DIPTERA > BRACHYCERA | Higher Diptera

MUSCOMORPHA > SCHIZOPHORA > Calyptratae > Muscoidea > Anthomyiidae (246 species)

(subfamilies: Anthomyiinae and Pegomyiinae)

The family includes 246 species in 29 genera, taxonomically separated into two subfamilies:

Anthomyiinae (164 species in 20 genera, separated into three tribes):

Anthomyini - Anthomyia (10), Botanophila (33), Chiastocheta (5), Fucellia (3), Hylemya (4), Hylemyza (1)

Chirosiini - Chirosia (12), Egle (12), Lasiomma (5), Strobilomyia (2)

Hydrophoriini - Adia (1), Delia (35), Eustalomyia (4), Heterostylodes (5), Hydrophoria (5), Leucophora (8),

Paregle (2), Phorbia (9), Subhylemyia (1), Zaphne (8)

Pegomyinae (81 species in 9 genera, separated into two tribes):

Myopinini - Calythea (2), Myopina (1), Pegoplata (7)

Pegomyini - Alliopsis (9), Emmesomyia (2), Eutrichota (7), Mycophaga (1), Paradelia (4), Pegomya (48)

That is an awful lot of species to consider and far too many genera to try to understand for a family where only a tiny number of individuals can be given any level of identity from photos alone. It therefore makes sense to concentrate on those species that are likely to be seen, even if they can't be distinguished!

Interestingly, even experienced dipterists who regularly study anthomyiids have a time-saving 'short key' to the males of the 25 most commonly found species, which they can reference before consulting the 'main key' as these particular species typically account for the vast majority of those taken during usual collection methods such as sweeping. It's a useful reference document in part, except that it starts with comparing the total width of the arista including hairs with the width of flagellomere, which unfortunately means that in reality it can't be followed when looking at photos as it's extremely unlikely that that level of detail can be captured when photographing live flies. As with any 'key', if you make the wrong choice at any point you'll get nowhere, so if I have a feeling or simply want to check a particular species, I work backwards checking each associated couplet. Obviously, there will be various features that will be impossible to see, but you can usually tick a few off. 

In respect of the species themselves, I've trimmed the number back slightly to produce the following list of those that are most frequently recorded locally, which in alphabetical, rather than taxonomic or ranking order, are:

Anthomyia liturata

Although on paper this nondescript brownish-grey species is one of the most frequently recorded anthomyiids, as far as I'm aware it cannot be reliably identified from photos. It does have infuscated crossveins though, which is an unusual feature that would only key it out with Anthomyia confusanea. The main problem I can see is initially recognising it as an Anthomyia species. Hopefully, I'll photograph one at some point that can be distinguished.    

Anthomyia pluvialis, Anthomyia procellaris and, to a lesser extent, Anthomyia imbrida

Distinctive, conspicuously pale grey and black-patterned flies that can usually be identified to some degree. Discussed separately on the next page.

Botanophila fugax

Superficially similar to many other species, and difficult to distinguish from external features apart from having characteristically long hairs arising from the sides of the thorax. Probably seen and possibly photographed, but not identified.

Delia florilega, Delia platura, and Delia radicum

Small, mostly brownish-grey species with varied thoracic markings, the larvae of which feed mainly on the roots and stems of commercial crops. All regarded as abundant, but poorly recorded.

Hylemya vagans, Hylemya variata and, less often, Hylemya nigrimana

Featured on a separate page with Hylemyza and Hydrophoria species.

Hylemyza partita

A small dark-coloured species with two rows of acrostichal setae more widely spaced, at least in front of the suture, than in the closely related Hylemya species. 

Hydrophoria lancifer and Hydrophoria ruralis

Discussed separately with Hylemya species

Pegoplata aestiva and Pegoplata infirma

Widespread and abundant small dark coloured flies, which are probably dung, rather than root or fungus, feeders. These species cannot be properly identified from photos.

Pegoplata annulata

Slightly larger and paler than the previous species with a wing length up to 6mm, and with the scutum and abdomen having a light bluish-grey dusting with shifting blackish reflections.

Pegomya

A large genus comprising nearly fifty species, the larvae of which are either leaf-miners, stem borers or fungus feeders. Apart from a couple of exceptions these species are partly or wholly yellow or orange and difficult to separate from photos. That said, there are really only two species that are likely to be found locally:

Pegomya bicolor - a leaf-miner species; adults having a reddish-orange abdomen with traces of white dusting, grey thorax with blotchy black markings, and mainly orange legs with darker tarsi; the hind tibia with three long dorsal preapical setae.

Pegomya geniculata - a mycophagus, fungus feeder; adults wholly reddish-orange (abdomen, thorax, scutellum and legs), and with hind tibia that only have two strong dorsal preapical setae.

Emmesomyia

Although the two species in this genus don't really belong in this list as they are not recorded very often, I've included them here for convenience. At first glance they look similar to a number of other species, but the females at least have reasonably distinctive thoracic markings. The genus is characterised in part by having lower calypters that are distinctly larger than the upper ones but, as usual, there are other features that should be checked that will be hard to see in photos so the identity here is tentative. Similarly, with specific leg setae on the hind femur that would help separate the species. However, the final abdominal segment differs in the females which, in simple terms, can be described as narrow and shining black in Emmesomyia grisea, whereas in Emmesomyia socia it's noticeably broader and grey. Having compared photos the best that I can, I believe that the individual featured below is the latter. 

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