Snipe-flies
Guides
Arthroceras
Arthroceras is a genus of snipe flies (family Rhagionidae) established by Williston in 1886. It is the sole genus in the subfamily Arthrocerinae. Species range from 4.5 to 13 mm in body length and occur in both the Palearctic and Neotropical regions.
Bolbomyia
Bolbomyia is a small genus of snipe flies comprising four species, including one fossil species from Baltic amber. It represents the sole genus in the family Bolbomyiidae, having been reclassified from Rhagionidae in 2010 based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. The genus is characterized by diminutive size and distinctive wing pigmentation.
Bolbomyiidae
Bolbomyiid Snipe Flies
Bolbomyiidae is a small family of snipe flies established by Stuckenberg in 2001, previously treated as part of Rhagionidae. The family contains a single genus, Bolbomyia, with species measuring 2–3.5 mm. These tiny flies are restricted to the north temperate zone of North America and the Russian Far East.
Chrysopilus
snipe flies
Chrysopilus is a diverse genus of snipe flies in the family Rhagionidae, comprising approximately 300 species with worldwide distribution across all biogeographical regions. The genus includes both extant and fossil species, with some fossil members preserved in amber. Several species exhibit metallic scaling on the exoskeleton, giving adults a distinctive appearance. Larval development occurs in moist, decaying organic substrates including rotting wood and damp soil.
Chrysopilus xanthopus
Chrysopilus xanthopus is a species of snipe fly in the family Rhagionidae, described by Hardy in 1949. The genus name derives from Greek 'chryso' (gold) and Latin 'pilus' (hair), referencing the metallic scaling characteristic of Chrysopilus species. As a member of the Chrysopilinae subfamily, it shares the ornate appearance typical of this group. Very little species-specific information is documented in available sources.
Rhagio
snipe flies, downlooker flies, down-looker flies
Rhagio is a worldwide genus of predatory snipe flies (Diptera: Rhagionidae) comprising approximately 170 species. Several species are known as 'downlooker' or 'down-looker' flies due to their habit of perching on tree trunks in a head-down position. The genus can be distinguished from other rhagionids by two key wing characters: an open anal cell and the absence of a kidney-shaped arista. Taxonomic revisions have been published for both eastern and western Nearctic species.
Rhagio hirtus
Rhagio hirtus is a snipe fly species in the family Rhagionidae, recognized as a valid species in the revision of eastern Nearctic Rhagio species. It is closely related to R. orestes, from which it can be distinguished by its paler thorax and abdomen. The species is part of the genus Rhagio, commonly known as snipe flies, which are generally associated with moist woodland habitats.
Rhagionidae
Snipe Flies
Rhagionidae, or snipe flies, is a small family of medium-sized to large flies within the infraorder Tabanomorpha. Members are characterized by slender bodies, stilt-like legs, and often prominent piercing mouthparts. Many species are hematophagous as adults, while others are predatory on other insects. The family name derives from the resemblance of their proboscis to a snipe's beak. Larvae are primarily predatory and mostly terrestrial, though some are aquatic. The genus Rhagio includes species commonly called "down-looker" flies due to their habit of perching head-downward on tree trunks.
Tabanomorpha
Snipe Flies and Allies
Tabanomorpha is a brachyceran infraorder of Diptera comprising primarily two large families—Tabanidae (horse and deer flies) and Rhagionidae (snipe flies)—along with several smaller affiliated families including Athericidae, Vermileonidae, Austroleptidae, Oreoleptidae, Spaniidae, and Pelecorhynchidae. The group is notable as one of only two brachyceran lineages outside Hippoboscoidea containing blood-feeding (hematophagous) species, though they are not significant disease vectors. Phylogenetic relationships among constituent families remain unresolved.