Neriidae

Definition

A family of true flies (Diptera) distinguished from the related Micropezidae (stilt-legged flies) by their unreduced fore legs. Neriids are slender, often elongate flies that breed in rotting vegetation including decaying tree bark and fermenting fruit. The family comprises approximately 100 species in 19 genera, with distribution concentrated in tropical regions; temperate representatives include two monotypic North American genera and Telostylinus species in eastern Australia. Common names include cactus flies and banana stalk flies.

Etymology

Example

Neriidae larvae develop in the decaying floral bracts of palms or the rotting stalks of bananas, making them occasional nuisance pests in tropical agriculture.

Synonyms

• cactus flies (common name)
• banana stalk flies (common name)

Related Terms

• Micropezidae
• Diptera
• Stilt-legged flies
• cactus fly
• true flies
• Brachycera

Usage Notes

Formerly treated as a subfamily of Micropezidae; separation is now standard based on leg morphology and larval ecology. Not to be confused with Nereidae (polychaete worms) or similar spellings in other taxa.