Aulacigastridae is a very small family of flies known as sap flies. The family Stenomicridae used to be included within this family, but was moved by Papp in 1984. They are found in all the Ecoregions.

Aulacigastridae
Aulacigaster zurqui
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Superfamily: Opomyzoidea
Family: Aulacigastridae
Duda, 1921
Genera
Synonyms

Aulacigastreridae

Description

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For terms see Morphology of Diptera.

Aulacigastrids are small black flies. The head is rounded. Postvertical bristles and ocellar bristles are absent, there are two orbital bristles on each side of frons, the anterior orbital bristle directed forward and towards median line. Vibrissae are well developed. On the mesonotum there are two pairs of dorsocentral bristles. The costa is interrupted near the subcosta (which reaches the costa). The posterior basal wing cell and discoidal wing cell are fused and the anal vein does not reach the margin of the wings.

Biology

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The larvae of sap flies feed on the sap of deciduous and coniferous trees (sap runs) and feed on micro-organisms within the sap. Adults feed on nectar, and other fermenting substances.

Species lists

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Identification

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  • Duda. 1934. Aulacigastridae. In Lindner, In: Lindner, E. (Ed.). Die Fliegen der Paläarktischen Region 6,1,58c, 1–5. Keys to Palaearctic species but now needs revision (in German).
  • Stackelberg, A.A. Family Aulacigastridae in Bei-Bienko, G. Ya, 1988 Keys to the insects of the European Part of the USSR Volume 5 (Diptera) Part 2 English edition. Keys to Palaearctic species but now needs revision.

Phylogeny

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  Opomyzoidea  

 Clusioinea (Clusiidae[2])

 Agromyzoinea (Odiniidae+Fergusoninidae+Agromyzidae)

 Opomyzoinea (Opomyzidae+Anthomyzidae)

  Asteioinea  

 Neurochaetidae+Aulacigastridae+Periscelididae

 Teratomyzidae

 Xenasteiidae

 Asteiidae

References

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  1. ^ Rung, Alessandra; Mathis, Wayne N. (2011). "A Revision of the Genus Aulacigaster Macquart (Diptera: Aulacigastridae)". Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. 633: 1–132. doi:10.5479/si.00810282.633. ISSN 0081-0282. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  2. ^ Nello schema di McAlpine, i Clusiidae sono in relazione con il genere Acartophthalmus, che secondo l'analisi cladistica di Buck (2006) va collocato nel clade dei Carnoidea. Vedi Acartophthalmidae.
  • Mathis, W. N., Freidberg, A. A, 1994 Revision of the Nearctic Aulacigaster Macquart with notes on A. leucopeza (Meigen) from the Palearctic Region (Diptera, Aulacigastridae) Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 96 :583–598 online
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