Scenopinidae
Guides
Asiloidea
asiloid flies
Asiloidea is a large superfamily of true flies (Diptera: Brachycera) with cosmopolitan distribution. It comprises approximately 11 families including the well-known Asilidae (robber/assassin flies), Bombyliidae (bee flies), Therevidae (stiletto flies), Mydidae (mydas flies), and Scenopinidae (window flies). Adult morphology is characterized by antennae with no more than 4 flagellomeres, leg empodium usually setiform or absent, and wing venation featuring an elongate cell cup with vein CuA2 ending freely or meeting A1 near the wing margin. Larval synapomorphies include posterior spiracles arising dorsally from the penultimate abdominal segment and, in most families except Bombyliidae and Hilarimorphidae, a modified cranium forming a hinged metacephalic rod.
DipteraBrachyceraAsiloidearobber-fliesbee-fliesstiletto-fliesmydas-flieswindow-fliescosmopolitanarid-habitatspredatory-larvaeflower-visitorsparasitoidsbiological-controlAsilidaeBombyliidaeTherevidaeMydidaeScenopinidaeApioceridaeApsilocephalidaeApystomyiidaeEvocoidaeHilarimorphidaeMythicomyiidaeProtapioceridaephylogenysystematicsvenomouspredatorymystaxmetacephalic-roddichopticholopticJurassicCretaceoustherevoid-cladeNamib-DesertCanary-IslandsSaudi-ArabiaDominicaChileGermanyfossilcybertaxonomyopen-accessZooKeysBohart-MuseumWorld-Robber-Fly-DayBelosta
Belosta is a genus of small, slender flies in the family Scenopinidae, commonly known as window flies. The genus was established by Hardy in 1944 and is classified within the tribe Metatrichiini. Members of this genus are part of a family characterized by their distinctive wing venation and predatory habits as larvae. The genus is poorly documented in public sources, with limited species-level information available.
Caenotus
Caenotus is a genus of small, slender flies in the family Scenopinidae, commonly known as window flies. These insects are part of the subfamily Caenotinae and are characterized by their reduced wing venation and elongated bodies. The genus was established by Cole in 1923 and contains species primarily found in arid and semi-arid regions.
Metatrichia bulbosa
window fly
Metatrichia bulbosa is a species of window fly in the family Scenopinidae, originally described as Scenopinus bulbosa by Osten Sacken in 1877. Window flies (Scenopinidae) are a small family of predatory flies known for their distinctive wing venation with reduced crossveins, creating a 'window-like' appearance. The genus Metatrichia is part of the tribe Metatrichiini within the subfamily Scenopininae. Records of this species are sparse, with confirmed observations from Brazil (Piauí).
Prorates
Prorates is a genus of small predatory flies in the family Scenopinidae (window flies), established by Melander in 1906. The genus belongs to the subfamily Proratinae, which is characterized by distinctive morphological features and predatory habits. Members of this genus are poorly known biologically, with limited published information on their ecology and behavior. The genus is distinguished from other scenopinid genera primarily by structural characteristics of the head, antennae, and male terminalia.