Curtonotidae

Definition

A small family of small, grey to dark brown, humpbacked flies (order Diptera), commonly called quasimodo flies. Members exhibit a characteristic humped thorax that gives the group its vernacular name. The family has a worldwide but patchy distribution, with highest diversity in tropical to subtropical regions of Africa and the Neotropics; it is notably species-poor in the Nearctic, Australasian/Oceanian, and Palaearctic regions. Many species remain undescribed due to limited taxonomic attention since the 1930s.

Etymology

Example

Curtonotid larvae develop in decaying organic matter and have been reared from elephant dung in African habitats, linking the family to nutrient cycling in megafauna-dominated ecosystems.

Synonyms

• quasimodo flies

Related Terms

• Diptera
• Brachycera
• Schizophora
• Afrotropical region
• Neotropical region
• muscoid flies

Usage Notes

The family name is sometimes misspelled 'Curtotonidae' in older literature. Specialists note that the group's alpha-taxonomy is severely outdated; specimens in major collections likely represent numerous undescribed species, particularly from African tropical forests. The humpbacked profile distinguishes adults from similarly sized acalyptrate flies in the field, though definitive identification requires examination of male genitalia.