Celyphidae

Taxobox
name = Celyphidae

---

image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
subclassis = Pterygota
infraclassis = Neoptera
superordo = Endopterygota|
ordo = Diptera
infraordo = Muscomorpha
zoosectio = Schizophora
zoosubsectio = Acalyptratae
superfamilia = Lauxanioidea
familia = Celyphidae
familia_authority =
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = See text.
synonyms =

Celyphidae or beetle flies, beetle-backed flies is a family of insects of the order Diptera. About 90 species are known from the Oriental and Afrotropic biogeographic regions.

Family Characters

Celyphidae are small to medium-sized and easily recognised. The scutellum is enlarged, forming a protective shell over the abdomen, giving them a beetlelike appearance. Also, like many beetles, Celyphidae are often shiny or metallic in color. The wings, when at rest, are folded beneath the scutellar “shell”.

Classification

*Genus "Acelyphus" Malloch - Asia
*Genus "Afrocelyphus" Vanschuytbroeck - Africa
*Genus "Celyphus" Dalman - Africa and Asia:*Subgenus "Celyphus" Dalman - Asia:*Subgenus "Hemiglobus" Frey - Africa:*Subgenus "Paracelyphus" Bigot - Asia
*Genus "Chamaecelyphus" Frey - Africa
*Genus "Idioscelyphus" Malloch - Asia
*Genus "Oocelyphus" Chen - Southern China
*Genus "Spaniocelyphus" Hendel - Africa and Asia

Identification (Literature)

In order of date:

*Frey, R. 1941. Die Gattungen und Arten der Dipterenfamilie Celyphidae. "Notul. Entomol". 21: 3-16. Keys genera, species.
*Vanschuytbroeck, P. 1959. Celyphidae (Diptera Acalyptratae). "Explor. Parc Natl. Garamba Mission H. de Saeger" 13: 27-44. Keys genera, species.
*Tenorio, J.M. 1972. A revision of the Celyphidae (Diptera) of the Oriental Region. "Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond". 123: 359-453.
*Paap, L. Celyphidae in Soós, Á, Paap, L. (Eds.) 1984 - 1992. "Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera" 9 . Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest - Elsevier, Amsterdam: 63-66..

Biology

The biology of the family is poorly known. Adults are found in along streams and rivers, and in wet grassy areas. Larvae are saprophagous.

Other

Celyphidae is considered by some authors to be the sister taxon of Lauxaniidae (e.g., Griffiths 1972), and has occasionally been considered a specialized lineage arising from within the Lauxaniids. The most recent classifications place this as the sister taxon to Eurychoromyiidae [ [http://www.tolweb.org/Lauxanioidea/10537] The Tree of Life Web Project: Lauxanioidea] .

External links

* [http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/ppd/entomology/Diptera/Celyphidae.htm Research project on Celyphidae]

* [http://www.diptera.info/photogallery.php?album_id=73 Images from Diptera.inf]

References