Archaic-diptera
Guides
Nymphomyiidae
nymph flies
Nymphomyiidae are a family of minute (approximately 2 mm), delicate flies with highly reduced morphology. They are considered among the most archaic living Diptera, sometimes placed in their own suborder Archidiptera. Larvae are strictly aquatic, inhabiting cold, fast-flowing streams in northern and high-altitude regions. Adults are short-lived, non-feeding, and form aggregative swarms; their wings fracture at the base after mating. The family contains approximately one dozen extant species, currently classified in the single genus Nymphomyia.