Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

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Family PLATYPEZIDAE Latreille, 1829

Flat-footed Flies, Smoke Flies


Compiler and date details

January 2011 - Scott Ginn, Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia

2007 - R. Johnson, data taken from Evenhuis, N.L. Catalog of the Diptera of the Australasian and Oceanian Regions (accessed 2007)

Introduction

The family Platypezidae is presently known form approximately 250 species worldwide. Three subfamilies are represented in Australia, each by a single genus. There are currently 19 described species in the Australian fauna.

Early work on the Australian platypezid fauna was done by Tonnoir (1925) including a key to Platypeza. Chandler (1994) carried out a major revison of the Australasian and Oriental fauna including keys to all groups.

Biology
Species are typically encountered in forested areas. Adults dart around erratically on wood and plants searching for food deposits. The hind tarsi are enlarged and flattened in two subfamilies (Callomyiinae and Platypezinae) leading to the common name 'flat-footed flies'. Species in the genus Microsania are known to form mating swarms in association with smoke from fires.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
01-Feb-2019 DIPTERA Linnaeus, 1758 19-Dec-2018 MODIFIED
03-Feb-2011 03-Feb-2011 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)