Family IRONOMYIIDAE McAlpine & Martin, 1966

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Introduction

Ironomyiidae, commonly known as “ironic flies,” are a relict family whose recent fauna of three species is entirely endemic to Australia. However, 22 fossil species in four genera are known from Cretaceous deposits of the Northern Hemisphere.
They generally resemble platypezids and are most closely related to Sciadoceridae, also found in Australia. J.F. McAlpine & Martin (1966) presented information on the systematics and phylogeny of the family and D.K. McAlpine (2008) added two species to the Australian fauna. Little is known of the biology of this family, although larvae have been reared from leaf litter.

General References

McAlpine, D.K. 1967. A detailed study of Ironomyiidae (Diptera: Phoridea),. The Canadian Entomologist 99: 225-236

McAlpine, D.K. 2008. New extant species of Ironic Flies (Diptera: Ironomyiidae) with notes on ironomyiid morphology and relationships. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 129: 17-38

McAlpine, J.F. & Martin, J.E.H. 1966. Systematics of Sciadoceridae and relatives with descriptions of two new genera and species from Canadian amber and erection of family Ironomyiidae (Diptera: Phoroidea). The Canadian Entomologist 98: 527-544

White, A. 1916. The Diptera-Brachycera of Tasmania. Part III. Families Asilidae, Bombyliidae, Empididae, Dolichopodidae and Phoridae. Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 1916: 148-266 [Date published 30 November 1916]

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