siberia (Kalugina & Kovalev, 1985). Other records of the family exist from the Cretaceous. The fossil evidence suggests that the family was well diversified by the Tertiary. Lambrecht (1980) estimated that the family originated as long ago as the Permian/Triassic boundary.
In addition to the determined forms listed below, Schumann & Wendt (1989: 41) recorded undetermined material of this family from the Miocene Bitterfeld amber of Germany, Seeman (1935) recorded a pupa from the Upper Miocene of Germany, and Soom (1984) recorded the family from the Paleocene amber of Switzerland.
Edwards (1932: 6) and Stone (1981) transferred to the Psychodidae a species originally described by Cockerell in the mosquito genus Culex. It is listed here under unplaced species until examination of the type specimen can be conducted to ascertain its generic placement.

Ref.: Fairchild (1951, nomenclature of fossil genera); Hennig (1972, review of fossil taxa).

*BRUNETTIA Annandale, 1910: 141. Type species: Diplonema superstes Annandale, 1908, by subsequent designation of Brunetti (1911: 310).

hurdi Quate, 1961: 950. NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].

EATONISCA Meunier, 1905c: 253. Type species: Eatonisca tertiaria Meunier, 1905, by monotypy.

tertiaria Meunier, 1905c: 253. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

EOPERICOMA Kalugina in Kalugina & Kovalev, 1985: 46. Type species: Eopericoma zherichini Kalugina, 1985, by original designation.

zherichini Kalugina in Kalugina & Kovalev, 1985: 46. PA: Russia (Siberia) (Middle Jurassic) [C].

EOPHLEBOTOMUS Cockerell, 1920c: 212. Type species: Eophlebotomus connectens Cockerell, 1920, by original designation.
EUPHLEBOTOMUS. Incorrect subsequent spelling of Eophlebotomus (Enderlein, 1937: 109).

connectens Cockerell, 1920c: 212. OR: Myanmar (Miocene) [A].

*LUTZIA França, 1920: 234 (as Phlebotomus subgenus). Type species: Phlebotomus longipalpis Lutz & Neiva, 1912, by original designation. [Preoccupied by Theobald, 1903.]
*LUTZOMYIA França, 1924: 23 (new replacement name for Lutzia França). Type species: Phlebotomus longipalpis Lutz & Neiva, 1912, automatic.
*FRANSAIA Dyar & Nuñez Tovar, 1927: 155 (new replacement name for Lutzia França). Type species: Phlebotomus longipalpis Lutz & Neiva, 1912, automatic.
*LUTZIOLA Strand, 1932: 195 (new replacement name for Lutzia França). Type species: Phlebotomus longipalpis Lutz & Neiva, 1912, automatic.

paterna Quate, 1963: 114 (Phlebotomus). NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].

MESOPSYCHODA Brauer et al., 1889: 17. Type species: Mesopsychoda dasyptera Brauer et al., 1889, by monotypy.

dasyptera Brauer et al., 1889: 17. PA: Russia (Siberia) (Upper Jurassic) [C].

*NEMAPALPUS Macquart, 1838: 85 (81) [1839b: 102 (as "Nemopalpus")]. Type species: Nemapalpus flavus Macquart, 1838, by monotypy.
NYGMATODES Loew, 1845: 9, 10. Unavailable name; proposed in synonymy; not made available before 1961.
PALAEOSYCORAX Meunier, 1905b: 50. Type species: Palaeosycorax tertiariae Meunier, 1905, by monotypy.
NEMOPALPUS, error for Nemapalpus.

hennigianus Schlüter, 1978a: 243. NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
molophilinus Edwards, 1921b: 437 (Palaeosycorax). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
tertiariae Meunier, 1905b: 50 (Palaeosycorax). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

*PERICOMA Haliday in Walker, 1856: 256. Type species: Trichoptera trifasciata Meigen, 1804, by subsequent designation of Coquillett (1910: 587).

formosa Meunier, 1905c: 243. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
minuta Meunier, 1919: 146. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
provincialis Ponomarenko & Schultz, 1988: 34. Nomen nudum.
speciosa Meunier, 1905c: 244. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

*PHILOSEPEDON Eaton, 1904: 57. Type species: Psychoda humeralis Meigen, 1818, by original designation.

labecula Quate, 1963: 116. NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
mexicana Quate, 1963: 114. NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].

PHLEBOTOMIELLA Meunier, 1906b: 103. Type species: Phlebotomus tipuliformis Meunier, 1905, by monotypy.

tipuliformis Meunier, 1905c: 254 (Phlebotomus). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/ Oligocene) [A].

PHLEBOTOMITES Hennig, 1972: 39. Type species: Phlebotomites brevifilis Hennig, 1972, by original designation.

brevifilis Hennig, 1972: 40. PA: Lebanon (Lower Cretaceous) [A].
longifilis Hennig, 1972: 40. PA: Lebanon (Lower Cretaceous) [A].

FLEBOTOMUS Rondani & Berté in Rondani, 1840a: 12. Invalid original spelling of Phlebotomus [See I.C.Z.N. (1954b: 201).]
*PHLEBOTOMUS Rondani & Berté in Rondani, 1840a: 12 (as Flebotomus) [emended spelling fixed by I.C.Z.N. (1954b: 199).] Type species: Bibio papatasi Scopoli, 1786, by monotypy.
PHILAEMATUS Loew, 1845: 8. Type species: Philaematus pungens Loew, 1845, by monotypy.

magnificus Meunier, 1905c: 238. Nomen nudum.
pungens Loew, 1845: 8 (Philaematus). OR: "Ostindische" (Holocene) [K].

POSTHON Loew, 1844: 117. Nomen nudum.
POSTHON Loew, 1845: 9, 10. Type species: Posthon gracilis Loew, 1850, by subsequent monotypy in Loew (1850b: 31).

gracilis Loew, 1850b: 31. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

*PSYCHODA Latreille, 1797: 152. Type species: Tipula phalaenoides Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent monotypy in Latreille (1802: 424).

attenuata Keilbach, 1982: 357. Nomen nudum.
bulbifera Meunier, 1899e: 175. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
eocenica Meunier, 1905c: 246. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
leucospila Cockerell, 1921c: 466. PA: UK (England) (Eocene/Oligocene) [C].
oxyptera Loew, 1850b: 31. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
primaeva Cockerell, 1915c: 493. PA: UK (England) (Eocene/Oligocene) [C].
usitata Quate, 1963: 114. NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
Unidentified sp.-PA: Japan (Pleistocene) [K] (Saigusa, 1974: 423).

*NEWSTEADIA França, 1919: 148. Type species: Phlebotomus minutus Rondani, 1843 (as "Hebotomus minutus"), by subsequent designation of França (1920: 234). [Preoccupied by Green, 1902.]
*SERGENTOMYIA França & Parrot, 1920: (new replacement name for Newsteadia França). Type species: Phlebotomus minutus Rondani, 1843, automatic.

succini Stuckenberg, 1975: 456 (Phlebotomus). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene)[A] [error, = AF: Unknown (Pleistocene) [K].

*SYCORAX Haliday in Curtis, 1839: pl. 745. Type species: Sycorax silacea Haliday, 1839, by monotypy.

prompta Meunier, 1905c: 252. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
tumultuosa Meunier, 1905c: 252. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
Unidentified sp.-NE: Canada (Upper Cretaceous) [A] (Quate & Vockeroth, 1981: 298).
Unidentified sp.-PA: Japan (Pleistocene) [K] (Saigusa, 1974: 421).

*TELMATOSCOPUS Eaton, 1904: 58. Type species: Pericoma advena Eaton, 1893, by subsequent designation of Quate (1965: 93).

hurdi Quate, 1963: 114. NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].

*TRICHOMYIA Haliday in Curtis, 1839: pl. 745. Type species: Trichomyia urbica Haliday, 1839, by monotypy.
DIPLONEMA Loew, 1844: 117. Nomen nudum.
DIPLONEMA Berendt, 1845: 57. Nomen nudum.
DIPLONEMA Loew, 1845: 7. Type species: Diplonema buceras Loew, 1845, by monotypy.
PHALAENOMYIA Loew, 1844: 117. Nomen nudum.
PHALAENOMYIA Berendt, 1845: 57. Nomen nudum.
PHALAENOMYIA Loew, 1845: 9, 10. Type species: Diplonema buceras Loew, 1845, by present designation.
[Phalaenomyia originally proposed without included species. Meunier (1899e included 2 species, but both were nomina nuda. Keilbach (1982) included 7 species, but all were nomina nuda. The type designated is from the first validly named species included within the genus in accordance with the Code.]

affinis Keilbach, 1982: 359 (Phalaenomyia). Nomen nudum.
antennata Meunier, 1899e: 175 (Phalaenomyia). Nomen nudum.
antiquaria Quate, 1961: 949. NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
attenuata Keilbach, 1982: 359 (Phalaenomyia). Nomen nudum.
brevicornis Loew, 1850b: 31. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
brevipalpis Keilbach, 1982: 359 (Phalaenomyia). Nomen nudum.
buceras Loew, 1845: 7 (Diplonema). OR: "Ostindische" (Holocene) [K].
concinna Meunier, 1905c: 247. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
confinis Keilbach, 1982: 359 (Phalaenomyia). Nomen nudum.
crassicornis Meunier, 1905c: 251 (Diplonema). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/ Oligocene) [A].
declivivena Quate, 1963: 112. NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
decora Meunier, 1905c: 248. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
discalis Quate, 1963: 112. NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
distincta Meunier, 1905c: 250. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
distincta Meunier, 1899e: 175 (Phalaenomyia). Nomen nudum.
formosula Meunier, 1905c: 247. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
glomerosa Quate, 1963: 113. NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
hirticans Keilbach, 1982: 359 (Phalaenomyia). Nomen nudum.
longicornis Loew, 1850b: 31 (Diplonema). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
longipes Keilbach, 1982: 359. (Phalaenomyia). Nomen nudum.
mecocerca Quate, 1963: 110. NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
nova Meunier, 1905c: 250. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
procera Meunier, 1905c: 249. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
pulchra Meunier, 1905c: 246. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
smithi Quate, 1963: 112. NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
succini Keilbach, 1982: 359 (Phalaenomyia). Nomen nudum.
swinhoei Cockerell, 1917c: 21. OR: Myanmar (Miocene) [A].
tenera Meunier, 1905c: 248. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

proavitus Scudder, 1877a: 744 (Culex). NE: USA (Eocene) [C].