Ephydroidea

Adults are distinguished from other muscomorph flies by a dorsoventral seam or incision on the pedicel of the antenna, a characteristic shared with Calyptratae. This antennal feature is the primary morphological synapomorphy for the superfamily.

Habitats are exceptionally diverse across constituent families, including: rotting organic material, fungi, fruit, flowers, tree wound sap, aquatic and semi-aquatic environments, algae, detritus, crude petroleum pools, small mammal burrows, dung, guano, caves, bat-inhabited fissures, honeycombs, and specialized microhabitats such as land crab nephric grooves and gills.

Global distribution spanning all major biogeographic realms. Specific regional notes include: Mormotomyiidae restricted to the Afrotropical region (Kenya); Braulidae associated with honeybee hosts (Apis mellifera and Apis dorsata) worldwide; Cryptochetidae deployed in biological control in California; Egyptian fauna comprises 117 species across 3 families.

Highly diverse feeding strategies across families: microbes in rotting material, fungi, fruit, flowers, plant tissue, tree sap, algae, detritus, wax, honey, pollen, nectar, ant haemolymph, dead insects in crude petroleum, and predation on Hemiptera, spider eggs, frog eggs, dragonfly eggs, blackfly larvae, midge larvae, and scale insects.

• scale insects - endoparasitoidCryptochetidae used in biological control of cushion scale insects
• honeybees Apis mellifera and Apis dorsata - ectoparasiteBraulidae cling to worker bees and steal regurgitated nectar
• bats - associatedMormotomyiidae found in bat guano and caves, though not observed as attached phoretically
• Halogeton plants - associatedRisa/Discomyzinae (Ephydridae)
• locust egg pods - associatedCurtonotum (Curtonotidae)
• land crabs - associatedthree island endemic Drosophilidae inhabit nephric grooves, gills, or mouthparts
• solitary bees - kleptoparasitesome drosophilids
• spiders - predatoregg mass predators
• frogs - predatoregg mass predators
• dragonflies - predatoregg mass predators
• blackflies - predatoraquatic predators
• midges - predatoraquatic predators
• ants - associatedhaemolymph feeders

Immature stages vary dramatically by family. Larvae of Ephydridae are mostly aquatic or semi-aquatic. Larvae of Braulidae burrow through honeycomb. Immature stages of Mormotomyiidae have been recorded and reared from bat guano. Larvae of Camillidae were first described for Katacamilla cavernicola from cave habitats. Some drosophilids inhabit highly specialized microhabitats including land crab nephric grooves, gills, or mouthparts.

Braulidae adults are wingless with reduced eyes, antennae, wings, thorax and mouthparts; they cling to worker honeybees and steal regurgitated nectar. Mormotomyia hirsuta is wingless and solifuge-like, living in and around bats but not observed as attached phoretically. Some drosophilids are kleptoparasites of solitary bees. Diasemocera petrolei occurs in crude petroleum pools. Cryptochetidae have been deployed in biological control programs.

Decomposers in rotting material and detritus; pollinator associates (Braulidae with honeybees); biological control agents (Cryptochetidae against cushion scale insects); predators of eggs and larvae of various invertebrates; parasites and parasitoids; contributors to nutrient cycling in aquatic, terrestrial, and cave ecosystems.

Drosophilidae serve as model organisms in genetics and developmental biology research. Drosophila suzukii and related species are agricultural pests of soft fruits. Cryptochetidae have been used in biological control of cushion scale insects threatening citrus production. Braulidae are minor pests of honeybee colonies.

• CalyptrataeSister taxon to Ephydroidea; shares the antennal pedicel character (dorsoventral seam or incision) but distinguished by other morphological features and ecological traits
• other Acalyptratae superfamiliesEphydroidea distinguished within Acalyptratae by the antennal pedicel seam; other superfamilies lack this specific character and generally exhibit less extreme morphological specialization

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of the Egyptian Ephydroidea (Diptera: Schizophora: Acalyptratae)
• Presence of Drosophilidae (Diptera: Ephydroidea) Flies Associated with Fig Fruits in Morelos, Mexico
• Phylogenetic resolution of the fly superfamily Ephydroidea–Molecular systematics of the enigmatic and diverse relatives of Drosophilidae
• The immature stages of Katacamilla cavernicola Papp, the first described for the Camillidae (Diptera: Schizophora), with comparison to other known Ephydroidea larvae, and notes on biology