Psilidae

Definition

A family of true flies (Diptera) commonly known as rust flies, comprising at least 38 species in four genera, with greatest diversity in the Holarctic region. Adults are generally small and slender; larvae are phytophagous, typically mining roots or stems of host plants.

Etymology

From Greek psilos (bare, naked), referring to the relatively bare body of these flies.

Example

Chamaepsila rosae, the carrot rust fly or carrot fly, is a widespread Psilidae pest whose larvae tunnel through carrot roots, causing commercial damage and rendering crops unmarketable.

Synonyms

• Rust flies

Related Terms

• Diptera
• Brachycera
• Schizophora
• Phytophagy
• root miner
• Holarctic

Usage Notes

The common name "rust flies" refers to the rust-colored or orange-brown appearance of some species, not to fungal rust diseases. The family is placed in the superfamily Diopsoidea within the schizophoran Brachycera. Larval feeding habits make several species economically significant agricultural pests.