Apystomyiidae
Nagatomi & Liu, 1994
Genus Guides
1A small of flies in the superfamily Asiloidea, containing one extant (Apystomyia) and two extinct genera (Apystomimus, Hilarimorphites). The sole living , Apystomyia elinguis, is to California. Extinct species are known from Late Jurassic to Late Cretaceous deposits in Kazakhstan, Myanmar, and New Jersey. Molecular studies place the family as sister to within .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Apystomyiidae: /əˌpɪstəmɪˈaɪɪdiː/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
Distinguished from related by distinct structure of male and female terminalia. Extinct identified by wing similar to Apystomyia; Apystomimus distinguished by notably large and smaller wing-to-body ratio compared to Hilarimorphites.
Distribution
Extant: California, USA. Extinct: Late Jurassic Karatau Lagerstätte (Kazakhstan); Mid to Late Cretaceous Burmese amber (Myanmar); Late Cretaceous New Jersey amber (USA).
Similar Taxa
- BombyliidaeApystomyia was historically placed in this ; separated by distinct terminalia structure.
- HilarimorphidaeHilarimorphites was originally placed here; wing now supports placement in .
- TherevidaeHistorical suggestion of alliance; molecular data refines relationship to instead.
More Details
Taxonomic history
Apystomyia was first collected in the 1940s and described in 1950. No specimens were seen after the type series until 2005. The was erected in 1994 based on morphological evidence and solidified by 2010 molecular phylogenetic studies.
Evolutionary significance
The group represents a relict lineage with a fossil record spanning from Late Jurassic to Late Cretaceous across Laurasia, now reduced to a single living in California.