Rhagionids are medium to large-sized flies with adults of living forms generally occurring in moist sylvan habitats in undergrowth and foliage where they prey on other insects. Larsson (1978) attributed their presence in amber deposits to their habit of resting on tree trunks. Larvae of extant forms live in damp soils rich in organic matter and are presumed to be predaceous on other insects.
Rhagionidae are fairly well represented in fossil deposits. Most are of Tertiary origin, although records from earlier strata exist. The oldest fossils of Rhagionidae are from the Jurassic of Kazakhstan (Rohdendorf, 1938), Siberia (Kovalev, 1981), and China (Zhang, 1993b). The oldest amber fossil is that of the Cretaceous Siberian amber genus Zarzia (Zaitzev 1986). It was originally placed in the Bombyliidae, but reexamination of the type has shown it to be a rhagionid (Evenhuis, 1990a: 67).
In addition to the determined forms listed below, Grimaldi (1990: 177) recorded an undetermined specimen from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Lebanon and Schumann & Wendt (1989) recorded undetermined material of this family from the Miocene amber of Bitterfeld, Germany and Poinar (1992) recorded material from the Oligocene/Miocene amber of the Dominican Republic.
Kovalev (in Rozkosny, 1983: 207) and Kovalev (1989) considered the members of the family Palaeostratiomyidae as belonging to the Rhagionidae. This system is followed here and the three genera previously placed there have been transferred to this family. Woodley (1989: 1382) stated that the genus Archirhagio Rohdendorf may be a vermileonid. Until further study is conducted on the type specimen, it is kept in the Rhagionidae.
Dipterites obsoleta Heer is mentioned by Townsend (1942: 10) as possibly belonging to the Rhagionidae. It is here treated as questionably included in this family until such time as further study can be conducted on the type specimen.
The name of the Baltic amber genus Palaeohilarimorpha Meunier [= Rhagio Fabricius] undoubtedly led Rohdendorf (1962: 339) to erroneously list Hilarimorphidae as occurring in Baltic amber. No fossils or amber inclusions of members of true Hilarimorphidae have yet been discovered.

Ref.: Nagatomi (1982, review of genera).

ARCHIRHAGIO Rohdendorf, 1938: 35. Type species: Archirhagio obscurus Rohdendorf, 1938, by original designation.

obscurus Rohdendorf, 1938: 37. PA: Kazakhstan (Upper Jurassic) [C].

*ARTHROTELES Bezzi, 1926: 321. Type species: Arthroteles bombyliiformis Bezzi, 1926, by original designation.

Unidentified spp.-PA: Russia (Siberia) (Upper Jurassic/Lower Cretaceous) [C] (Eskov, 1992: 325).

*ATHERIMORPHA White, 1914: 41. Type species: Atherimorpha vernalis White, 1914, by monotypy.

festuca Jell & Duncan, 1986: 181. AU: Australia (Lower Cretaceous) [C].

*BOLBOMYIA Loew, 1850b: 39. Type species: Bolbomyia nana Loew, 1862, by subsequent monotypy in Loew (1862a: 188).

loewi Meunier, 1902a: 96. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

*CHRYSOPILUS Macquart, 1826b: 403 (82). Type species: Musca diadema Linnaeus, 1767 [misidentification, = Rhagio aureus Meigen, 1804], by subsequent designation of Westwood (1840: 134).
Paleochrysopila Meunier, 1892a: lxxxiii (1892b: lxxxiii). Type species: Chrysopilus nagatomii Evenhuis, 1993, by present designation.
[Paleochrysopila originally proposed without included species. The type designated is from the first inclusion of a named species within the genus in accordance with the Code.]

anglicus Cockerell, 1921c: 471. PA: UK (England) (Eocene/Oligocene) [C].
nagatomii Evenhuis, 1994: in this work (new species). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A] (Meunier, 1892a: lxxxiii).
[Species-group name validated by bibliographic reference to characters given in Meunier (1892a: lxxxiii) for the genus Paleochrysopila.]
praestigmaticus Evenhuis, 1994: in this work (new replacement name for stigmaticus Statz). PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
stigmaticus Statz, 1940: 129. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C]. [Preoccupied by Cockerell, 1921.]
stigmaticus Cockerell, 1921c: 471. PA: UK (England) (Eocene/Oligocene) [C].

*DIALYSIS Walker, 1850: 4. Type species: Dialysis dissimilis Walker, 1850 [= Stygia elongata Say, 1823], by monotypy.

revelata Cockerell, 1908d: 174. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

IJA Kovalev, 1981: 93 (94). Type species: Ija problematica Kovalev, 1981, by original designation.

problematica Kovalev, 1981: 95 (95). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Middle Jurassic) [C].

JURABRACHYCERON Kovalev, 1981: 92 (93). Type species: Jurabrachyceron abbreviatum Kovalev, 1981, by original designation.

abbreviatum Kovalev, 1981: 93 (94). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Middle/Upper Jurassic) [C].

KUBEKOVIA Kovalev in Kalugina & Kovalev, 1985: 185. Type species: Kubekovia accessoria Kovalev, 1985, by original designation.

accessoria Kovalev in Kalugina & Kovalev, 1985: 185. PA: Russia (Siberia) (Middle Jurassic) [C].

MESORHAGIOPHRYNE Hong & Wang, 1990: 152. Type species: Mesorhagiophryne robusta Hong & Wang, 1990, by original designation.
MESORHAGIORHYNE. Incorrect original spelling of Mesorhagiophryne (Hong & Wang, 1990: 188; Regional Geological Surveying Team, 1990: table 3).
MESORHAGIORHRYNE. Incorrect original spelling of Mesorhagiophryne (Hong & Wang, 1990: 251).

incerta Hong & Wang, 1990: 153. PA: China (Upper Jurassic) [C].
intcerta. Incorrect original spelling of incerta (Regional Geological Surveying Team, 1990: table 3).
robusta Hong & Wang, 1990: 152. PA: China (Upper Jurassic) [C].

MESOSTRATIOMYIA Hong & Wang, 1990: 155. Type species: Mesostratiomyia laiyangensis Hong & Wang, 1990, by original designation.
MESOSTRTIOMYIA. Incorrect original spelling of Mesostratiomyia (Hong & Wang, 1990: 189).

laiyangensis Hong & Wang, 1990: 155. PA: China (Upper Jurassic) [C].

MONGOLOMYIA Kovalev, 1986: 142. Type species: Mongolomyia latitarsis Kovalev, 1986, by original designation.

latitarsis Kovalev, 1986: 143. PA: Mongolia (Lower Cretaceous) [C].

PALAEOBOLBOMYIA Kovalev, 1982: 94 (93). Type species: Palaeobolbomyia sibirica Kovalev, 1982, by original designation.

sibirica Kovalev, 1982: 95 (94). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Middle Jurassic) [C].

PALAEOBRACHYCERON Kovalev, 1981: 87 (86). Type species: Palaeobrachyceron handlirschi Kovalev, 1981, by original designation.

handlirschi Kovalev, 1981: 89 (88). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Middle/Upper Jurassic) [C].
hennigi Kovalev, 1981: 89 (89). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Middle/Upper Jurassic) [C].
nagatomii Kovalev, 1981: 91 (91). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Middle/Upper Jurassic) [C].
rohdendorfi Kovalev, 1981: 91 (89). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Middle/Upper Jurassic) [C].
steyskali Kovalev, 1981: 92 (93). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Middle/Upper Jurassic) [C].

PALAEOSTRATIOMYIA Rohdendorf, 1938: 32. Type species: Palaeostratiomyia pygmaea Rohdendorf, 1938, by original designation.
PALAEOSTRATIOMYIIA. Incorrect original spelling of Palaeostratiomyia (Rohdendorf, 1938: 32).

pygmaea Rohdendorf, 1938: 33. PA: Kazakhstan (Upper Jurassic) [C].
pigmaea. Incorrect original spelling of pygmaea (Rohdendorf, 1938: 58).

*PTIOLINA Zetterstedt, 1842: 226. Type species: Leptis obscura Fallén, 1814, by subsequent designation of Frauenfeld (1867: 497).

?Unidentified sp.-PA: UK (England) (Lower Cretaceous) [C] (Jarzembowski, 1984: 80).

*RHAGIO Fabricius, 1775: 761. Type species: Musca scolopacea Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation of Latreille (1810: 443).
*LEPTIS Fabricius, 1805: 69 (unjustified new replacement name for Rhagio Fabricius). Type species: Musca scolopacea Linnaeus, 1758, automatic.
PALAEOHILARIMORPHA Meunier, 1902d: 400. Type species: Palaeohilarimorpha bifurcata Meunier, 1902, by monotypy.

acutangulus Meunier, 1899e: 177 (Leptis). Nomen nudum.
bifurcatus Meunier, 1902d: 400 (Palaeohilarimorpha). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
calcaratus Statz, 1940: 128. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
distans Hennig, 1967a: 39. Nomen nudum.
expassus Meunier, 1910d: 69 (Leptis). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
exporrectus Meunier, 1910d: 70 (Leptis). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
expositus Meunier, 1910d: 71 (Leptis). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
exsanguis Meunier, 1910d: 70 (Leptis). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
fascinatoris Meunier, 1910d: 71 (Leptis). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
ferus Meunier, 1910d: 72 (Leptis). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
flexus Meunier, 1899e: 177 (Leptis). Nomen nudum.
fossitius Melander, 1949: 29. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
ignavus Meunier, 1910d: 72 (Leptis). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
primaevus Théobald, 1937b: 167. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
recurvus Meunier, 1899e: 177 (Leptis). Nomen nudum.
samlandicus Meunier, 1916a: 277 (Leptis). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
validus Meunier, 1899e: 177 (Leptis). Nomen nudum.
wheeleri Melander, 1949: 29. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

RHAGIOPHRYNE Rohdendorf, 1951: 79, 85 [1959b: 270, 274]. Type species: Rhagiophryne bianalis Rohdendorf, 1951, by monotypy.

bianalis Rohdendorf, 1951: 79, 85 [1959b: 270, 274]. PA: Kazakhstan (Upper Jurassic) [C].

SCELORHAGIO Zhang, 1993b: 664. Type species: Scelorhagio mecomastigus Zhang, 1993, by original designation.

mecomastigus Zhang, 1993b: 665. PA: China (Upper Jurassic) [C].

STRATIOMYOPSIS Hong & Wang, 1990: 154. Type species: Stratiomyopsis robusta Hong & Wang, 1990, by original designation.

robusta Hong & Wang, 1990: 154. PA: China (Upper Jurassic) [C].
busta. Incorrect original spelling of robusta (Hong & Wang, 1990: 189).

*SYMPHOROMYIA Frauenfeld, 1867: 496. Type species: Atherix melaena Meigen, 1820, by original designation.

angustifrons Meunier, 1899e: 177 (Atherix). Nomen nudum.
evecta Meunier, 1910d: 73 (Atherix). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
examinata Meunier, 1910d: 74 (Atherix). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
exigua Meunier, 1910d: 74 (Atherix). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
latifrons Hennig, 1967a: 37. Nomen nudum.
marginata Théobald, 1937a: 241. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
pelecocera Meunier, 1899e: 177 (Atherix). Nomen nudum.
pusilla Hennig, 1967a: 37. Nomen nudum.
subtrita Cockerell, 1911: 78. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
succini Paramonov, 1938: 57. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
tertiarica Paramonov, 1938: 59. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

ZARZIA Zaitzev, 1982: 105. Nomen nudum.
ZARZIA Spahr, 1985: 11, 132. Nomen nudum.
ZARZIA Zaitzev, 1986: 818 (1987: 152). Type species: Zarzia zherichini Zaitzev, 1986, by original designation.

zherichini Zaitzev, 1986: 818 (1987: 152). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Upper Cretaceous) [A].

cretaceus Kovalev, 1986: 143 ("Ptiolinites"). PA: Mongolia (Lower Cretaceous) [C].

DIPTERITES Heer, 1849: 254. Type species: Dipterites obsoleta Heer, 1849, by monotypy.

obsoleta Heer, 1849: 254. PA: Croatia (Miocene) [C].

PROTORHAGIO Rohdendorf, 1938: 37, 60. Type species: Protorhagio capitatus Rohdendorf, 1938, by original designation.

capitatus Rohdendorf, 1938: 38. PA: Kazakhstan (Upper Jurassic) [C].