Ocelli-absent
Guides
Pyrgotidae
Scarab Pursuing Flies, Pyrgotid Flies
Pyrgotidae is a family of endoparasitoid flies within the superfamily Tephritoidea. Unusual among Cyclorrhapha, they lack ocelli entirely—one of only two families with this trait. Most species display patterned wings with bands or spots. Females pursue scarab beetles in flight to deposit eggs beneath the elytra, where larvae develop internally and eventually kill the host. The family has a worldwide distribution with approximately 67 species in Australia alone and 59 species in 13 genera in the Neotropics.