Family PERISCELIDIDAE Oldenberg, 1914

Museums

Regional Maps

Introduction

Periscelididae are a small family of flies found in all major bioregions of the world. Some 96 species in nine genera are currently known worldwide.

The genera that currently comprise the Periscelididae have a chequered taxonomic history, having been variously placed in six different families to date. This catalogue follows McAlpine (1978, 1983). The former family Stenomicridae is included as subfamily Stenomicrinae. In Australia, eight species are currently described from three genera.

The flies are generally small (2.5-5.0 mm). Adults of the genus Stenomicra walk in an unusual manner on vertical surfaces, by maintaining a 'head-up' orientation whilst moving. A sideways motion is used for left and right movement; a backwards motion is used to walk towards the ground. Periscelis and Cyamops do not exhibit the this behaviour; they appear to walk only in a forward direction.

Periscelidid flies have been associated with bleeding sap wounds on several tree species in the Northern Hemisphere (e.g. oak and elm). Species are sometimes encountered on vegetation close to streams and rivers. Stenomicra australis has been reared from banana leaves. Periscelis specimens have been taken on rainforest tree trunks.

A number of undescribed Stenomicra species have been associated with a variety of monocotyledonous plant species, e.g. Alocasia, Kingia, Lomandra, Musa and Pandanus.

General References

Hamilton, J. et al. 2006. On the Fly, The interactive atlas and key to Australian fly families. [CD-Rom] CBIT & Australian Biological Resources Study, Brisbane & Canberra.

Khoo, K.C. 1984. The Australian species of Cyamops Melander (Diptera: Periscelididae). Australian Journal of Zoology 32(4): 527-536 [Date published 13 August]

Khoo, K.C. (Periscelididae) & Khoo, K.C. & Sabrosky C.W. (Stenomicridae) (original version) 2007. Family Periscelididae. In Evenhuis, N.L.(ed.) Catalog of the Diptera of the Australasian and Oceanian Regions. (online version). http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/aocat/periscel.html

Malloch, J.R. 1927. The species of the genus Stenomicra, Coquillet (Diptera, Acalyptrata). Annals and Magazine of Natural History (9) 20: 23-26 [Date published July]

Mathis, W.N. 1993. A new species and subgenus of Periscelis Loew from Australia (Diptera: Periscelididae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 32(1): 13-19 [Date published 31 December+]

Mathis, W.N. & Rung, A. 2010. Periscelididae (Periscelid Flies). Ch. 83. pp. 1087-1092 in Brown, B.V. et al. Manual of Central American Diptera: Volume 2. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada : NRC Research Press 728 pp.

McAlpine, D.K. 1978. Description and biology of a new genus of flies related to Anthoclusia and representing a new family (Diptera, Schizophora, Neurochaetidae). Annals of the Natal Museum 23(2): 273-295 [Date published October]

McAlpine, D.K. 1983. A new subfamily of Aulacigastridae (Diptera: Schizophora), with a discussion of aulacigastrid classification. Australian Journal of Zoology 31: 55-78

History of changes