Xylosaprophagous
Guides
Canthyloscelidae
Canthyloscelidae is a small family of nematoceran flies closely related to Scatopsidae. The family contains approximately 15 extant species distributed across New Zealand, North America, South America, Japan, and Russia, plus one species known from Jurassic fossils. Most species are considered endangered due to their specialized habitat requirements.
Synneuron
Synneuron is a rare genus of flies in the family Canthyloscelidae, with four extant species distributed across the Holarctic region. The genus has an exceptional fossil record extending back to the Lower Cretaceous (ca. 125 Ma), with specimens from Australia and the Eocene of North America, supporting its status as a true Pangean clade that survived major vegetation transitions from gymnosperm to angiosperm dominance. Its ancient origins and relictual modern distribution make it significant for understanding dipteran biogeography and the impact of Cretaceous floral turnover on insect lineages.