Family SEPSIDAE Walker, 1833

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Introduction

Sepsidae is a fly family with worldwide distibution. In Australia, the family representation is small, comprising 14 described species from 7 genera. Two of the four recognized subfamilies– Sepsinae and Toxopodinae occur in Australia. Two genera — Lasionemopoda and Parapalaeopsis are endemic to the Australian/ Oceanic Region. One species Toxopoda atrata is endemic to Australia. Some species are coprophagous, often associated with livestock or human excrement, where adults will lay their eggs for their larvae to develop. Adults may also frequent nearby vegetation, rotting fruit or compost. Species associated with animal faeces have an important biological role as decomposers.

Zuska and Colless (1984) provided a key review of the family Sepsidae including a key to most Australian species. Colless (1980) discussed seasonal abundance and the biogeography of several Australian species. Ozerov (2003) recently described a new species, Parapalaeosepsis ploskolapka, from Queensland.

Morphology
Sepsids have small, elongate bodies and are somewhat ant-like in appearance, with the abdomen basally constricted. Adults can be observed continuously waving their wings when at rest. The costa of the wing is unbroken, and there is often a dark or pale area near the apex of the wing.

Biology
Larvae of a number of species are coprophagous, but little else is known about the life history of the Australian species.

General References

Colless, D.H. 1980. Biogeography of Australian Sepsidae (Diptera). Australian Journal of Zoology 28(1): 65-78

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.

Ozerov, A.L. 2003. New genera and species of Sepsidae (Diptera). Russian Entomological Journal 12(4): 399-420 [Date published December]

Zuska, J. 2007. Family Sepsidae. in Evenhuis, N.L.(ed.) Catalog of the Diptera of the Australasian and Oceanian Regions. (online version). [Available at: http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/aocat/sepsidae.html]

Zuska, J. & Colless, D.H. 1984. Australian Sepsidae (Diptera). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 23(1): 59-67

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