Dance-flies
Guides
Ceratempis
Ceratempis is a genus of dance flies (Diptera: Brachystomatidae) established by Melander in 1928. The genus contains a single described species, Ceratempis longicornis. Members of this genus belong to the subfamily Trichopezinae, a group characterized by distinctive wing venation and predatory habits. The genus remains poorly known, with limited published information on its biology and ecology.
Ceratempis longicornis
Ceratempis longicornis is a species of dance fly in the family Brachystomatidae, described by Melander in 1928. It belongs to the subfamily Trichopezinae, a group of small predatory flies commonly found in moist woodland habitats. As a member of the Diptera order, it undergoes complete metamorphosis with egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages.
Chelipoda
Chelipoda is a genus of dance flies in the family Empididae, subfamily Hemerodromiinae. The genus exhibits profound sexual dimorphism, with males bearing exaggerated morphological characters whose structure-function relationships have been studied. A 2007 revision recognized 38 species in New Zealand alone, including 22 newly described species. Phylogenetic analysis resolves two major clades distinguished by thoracic elongation, male genital flexion, cercus-epandrium fusion, and cell cup shape.
Chersodromia
dance flies
Chersodromia is a genus of dance flies in the family Hybotidae, comprising more than 70 described species. Species are distributed across multiple biogeographic regions including the Palaearctic, Nearctic, Afrotropical, and Oriental regions. Several species are associated with coastal and marine littoral habitats, particularly in Mediterranean and beach-dwelling environments. The genus includes both winged and brachypterous (short-winged) forms.
Chersodromia parallela
Chersodromia parallela is a species of hybotid dance fly in the family Hybotidae, originally described by Melander in 1928. The species is known from the United States. Hybotid flies are generally predatory and are commonly referred to as dance flies due to their characteristic swarming behavior.
Clinocera binotata
Clinocera binotata is a species of dance fly in the family Empididae, subfamily Clinocerinae. The species was described by Loew in 1876. Like other members of the genus Clinocera, it is associated with aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats. The specific epithet 'binotata' refers to two spots or markings, likely describing a distinctive pattern on the body.
Clinocerinae
aquatic dance flies
Clinocerinae is a subfamily of dance flies (Empididae) comprising 16 recognized genera including Clinocera, Wiedemannia, Dolichocephala, Trichoclinocera, and Kowarzia. Members are commonly known as aquatic dance flies due to their strong association with freshwater habitats. The subfamily has a global distribution with particularly diverse faunas in the Palaearctic and Oriental regions. Multiple generic revisions and species-level revisions have been published for Nearctic, Palaearctic, and Oriental faunas.
Drapetis
Drapetis is a genus of dance flies in the family Hybotidae, first described by Meigen in 1822. The genus contains over 200 described species distributed across multiple continents. Members of this genus are small to minute predatory flies, typically found in damp or shaded habitats. The genus is taxonomically well-established but individual species remain poorly studied biologically.
Empidinae
dance flies
Empidinae, commonly called dance flies, are a subfamily of predatory empidoid flies. Males of many species form mating swarms near visual markers, often presenting captured prey to females as nuptial gifts during courtship. The subfamily exhibits diverse mating systems, including lek polygyny and sex-role reversal where females swarm and males choose mates. Many species are effective pollinators of flowering plants, particularly in alpine and subalpine ecosystems where they can achieve pollination effectiveness comparable to honeybees.
Empis spectabilis
dance fly
Empis spectabilis is a species of dance fly in the family Empididae, described by Loew in 1862. The species is part of the large genus Empis, which contains over 50 species in the subgenus Enolempis alone. Dance flies are predatory flies known for their distinctive mating swarms and elaborate courtship behaviors. Males of some Empis species are notable for possessing modified hind legs with enlarged structures used in courtship displays.
Euhybus
dance flies
Euhybus is a genus of dance flies in the family Hybotidae, containing at least 60 described species distributed across multiple continents. The genus was established by Coquillett in 1895 and includes species described by numerous dipterists from the late 19th century to the present. Species diversity is particularly well-documented in China, where taxonomic revisions have added multiple new species in recent decades.
Hemerodromiini
Hemerodromiini is a tribe of dance flies (family Empididae) within the subfamily Empidinae. Members of this tribe are small to medium-sized predatory flies characterized by their distinctive leg structure and behavior. The tribe is distinguished from related groups by morphological adaptations associated with their characteristic hunting strategy. Hemerodromiini species are found across various habitats, particularly in association with running water and moist environments.
Hoplocyrtoma
Hoplocyrtoma is a genus of dance flies in the family Hybotidae, first described by Melander in 1928. The genus contains five described species distributed across the Palearctic region and Japan, with one fossil species known from Eocene Baltic amber. Species are characterized by distinctive leg modifications, particularly enlarged femora in some taxa. The genus belongs to the tribe Bicellariini within the subfamily Hybotinae.
Hybos
dance flies
Hybos is a genus of small predatory dance flies in the family Hybotidae, comprising approximately 242 described species globally. The genus is distinguished by morphological features including short vein Rs, long cell cup, separated eyes in most species, a spine-like proboscis, and notably thickened hind femora bearing ventral bristles. Species occur across the Palaearctic and Oriental realms, with highest diversity in Asia. Adults are active predators of small flying insects, while larvae are soil-dwelling and predate on invertebrates.
Hybotidae
typical dance flies, hybotid dance flies
Hybotidae is a family of small predatory flies within the superfamily Empidoidea, comprising over 1,600 described species worldwide. Formerly treated as a subfamily of Empididae, Hybotidae is now recognized as a distinct family based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. Adults are generally predatory on small invertebrates, while larvae occupy diverse microhabitats including leaf litter, dung, fungi, roots, and aquatic or semiaquatic environments. The family exhibits notable morphological diversity, with some species displaying specialized leg modifications for prey capture and mating.
Hybotinae
dance flies
Hybotinae is a globally widespread subfamily of hybotid flies, commonly known as dance flies. Adults are predatory and frequently observed in mating swarms where males perform characteristic 'dancing' movements. The subfamily has undergone taxonomic revision, with Hybotinae elevated to family rank (Hybotidae) by some European authorities, though this classification remains inconsistently adopted. The group includes at least 12 genera and is particularly diverse in the Oriental Realm.
Lamprempis
A genus of dance flies (Empididae) containing approximately 23 described species. Most species have been described from the Americas, with notable contributions by Smith (1962) who described multiple new species. The genus was established by Wheeler & Melander in 1901.
Leptopeza
Leptopeza is a genus of small predatory flies in the family Hybotidae, subfamily Ocydromiinae. The genus was established by Macquart in 1828 and contains approximately 13 described species distributed across multiple continents. Hybotid flies, including Leptopeza, are generally characterized by their habit of running on vegetation rather than flying when hunting prey. The genus shows a Holarctic and Oriental distribution pattern based on described species.
Neoplasta
Neoplasta is a genus of dance flies in the family Empididae, subfamily Empidinae, tribe Hemerodromiini. The genus contains approximately 27 described species distributed across the Americas, with records from North and South America. At least one species, N. parahebes, has been studied in detail and exhibits a life cycle tied to submerged decaying wood in freshwater streams, with predatory habits in both adult and larval stages.
Ocydromiinae
Ocydromiinae is a subfamily of dance flies within the family Hybotidae (Diptera: Empidoidea). The subfamily comprises two recognized tribes: Ocydromiini and Bicellariini. It includes approximately 13 genera with distributions spanning the Neotropical, Australasian, and New Zealand regions. Several genera are endemic to restricted geographic areas, including Pseudoscelolabes and Austropeza in New Zealand, and Leptodromia in Australia. Taxonomic revisions have been published for multiple genera, indicating ongoing systematic research but limited ecological study.
Oedalea ohioensis
A species of dance fly in the family Hybotidae, described by Melander in 1902. The genus Oedalea belongs to the subfamily Oedaleinae, a group of small predatory flies commonly known as dance flies. Members of this genus are characterized by their distinctive wing venation and predatory habits.
Phyllodromia
dance flies
Phyllodromia is a genus of dance flies in the family Empididae, established by Zetterstedt in 1837. The genus contains approximately 10 described species distributed primarily in Europe and North America. Species within this genus are small to medium-sized predatory flies. Several species were described by Plant in 2005, indicating ongoing taxonomic work.
Rhamphomyia
dance flies
Rhamphomyia is a large genus of dance flies (Empididae) comprising over 600 species arranged in 8 subgenera. The genus exhibits remarkable diversity in mating systems, including sex-role reversal where females compete for mates and males provide nuptial gifts. Several species display elaborate visual ornaments used in courtship, such as inflatable abdominal sacs and modified leg scales. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with particular diversity in the Holarctic region, including specialized radiations in arctic tundra environments.
Syneches
hybotid dance flies
Syneches is a genus of hybotid dance flies (family Hybotidae) comprising over 140 described species worldwide. These small predatory flies are part of the diverse dance fly assemblage, characterized by their compact body form and agile flight. The genus has been documented from tropical to temperate regions across multiple continents. Mitochondrial genome sequencing of Syneches medoganus has provided phylogenetic insights supporting Hybotinae as sister group to Tachydromiinae.
Tachypeza inusta
Tachypeza inusta is a small predatory dance fly in the family Hybotidae, originally described by Melander in 1902. As a member of the genus Tachypeza, it shares the family traits of compact body form, disproportionately small spherical head, and large compound eyes that dominate the head capsule. The species has been documented in North America with observational records, though specific biological details remain limited compared to better-studied congeners. Like other hybotids, it likely occupies specialized microhabitats and exhibits predatory behavior as an adult.
Trichinomyia
Trichinomyia is a genus of dance flies in the family Hybotidae, subfamily Trichininae. It was established by Tuomikoski in 1959 and contains at least one confirmed species, Trichinomyia fuscipes. The genus is recorded from Scandinavia and Denmark. As with many hybotid genera, detailed biological information remains limited.
Trichoclinocera
Trichoclinocera is a genus of aquatic dance flies in the family Empididae, subfamily Clinocerinae. The genus contains approximately 30 described species distributed across the Holarctic and eastern Asia, with 16 species recognized from the Nearctic region and nine from Japan. Species are organized into six species-groups based on morphological characteristics, primarily of the male terminalia. The genus was established by Collin in 1941 and has undergone significant taxonomic revision, with Seguyella and Acanthoclinocera recently synonymized under Trichoclinocera.
Trichoclinocera dolicheretma
Trichoclinocera dolicheretma is a Nearctic dance fly (Diptera: Empididae: Clinocerinae) belonging to the monotypic T. dolicheretma species group. The species was originally described by Melander in 1902 and later synonymized with T. brunnipennis, which was subsequently reversed with T. brunnipennis synonymized under T. dolicheretma. A lectotype was designated for this species in a 1994 revision of Nearctic Trichoclinocera. The species is part of a genus whose immature stages were described for the first time in that revision, though specific details for T. dolicheretma were not separately highlighted.