Small-flies
Guides
Agromyzidae
leaf-miner flies, leaf miner flies
Agromyzidae is a large family of small flies comprising approximately 2,500 species worldwide. Adults are minute to small (0.9–6.5 mm), with distinctive head sclerotization patterns and reduced wing venation. The family derives its common name from the larval feeding habit: larvae are predominantly leaf miners that feed between the upper and lower epidermis of plant leaves, creating visible mines that are often species-specific in shape. Some species are significant agricultural pests, particularly in the genera Liriomyza, Phytomyza, and Ophiomyia.
Allopiophila
Allopiophila is a genus of small flies in the family Piophilidae, established by Hendel in 1917. The genus comprises approximately 20 described species distributed primarily across northern and central Europe. Species are distinguished by morphological features including variations in leg coloration, thoracic setation, and abdominal ornamentation.
Anthomyza variegata
Anthomyza variegata is a species of small fly in the family Anthomyzidae, a family of acalyptrate Diptera. The species was originally described by Loew in 1863 under the basionym Anthophilina variegata. Anthomyzid flies are generally associated with decaying plant matter and fungi. The specific epithet 'variegata' suggests variable or patterned coloration, though detailed morphological descriptions are sparse in available literature. The family Anthomyzidae is a small group of flies with limited ecological documentation.
Calliopum
Calliopum is a genus of small lauxaniid flies established by Strand in 1928. The genus comprises approximately 27 described species distributed across the Palearctic region. Adults are typically found in meadows and hedgerows, while larvae exhibit varied feeding habits including phytophagy and saprophagy.
Carnoidea
Carnoidea is a superfamily of acalyptrate flies (Diptera: Schizophora) comprising approximately ten families of small, often inconspicuous flies. Members are typically only a few millimeters in length and occupy diverse ecological niches including seashores, decaying organic matter, and specialized habitats such as bee nests and bat caves. The superfamily's monophyly remains tentative; while some morphological synapomorphies of the male genitalia have been proposed, molecular analyses suggest potential polyphyly with constituent families showing closer relationships to other superfamilies.
Chaetopleurophora
Chaetopleurophora is a genus of scuttle flies (family Phoridae) described by Schmitz in 1922. Members of this genus are small, humpbacked flies characterized by distinctive bristle patterns on the pleura (lateral thoracic sclerites). The genus belongs to the subfamily Phorinae and has been recorded from northern Europe.
Cyamops
Cyamops is a genus of small flies in the family Periscelididae, subfamily Stenomicrinae. First described by Melander in 1913, this genus is part of the diverse order Diptera. The genus contains multiple species, though detailed biological information remains limited. Observations of this genus are rare, with only 12 records documented on iNaturalist.
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.
Gymnophora
Gymnophora is a genus of scuttle flies in the family Phoridae, established by Macquart in 1835. The genus contains at least 60 described species, though the total number may exceed 69 based on current taxonomic records. Members are small, humpbacked flies characteristic of the Phoridae family.
Homoneura
Homoneura is a genus of small flies in the family Lauxaniidae, first described by Van der Wulp in 1891. The genus contains over 700 species worldwide, with more than 220 species documented from China alone. Species are frequently characterized by distinctive wing patterns, including brown spots on the wing membrane and specific venation features used in taxonomic identification. The genus is divided into multiple subgenera and species groups based on morphological characters, particularly male genitalia and wing markings.
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.
Meoneura
Meoneura is a genus of small flies in the family Carnidae (Diptera). Species are found across multiple continents with records from Europe and Africa. The genus was established by Camillo Rondani in 1856. Male terminalia morphology has been used as a primary diagnostic feature for species identification.
Microdrosophila
vinegar flies
Microdrosophila is a genus of small flies in the family Drosophilidae, commonly known as vinegar flies. The genus was established by Malloch in 1921 and contains at least 70 described species. These flies are part of a diverse family that includes the well-known model organism Drosophila melanogaster, though Microdrosophila species are generally less studied. The genus appears to have a primarily Palearctic distribution based on available occurrence records.
Microphor
Microphor is a genus of small to very small flies in the family Dolichopodidae, subfamily Microphorinae. The genus contains at least 16 extant species distributed across the Palaearctic, Oriental, Nearctic, and potentially Neotropical realms. Females exhibit kleptoparasitic behavior, stealing tiny prey from spider webs. The genus is characterized by specific morphological traits including eyes without ommatrichia, a scutellum with three or more pairs of setae, and distinctive wing venation.
Minettia
Minettia is a genus of small flies in the family Lauxaniidae, containing over 120 described species and representing one of the most species-rich genera in the family. The genus is divided into three subgenera: Minettia, Plesioninettia, and Frendelia. Species are distributed across five zoogeographical regions, with the highest diversity in the Palaearctic region. The mitochondrial genome of Minettia omei has been sequenced, showing typical lauxaniid genome organization with AT bias of 77.62%.
Neogriphoneura sordida
Neogriphoneura sordida is a small fly species in the family Lauxaniidae, first described by Wiedemann in 1830. It belongs to a genus of lauxaniid flies characterized by distinctive wing venation patterns. The species has been documented across multiple continents and is frequently observed by naturalists, with over 2,000 records on iNaturalist.
Opetiophora
Opetiophora is a genus of small flies in the family Chloropidae (frit flies or grass flies), established by Loew in 1872. Members of this genus belong to the subfamily Oscinellinae, a diverse group within Chloropidae. The genus is poorly documented in scientific literature, with minimal species-level descriptions and few verified observations. Like other chloropids, these flies are likely associated with grassland or wetland habitats where their larvae develop in plant tissues or decaying organic matter.
Pachyopella
Pachyopella is a genus of flies in the family Lauxaniidae, described by Shewell in 1986. Members of this genus are small to medium-sized flies associated with forest and woodland habitats. As with other lauxaniids, adults are likely found on vegetation and decaying organic matter. The genus is poorly documented in published literature, with limited species-level descriptions available.
Periscelididae
Dwarf Flies
Periscelididae is a family of small acalyptrate flies commonly known as Dwarf Flies. Adults are typically 3–4 mm in length with a distinctly broad head, broad bulging cheeks, and characteristic bristle patterns on the head and thorax. The family comprises approximately 12 genera in two subfamilies (Periscelidinae and Stenomicrinae), with species distributed across the Palaearctic, Nearctic, and Neotropical regions. At least some species develop in phytotelmata—water-holding plant structures such as those in Araceae.
Sapromyza
Sapromyza is a genus of small flies in the family Lauxaniidae, containing at least 330 described species. The genus has a broad distribution across the Holarctic region and beyond, with documented records from Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Taxonomic revisions have focused on regional species inventories and identification keys, particularly in understudied areas such as Israel and Iran.
Tephrochlamys rufiventris
Tephrochlamys rufiventris is a small fly in the family Heleomyzidae, measuring 5–6 mm in body length. It is distributed across the Palearctic region, with records from Scandinavia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Madeira Island. The species is characterized by distinctive thoracic setal arrangements and wing venation features useful for identification.
Trisapromyza
Trisapromyza is a genus of small flies in the family Lauxaniidae, established by Shewell in 1986. The genus contains at least two described species: Trisapromyza pictipes and Trisapromyza vittigera. Lauxaniid flies are generally associated with decaying plant material and fungi. Information on this genus remains limited, with few observations documented.
Trixoscelis albibasis
Trixoscelis albibasis is a small fly species in the family Heleomyzidae, described by Malloch in 1931. The genus Trixoscelis comprises minute to small flies associated with decaying organic matter. Species in this genus are poorly studied, with limited ecological and behavioral documentation. T. albibasis is known from very few observations.
Trixoscelis polita
Trixoscelis polita is a species of small fly in the family Heleomyzidae, subfamily Trixoscelidinae. The species was described by Malloch in 1931. Like other members of the genus Trixoscelis, it is associated with decaying organic matter and fungal habitats. The family Heleomyzidae is part of the muscoid fly radiation within Brachycera, and Trixoscelidinae represents one of the more specialized lineages within this family, often found in distinctive microhabitats.
Trixoscelis punctipennis
Trixoscelis punctipennis is a species of true fly in the family Heleomyzidae, subfamily Trixoscelidinae. It was described by Melander in 1913. The genus Trixoscelis comprises small flies commonly associated with decaying organic matter and fungal habitats.
Trophodeinus
Trophodeinus is a genus of scuttle flies in the family Phoridae, subfamily Metopininae. The genus was established by Borgmeier in 1960 and contains eight described species distributed primarily in the Americas. Members of this genus are small, humpbacked flies characteristic of the phorid family morphology. Little is known about the biology or ecology of most species in this genus.