Aquatic Insects of Michigan

by Ethan Bright, Museum of Zoology Insect Division and School of Natural Resources and Environment
University of Michigan

Aquatic Diptera (True Flies) of Michigan

Except for families of flies of public health importance, or groups that have a certain ecological interest, our knowledge about the distribution of aquatic and semi-aquatic Diptera in Michigan (and elsewhere) is incomplete. This is no doubt due to the cornucopia of species in many families, sampling difficulties, and the state of current taxonomy. To fashion completed species lists for all the families listed in the navigation bar to the left will require years of collaborative work. This is an on-going project in its initial phase: please contact the author to communicate information regarding additional verified species records and locations.

The following families are listed on this page: (Nematocera) - Blephariceridae, Chaoboridae, Corethrellidae, Dixidae, Psychodidae and Ptychopteridae; (Brachycera) - Athericidae, Empididae, Muscidae, Pelecorhynchidae, Phoridae, Sarcophagidae, and Scathophagidae. The following families retain their own separate pages: (Nematocera) - Ceratopogonidae, Chironomidae, Culicidae, Simuliidae; (Brachycera) - Ephydridae, Sciomyzidae, Syrphidae, Tabanidae.

Genera are denoted in green; species denoted in bold blue have been recorded in Michigan; species denoted in black bold are likely to occur in Michigan based on their known distribution with nearby state/provincial localities from which certified records have been published. You can use the Find function in your web browser to locate a taxon or author of interest. Synonomous species (indented) are listed below the current valid species (denoted in bold) with its taxonomic status indicated.

Nematocera

AXYMYIIDAE Shannon, 1921: 50 ("Wood-boring" midges)

Axymyiid midges are a semi-aquatic, very small group of Holarctic nematoceran flies of only 11 species in 4 genera. One species - Axymyia furcata - is found in eastern North America, ranging from Minnestoa and Iowa eastward into southern Canada and western Maine southward to western South Carolina and northeastern Georgia. Very little was known about these flies, and the fact that until recently virtually nothing was known about its larval ecology meant that records in museums were rare. Larvae bore through and construct chambers in woody logs submerged in streams, springs and seeps that begin to decompose. The adult stage is very short-lived, with adults possessing only vestigial mouthparts. Excellent summaries of the ecology, morphology and systematics of this group can be found in Mamayev & Krivosheyna 1966, Wihlm 2009, Wihlm & Countney 2011, Sinclair 2013, and Schneeberg et al. 2013.
Axymyia McAtee, 1921: 49
Axymyia furcata McAtee, 1921: 49 - IA, MN, OH, ON, east (Wihlm 2009, Wihlm & Courtney 2011), expect in southern LP


References - Taxonomic and Distribution

Mamayev BM, Krivosheyna NP. 1966. New data on the taxonomy and biology of the family Axymyiidae (Diptera). Entomological Reviews 45: 93-99.
McAtee WL. 1921. Description of a new genus of Nemocera (Dipt.). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 23: 1-49.
Rohdendorf BB. 1946. [The evolution of the wing and the phylogeny of Oligoneura (Diptera, Nematocera).] Trudy Paleontol. Inst. Akademie Nauk SSSR 13(2): 1-108, 16 pls. [1946.10.03] [In Russian, with English summary].
Schneeberg K, Krause K, Beutel RG. 2013. The adult head of Axymyia furcata (Insecta: Diptera: Axymyiidae). Arthropod Systematics and Phylogeny 71(2): 91-102.
Shannon RC. 1921. Another anomalous dipteron added to the Rhyphidae. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 23: 50 – 51.
Wihlm MW. 2009. The ecology, morphology, and phylogeography of the Nearctic species Axymyia furcata (Diptera: Axyyiidae). MS thesis, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. 75 pp.
Wihlm MW, Courtney GW. 2011. The distribution and life history of Axymyia furcata Mcatee (Diptera: Axymyiidae), a wood inhabiting, semi-aquatic fly. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 113(3): 385-398.


BLEPHARICERIDAE Loew, 1862: 8 (Net-winged midges)



Only one species of this family - Blepharicera tenuipes - has been collected in Michigan, from cold rapid streams located in the UP. These delicate flies are found in fast-moving, clean and cold streams. Larvae use ventral suckers to which they adhere to the surfaces of rocks, often near the water surface or even above in the splash zone. Adults, collected nearby the habitats of immature stages, resemble tipulids, and their common name "net-winged midges" refers to the light colored creases and folds of the wings. Species of the Blepharicera tenuipes-group have been reviewed by Courtney (2000) and Jacobsen (2010); an excellent web resource on the family is available by Gregory Courtney. [Photo right: Blepharicera sp. Image from U.S. EPA Biological Indicators of Watershed Health, courtesy of EcoAnalysts, Inc.). Note that Loew's 1861's mention (p. 88) of the family name in his work on amber did not specifically specify a type species, but his Monograph of the Diptera of North America, which appears as the first work to establish the family, but essentially finished in 1860, did not appear in print until 1862 (p. 8). Later (1877: 58) Loew recapitulated a chronology in the developing understanding of the group (at the time) and the establishment of the family name.

Blepharicera Macquart, 1843: 61
Blepharicera tenuipes (Walker, 1848: 86 as Asindulum)
(syn.) Blepharocera capitata Loew, in Osten Sacken 1878: 17
(syn.) Blepharicera Larva A, Hogue, 1978: 27

References - Taxonomic and Distribution

Courtney GW. 2000. Revision of the new-winged midges of the genus Blepharicera Macquart (Diptera: Belphariceridae) of eastern North America. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Washington 23: 1-99.
Hogue CL. 1987. Blephariceridae, in Griffiths GCD (ed.), Flies of the Nearctic Region. 2(4): 1-172. E. Scweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart, Germany.
Jacobson AJ. 2010. Phylogenetic analysis of the Nearctic Blepharicera Macquart (Diptera: Blephariceridae) with an emphasis on the eastern Blepharicera tenuipes group Hogue. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Loew H. 1861. Über die Dipterenfauna des Bernsteins. Amtlicher Bericht über die Fünf und Dreissigste Versammlung Deutscher Naturforscher und Ärzte in Königsberg in Preussen im September 1860: 88-98.
Loew H. 1862. Monographs of the Diptera of North America. Part 1. Smithsonian Institution, Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collection 6(1): 1-221, fig. 1-3+1-12, 2 pls.
Loew H. 1877. Revision der Blepharoceridae. Schlesische Zeitschrift für Entomologie, Neue Folge, Sechstes Heft, Breslau: 54-98, 1 pl.
Macquart JM. 1843. Description d'un nouveau genre d'insectes dipteres. Annales de la Société entomologique de France 1: 59-63.
Osten Sacken CR. 1878. Catalog of the described Diptera of North America. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections 16: 1-276.
Walker F. 1848. List of specimens of dipterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Volume 1. British Museum, London. 229 pp.


CERATOPOGONIDAE Newman, 1834: 379 (No-See-Ums, Biting midges) (redirect to separate page)

CHAOBORIDAE Newman, 1834: 379 (Phantom midges)
(Key to the Michigan Chaoboridae)

Chaoborus Lichtenstein, 1800*: 174 (Subfamily Chaoborinae, Tribe Chaoborini)
Chaoborus (Sayomyia) albatus Johnson, 1921*: 11 - Roth 1967: 66; Borkent 1981: 128 (fig. 12)
Chaoborus (Chaoborus) americanus Johannsen, 1903*: 395 as Corethra) - records at Cook-MSU; Roth 1967: 65; Borkent 1981: 125 (fig. 6)
(syn.) Sayomyia hudsoni Felt, 1904*: 371
(syn.) Chaoborus crystallina Dyar & Shannon (nec De Geer), 1924*: 210, pro parte.
(comb.) Sayomyia americana (Joh.), Felt 1904*: 368

Chaoborus (Schadanophasma) cooki Sæther, 1970*: 18 - MN, ON (expect in boreal woodland bogs and lakes in the UP)
(syn.) Chaoborus nyblaei Cook (nec. Zetterstedt), 1956*: 28, pro parte.
Chaoborus (Chaoborus) flavicans (Meigen, 1830*: 243 as Corethra) - records at Cook-MSU; Roth 1967: 65; Borkent 1981: 127 (fig. 8)
(syn.) Corethra albipes Johannsen, 1903*: 395
(syn.) Sayoyia rotundifolia Felt, 1904*: 366
(syn.) Chaoborus plumicornis Wesenberg-Lund (nec. Fabricius) 1914: 8
(syn.) Chaoborus crystallina Dyar & Shannon (nec De Geer), 1924: 210, pro parte.
(syn.) Chaoborus eluthera Dyar & Shannon, 1924*: 211
Chaoborus (Sayomyia) punctipennis (Say, 1823*: 16 as Corethra (orig.) - Eggleton 1931: 231; Roth 1967: 65; Borkent 1981: 128 (fig. 11)
(syn.) Corethra appendiculata Herrick, 1884*:11
(comb.) Sayomyia punctipennis (Say), Felt 1904*: 361
(comb.) Chaoborus (Sayomyia) punctipennis (Say), Dyar & Shannon 1924*: 213
Chaoborus (Schadanophasma) trivittatus (Loew, 1862*: 186 as Corethra) - Borkent 1979
(comb.) Sayomyia trivittata Felt, 1904*: 361
(syn.) Corethra punctipennis Giles (nec Say), 1902*: 502
(syn.) Sayomyia knabi Dyar, 1905*: 16
(syn.) Chaoborus nyblaei Edwards (nec Zett.), 1932*: 26, pro parte.
(syn.) Chaoborus nyblaei Cook (nec Zett.), 1956*: 28, pro parte.
(syn.) Chaoborus brunskilli Sæther, 1970*: 21

Eucorethra Underwood, 1903*: 182 (Subfamily Eucorethrinae)
Eucorethra underwoodi Underwood, 1903*: 182 - Borkent 1981: 124 (fig. 1)
(syn.) Pelorempis americanus Johannsen, 1903*: 403

Mochlonyx Loew, 1844a*: 121 (Subfamily Chaoborinae, Tribe Mochlonychini)
Mochlonyx cinctipes (Coquillett, 1903*: 190 as Corethra) - WI, northern widespread (Borkent 1981: 125, fig. 5)
(syn.) Corethra cintipes var. obscura Dyar & Shannon, 1924*: 208
Mochlonyx velutinus (Ruthe, 1831*: 1205 as Corethra) - Cook-MSU; Borkent 1981: 124 (fig. 3)
(syn.) Tipula culiciformis De Geer, 1776*:372
(syn.) Corethra karnerensis Felt, 1904*: 347
(syn.) Corethra lintneri Felt, 1904*: 353

References - Taxonomic and Distribution

Borkent A. 1981. The distribution and habitat preferences of the Chaoboridae (Culicomorpha: Diptera) of the Holarctic region. Canadian Journal of Zoology 59: 122-133.
Cook EF. 1956. The Nearctic Chaoborinae (Diptera: Culicidae). Technical Bulletin of the Agriculture Experiment Station, University of Minnestoa 218: 1-102.
Coquillett DW. 1903. Four new species of Culex. The Canadian Entomologist 35: 255-257.
De Geer C. 1776. Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire des insectes 6: viii + 523 pp. Stockholm.
Dyar HG. 1905. Our present knowledge of North American corethrid larvae. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 7: 13-16.
Dyar HG., Shannon RC. 1924. The American Chaoborinae (Diptera, Culicidae). Insecutor Inscitiae Menstruus 12: 201-216.
Edwards FW. 1932. Diptera. Family Culicidae. Genera Insectorum De Wytsman 194: 1-258.
Eggleton FE. 1931. A limnological study of the profundal bottom fauna of certain fresh-water lakes. Ecological Monographs 1: 231-332.
Felt EP. 1904. Mosquitoes or Culicidae of New York State. Bulletin of the New York State Museum 79: 239-400, 57 pls.
Giles GM. 1902. A handbook of the genus or mosquiotes giving the anatomy and life history of the Culicidae. 2nd ed. John Bale, Sons and Danielsson, Ltd., London. 530 pp.
Herrick A. 1884. A final report on the Crustacea of Minnesota included in the orders Cladocera and Copepoda. The Geological and Natural History Survery of Minnesota, Annual Report 12 (5): 1-191, 30 pls.
Johannsen OA, 1903. Part 6. Aquatic Nematocerous Diptera, pp. 328-411 in Johannsen OA, Davis KC. (eds.), Aquatic insects of New York State. New York State University Bulletin 68 [=Ent. 18]: 197-517, 52 pls.
Johnson CW. 1921. New species of Diptera. Occasional Papers of the Boston Society of Natural History 5: 11-17.
Lichtenstein AAH. 1800. Beschreibung eines neu entdeckten Wasserinsekts. Archiv für Zoologie und Zootomie. 1(1): 168-175, 1 pl.
Loew H. 1844. Beschreibung einiger neuer Gattungen der europäischen Dipterenfauna. Stettin Entomologische Zeitung 5: 114-130, 154-173, 2 pls.
Loew H. 1862. Diptera Americae septentrionalis indigena. Centuria secunda. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 6: 185-232.
Meigen JW. 1830. Systematische Beschreibung der bekannten europäischen zweiflügeligen Insekten. 6: 1-401 pp. Schulz, Hamm.
Newman E. 1834. Attempted division of British insects into natural orders. Article XXXVII. Entomological Magazine 2: 379-430.
Roth JC. 1967. Notes on Chaoborus species from the Douglas Lake region, Michigan, with a key to their larvae (Diptera: Chaoboridae). Papers of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters 52: 63-68.
Ruthe JR, von. 1831. Einige Bemerkungen und Nachträge zu Meigen's "Systematischer Beschreigung der europäischen zweiflügeligen Insekten." Isis (Oken's) 1831: 1203-1222.
Sæther OA. 1970. Nearctic and Palaearctic Chaoborus (Diptera: Chaoboridae). Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin 174. vii + 57 p.
Say T. 1823. Descriptions of dipterous insects of the United States. Journal of the Academy of Natural Science of Philadelphia 3: 9-32.
Underwood WL. 1903. A new mosquito. Science 18: 182-184.
Wesenburg-Lund C. 1914. Bidrag til nogle Myggeslaetgters saerlig Mochlonyx og Corethra's Biologie. Mindeskrift Japetus Steenstrup Fødsel: 1-12.

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CHIRONOMIDAE Newman, 1834 (Non-biting midges) (redirect to separate page)

CORETHRELLIDAE Edwards, 1932: 16 (Frog-biting midges)

This widespread family of nemotocerous flies has not often been represented in collections, but the discovery of female blood-feeding on frogs has greatly improved our knowledge. Previously grouped with the Culicidae and then Chaoboridae, these midges have since 1986 been recogonized as a distinct family (Edwards 1932, Cook 1965, Wood and Borkent 1986, 1989).

Larvae are found along the margins of aquatic habitats. Because female adults are attracted to the call of male frogs and feed on their blood, species are restricted to areas where there are frogs. There are no vouchered specimens of Corethrella from Michigan. Borkent's authoritative work (2008: 174) on Corethrella indicates two regional references, one from Wisconsin (Dickinson 1944) and another from Michigan (Rao and Rai 1990). Unfortunately, voucher specimens are not available, but if these are good records, based on existing distributions, these specimens may be either C. brakeleyi or C. condita.

Corethrella Coquillett, 1902b: 191
Corethrella (Corethrella) brakeleyi (Coquillett, 1902a: 85 as Corethra)
Corethrella (Corethrella) condita Borkent, 2008: 177

References - Taxonomic and Distribution

Borkent A. 2008. The frog-biting midges of the world (Corethrellidae: Diptera). Zootaxa 1804: 1-456.
Cook EF. 1956. The Nearctic Chaoborinae (Diptera: Culicidae). Technical Bulletin of the Agriculture Experiment Station, University of Minnestoa 218: 1-102.
Cook EF. 1965. Family Chaoboridae, pp. 102-105 in Stone A, Sabrosky CW, Wirth WW, Foote RH, Coulson JR, A Catalog of the Diptera of America North of Mexico. United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service. Agriculture Handbook 276, Washington, DC.
Coquillett DW. 1902a. Three new species of Nemoatcerous Diptera. Entomological News 13: 84–85.
Coquillett DW. 1902b. New forms of Culicidae from North America. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 10: 191–194.
Edwards FW. 1932. Diptera family Culicidae. Genera Insectorum 194: 1–258.
Wood DM, Borkent A. 1986. The phylogenetic relationships among families of Nematocera. In Abstracts of the First International Congress of Dipterology, Budapest, Aug. 17–24, 1986, pg. 262.
Wood DM, Borkent A. 1989. Phylogeny and classification of the Nematocera. Chapter 114, pp. 1333-1370 in McAlpine JF, Wood DM (eds.), Manual of Nearctic Diptera. Volume 3. Agriculture Canada Monograph 32, Ottawa.

CULICIDAE Meigen, 1818 (Mosquitoes) (redirect to separate page)
(Key to the Culicidae of Michigan)

DIXIDAE Schiner, 1868: 48 (Dixid midges, Meniscus midges)
(Key to the Dixidae of Michigan)

Dixid midges are a small group of about 175 world-wide in about 7 genera. They are slender flies that are found nearby in the aquatic habitats from which their immature stages develop. Eggs are laid in water near an emergent object where they adhere by water tension (). Immatures of Dixa tend to be rheophilic, usually near the channel edge where flow is low, whereas those of Dixella are more often sampled from slow-moving to still backwater lotic habitats as well as a range of lentic habitats such as wetlands of varying pH, ponds and lakes. Larvae, which superficially look like mosquito immatures, spend their time at the air-water interface, and use a caudal respiratory structure to breath air. Resting larvae form a inverted U-shape, which gives them the moniker of "meniscus" midges. Larvae use their mouthpart brushes to rapidly collect small microorganisms as well as decayed organic matter from the waters surface. Males form mating swarms nearby by habitat where females oviposit. Reviews of this group are in Wesenberg-Lund 1943, Hubert 1965 and Peters 1981. Life cycle of Norwegian species of Dixella were studied by Håland (2009). Methods on the collection and rearing of immature stages were described by Wagner et al. (1992).

This is a preliminary list of species based on records at UMMZ-Insect Division, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the A. J. Cook Arthropod Research Collection, MSU, East Lansing, Michigan, as well as information in Hubert (1965).

Dixa Meigen, 1818: 216
Dixa modesta Johannsen, 1903: 429 - widespread
(syn.) Dixa similis Johannsen 1923: 57 (Moulton 2017)

Dixella Dyar and Shannon, 1924: 200
Dixella cornuta Johannsen, 1923: 55 - Cook Museum, MSU
Dixella fraxina Taber, 2010: 295 - Cook Museum, MSU
Dixella indiana Dyar, 1925: 217 - IN (Dyar 1925: 217-218)
Dixella nova Walker, 1848: 85

References - Taxonomic and Distribution

Dyar HG. 1925. A new North American Dixa and note (Diptera, Culicidae). Insecutor Inscitiae Menstruus 13: 217-218.
Dyar HG, Shannon RC. 1924. Some new species of American Dixa Meigen (Diptera, Culicidae). Insecutor Inscitiae Menstruus 9: 193-201.
Hubert AA. 1965. Dixidae, pp. 100-102 in Stone A, Sabrosky CW, Wirth WW, Foote RH, Coulson JR. (eds.), A Catalog of the Diptera of America North of Mexico. Agricultural Research Service, Agricultural Handbook 267, United States Department of Agriculture. Smithsonian Institution Press 1983 reprint: Washington, D. C. iv + 1696.
Johannsen OA. 1903. Part 6. Aquatic Nematocerous Diptera. New York State University Bulletin 68 (Entomology 18): 328-441.
Johannsen OA. 1923. North American Dixidae. Pyche 30: 52-58, 1 pl.
Håland Ø. 2009. Notes on the life cycles of Norwegian Dixella species (Diptera, Nematocera, Dixidae). Norwegian Journal of Entomology 56: 37–43.
Meigen JG. 1818. Systematische Beschreibung der bekannten europäischen zweiflügeligen Insekten. Erster Teil, Aachen. xxxvi + 332 pp.
Moulton JK. 2017. The true identity of Dixa modesta Johannsen (Diptera: Dixidae) resolved: synonymy of Dixa similis Johannsen, designation of the Dixa ubiquita species group, and description of three new eastern Nearctic species. Zootaxa 4216.3: 247-260.
Peters TM. 1981. Dixidae, pp. 329-333 in McAlpine JF, Wood DM (eds.), Manual of Nearctic Diptera. Volume 3. Agriculture Canada Monograph 32, Ottawa.
Schiner IR. 1868. Diptera, pp. 1-388 in Von Wullerstorf-Urbair B. (ed.), Reise der österreichischen Fregatte Novara. Zoologie, 2(1). B.K. Gerold’s Sohn, Wien.
Taber SW. 2010. New species of Dixella Dyar & Shannon meniscus midge (Diptera: Dixidae). Southwestern Entomologist 35(3): 295-307.
Wagner R, Freidberg A, Ortal R. 1992. The Dixidae (Diptera: Nematocera) of Israel and Egypt, with a new record from Greece. Israel Journal of Entomology 25-26: 163-176.
Walker F. 1848. List of specimens of dipterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Volume 1. British Museum, London. 229 pp.
Wesenberg-Lund C. 1943. Biologie der Süsswasserinsekten. Gyldendalske Boghandel, Nordisk Forlag, and Verlag J. Springer. Berlin and Vienna. xiii + 682 pp.

PSYCHODIDAE Newman, 1832 (Moth flies)

[under construction] Photo of adult by Sanjay Acharya 2009 (CCASA 3.0), larvae right by Erin Hayes-Pontius 2012 (CCASA 3.0). Systematics of this group are being revised, as molecular methods evidence that earlier classifications based on morphology alone have polyphyletic groupings (Espinoda et al. 2011).

Clytocerus Walker, 1856
Clytocerus (Boreoclytocerus) americanus (Kincaid, 1901: 194 as Pericoma ocellaris var. americana) - UMMZ
(syn.) Pericoma interrupta Banks, 1906: 150
(syn.) Pericoma americana Dyar, 1927: 163
(syn.) Pericoma satellitia Dyar, 1927: 163

Moruseodina Bravo & Cordeiro, 2014: 418
Moruseodina superba (Banks, 1894: 332 as Psychoda) - Bravo et al. 2014: 420
(comb.) Telmatoscopus superbus (Banks)
Pericoma Walker, 1856a: 256
Pericoma (Pericoma) kincaidi (Quate, 1955: 141 as Psychoda)
Pericoma (Pericoma) marginalis (Banks, 1894: 333 as Psychoda)
Pericoma (Pericoma) scotiae (Curran, 1924h: 216 as Psychoda) - NS-AB
Pericoma (Pericoma) signata (Banks, 1901: 274 as Psychoda) - LB-MN
Pericoma (Pericoma) slossosonae (Williston, 1893a: 113 as Psychoda)
Perithreticus Vaillant, 1973
Perithreticus jonesi (Quate, 1955) Psychoda - check distribution
Philosepedon Eaton, 1904: 57
Philosepedon interdicta (Dyar, 1928a: 88 as Psychoda) - NY-WI
Psychoda Latreille, 1796: 152
Psychoda alternata Say, 1824a: 358
(syn.) Psychoda tripunctata Macquart, 1838
(syn.) Psychoda sexpunctata Phillipi, 1865
(syn.) Psychoda conspicillata Hutton, 1881
(syn.) Psychoda schizura Kincaid, 1899: 32
(syn.) Psychoda floridica Haseman, 1907: 316
(syn.) Psychoda nocturnala Haseman, 1907: 319
(syn.) Psychoda bengalensis Brunetti, 1908
(syn.) Psychoda albimaculata Welch, 1912: 411
(syn.) Psychoda dakotensis Dyar, 1926b: 108
(syn.) Psychoda alternata var. marmosa Abreau, 1930
(syn.) Psychoda alternata var. floridica Johannsen, 1934
(syn.) Psychoda septempunctata Rapp, 1945
Psychoda cinerea Banks, 1894 - ON
(syn.) Threticus compar Eaton, 1904
(syn.) Psychoda compar Tonnoir, 1919
(syn.) Psychoda prudens Curran, 1924
(syn.) Psychoda domestica Haseman, 1908
Psychoda lativentris Berden, 1952 - widespread
Psychoda minuta Banks, 1894 - ME-MN
(syn.) Psychoda marylandana del Rosario 1936
(syn.) Psychoda spreta Tonnoir 1940
Psychoda phalaenoides (Linnaeus, 1758) Tipula (orig.)
(syn.) Psychoda pacifica Kincaid 1897
(syn.) Psychoda horizontala Haseman 1907
(syn.) Psychoda tonnoiri Dyar 1926
(syn.) Psychoda angustafona Rapp 1944
(syn.) Pericoma pacifica Enderlein 1937
Psychoda pusilla Tonnoir, 1922* - NY-WA
Psychoda satchelli Quate, 1955 - ON
Psychoda setigera Tonnoir, 1922* - MN, ON
Psychoda trinodulosa Tonnoir, 1922* - MN, WI
Psychoda umbracola Quate, 1955 - MN, WI
Psychoda uniformata Haseman, 1907
Telmatoscopus Eaton, 1904: 58
Telmatoscopus furcatus (Kincaid, 1899: 34 as Pericoma)- UMMZ collection
(syn.) Psychoda autumnalis Banks, 1914a: 127
Telmatoscopus latipenis Quate, 1960a: 144 - WI
Telmatoscopus nebraskensis Quate, 1955*: 163 - [check distribution]
Telmatoscopus niger (Banks, 1894: 331 as Psychoda) - IN, NY, MN
Telmatoscopus varitarsis (Curran, 1924h: 220 as Psychoda) - check distribution
Thornborghiella Vaillant, 1982: 299
Thornborghiella kincaidi (Quate, 1955) Psychoda (orig.) - check distribution
Threticus Eaton, 1904: 57
Threticus bicolor (Banks, 1894: 333 as Psychoda) - NY-WI, check distribution

References - Taxonomic and Distribution

Banks N. 1906. The Psychodidae of the vicinity of Washington. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 8: 148–151.
Bravo F, Cordeiro D, Jocque M. 2014. A new genus of Psychodinae (Diptera, Psychodidae) from phytotelmata in a Honduran cloud forest. Zootaxa 3841 (3): 418–428.
Dyar HG. 1925. A new North American Dixa and note (Diptera, Culicidae). Insecutor Inscitiae Menstruus 13: 217-218.
Eaton AE. 1904. New genera of European Psychodidae. Entomologist's Monthly Magazine 40: 55–59.
Espíndola A, Buerki S, Jacquier A, Ježek J, Alvarez N. 2012. Phylogenetic relationships in the subfamily Psychodinae (Diptera, Psychodidae). Zoologica Scripta 41(5): 489-498.
Kincaid T. 1901. Notes on American Psychodidae. Entomological News 12: 193–196.
Quate LW. 1955. A revision of the Psychodidae (Diptera) in America North of Mexico. University of California Publications in Entomology 10: 103–273.
Tonnoir AL. 1922. Synopsis des espèces européennes du genre Psychoda (Diptères). Annales de la Societé Entomologie de Belgique 62: 49–88.
Vaillant F. 1982. Some comments on the classification of the Psychodidae Psychodinae (Diptera). Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France 87: 292–301.

PTYCHOPTERIDAE Osten-Sacken, 1862 (Phantom crane flies)
(Key to the Ptychopteridae of Michigan)

These are large, dark and interesting flies that resemble tipulid crane flies. Larvae are found in fine organic substrates in stagnant or slowly moving water of seeps and wetlands. Older literature references this family as Liriopeidae Meigen, 1800, which was suppressed by the ICZN in Opinion 678 in 1963. Note: species denoted in bold-blue have been recorded in Michigan, other are likely to be found in the state based on existed regional distribution records.

Ptychoptera Meigen, 1803 (Subfamily Ptychopterinae)
Ptychoptera metallica Walker, 1848 - source?
Ptychoptera quadrifasciata Say, 1824 - records at Cook-MSU

Bittacomorphella Alexander, 1916 (Subfamily Bittacomorphinae)
Bittacomorphella (Bittacomorphella) jonesi (Johnson, 1905)

Bittacomorpha Westwood, 1835 (Subfamily Bittacomorphinae)
Bittacomorpha clavipes (Fabricius, 1781) Tipula (orig.)

SIMULIIDAE Newman, 1834 (Black flies, Buffalo Gnats) (redirect to separate page)

TIPULIDAE sensu lato (Tipuloidea) (Crane Flies) (redirect to separate page)

Brachycera

ATHERICIDAE Stuckenberg 1973: 649 (Water snipe flies)
(Key to the Athericidae of Michigan)

This family was erected by Stuckenberg (1973) for species in 7 genera formerly placed in the family Rhagionidae, including three aquatic species in the genus Atherix. Species of Nearctic Athericidae were reviewed by Webb (1977), with one record for A. lantha from Ann Arbor, and A. variegata is widespread in central and northern Michigan.

Atherix Meigen, 1803: 271
Atherix lantha Webb, 1977: 486
Atherix variegata Walker, 1848: 218 - Webb 1977; Kovalak 1978: 10

References

Kovalak WP. 1978. Diel changes in stgream benthos density on stones and artificial substrates. Hydrobiologia 58(1): 7-16.
Meigen JG. 1803. Versuch einer neuen Gattungseinteilung der europäischen zweiflügeligen Insekten. Illigers Magazine für Insektfunde, pp. 259-281.
Stuckenberg BR. 1973. The Athericidae, a new family in the lower Brachycera (Diptera). Annals of the Natal Museum 21(3): 649-673.
Walker F. 1848. List of the specimens of dipterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Part 1: 1-229. London.
Webb DW. 1977. The Nearctic Athericidae (Insecta: Diptera). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 50(4): 473-495.

DOLICHIPODIDAE Latreille, 1809 (Long-legged flies) (redirect to separate page)

EMPIDIDAE Latreille, 1809: 189, 191 - Dance flies

Records are based on a survey of material at UMMZ-Insect Division collection, literature records, and information provided by Dr. Bradley Sinclair. Ecological information is from Courtney & Merritt 2007.

Genera are denoted in green; species denoted in bold blue have been recorded in Michigan; species denoted in black bold are likely to occur in Michigan based on their known distribution with nearby state/provincial localities from which certified records have been published. You can use the Find function in your web browser to locate families, genera, and species. Synonomous species (indented) are listed below the current valid species (denoted in bold) with its taxonomic status indicated. [Photo of Rhamphomyia adult from California (copyright 2005 Hartmut Wisch - used by permission].

Chelifera Macquart, 1823*: 150 (Hemerodromiinae, Hemerodromiini)
Lotic-depositional, lentic-littoral (bogs) - sprawlers, burrowers
Chelifera obsoleta (Loew, 1862*: 208 as Hemerodromia) - MacDonald 1994: 264, 269 (fig. 36)
Chelifera palloris (Coquillett, 1895: 392 as Mantipeza) - MacDonald 1994: 266, 269 (fig. 36)
Chelifera subnotata MacDonald, 1994: 271 - NY, may be strictly Appalachian


Chelipoda Macquart, 1823*: 148 (Hemerodromiinae, Chelipodini)
Chelipoda contracta Melander, 1947*: 265 - MacDonald 1993: 335
Chelipoda elongata (Melander, 1902*: 232 as Litanomyia) - MacDonald 1993: 338
Chelipoda truncata MacDonald, 1993*: 347 - MN, ON, WI, south to GA (MacDonald 1993: 347-348)

Clinocera Meigen, 1803*: 271 (Clinocerinae)
Lotic-erosional, lentic-littoral (bogs) - clingers
Clinocera binotata Loew, 1876*: 325 - record from Hillsdale Co., 21.v.1960, R.R. & K. Dreisbach (Sinclair 2008)
Clinocera brunnea Sinclair, 2008*: 30 - Sinclair 2008 (1m, Alger Co., Munising, Alger Falls, 9.ix.1982, R. Hurley)
(syn.) Clinocera sp. Landry & Harper, 1985*: 1381
Clinocera fuscipennis Loew, 1876*: 324 - IN, ON, WI, widely distributed
(syn.) Clinocera brevitibia Melander, 1928*: 235
Clinocera lineata Loew, 1862*: 207 - IN, MN, ON (Record from Lambton Co., near Arkona, is very close to Michigan)(Sinclair 2008), Holarctic distribution
Clinocera maculata Loew, 1860*: 79 - Alger Co., Alger Falls, Munising, 9.ix.l992, RH (HSU); Montmorency Co., Hunt Ck, 15.ii.1941, J.W. Leonard (USNM) (Sinclair 2008)
Clinocera stagnalis (Haliday, 1833*: 159 as Heleodromia) - Keweenaw Co., Isle Royale, 9.vii.1938, George C. Steyskal (USNM) (Sinclair 2008)

(syn.) Brachystoma westermanni Zetterstedt, 1838*: 558 (syn.) Clinocera genualis Coquillett, 1910*: 124

Dolichocephala Macquart, 1823*: 147 (Clinocerinae)
Lotic-erosional - clingers
Previous Nearctic records of Dolichocephala irrorata (Fallén, 1815) are based on misidentifications (Sinclair and MacDonald, 2012: 62, 72 (fig. 72)).
Dolichocephala argus Melander, 1928*: 246 - ON, NS-BC-CA (Sinclair and MacDonald 2012*: 66-67)
Dolichocephala vockerothi Sinclair & MacDonald, 2012*: 75 - Cheboygan Co., Sturgeon R. at Rondo [45.3168°N,-84.6225°W], 7.vii.1987, R. Hurley (1 #, MTEC); Marquette Co., 15mi SW Big Bay, 22–26.vi.1986, malaise trap, John F. MacDonald (1 ~, CNC) (Sinclair and MacDonald, 2012*: 77); based on record in Lambton Co., ON, expect this species in southern Michigan as well.

Hemerodromia Meigen, 1822* (Hemerodromiinae, Hemerodromiini)
Lotic-erosional and depositional, (detritus) - sprawlers, burrowers - predators (piercers)
Hemerodromia captus Coquillett, 1895 - MacDonald 1998
Hemerodromia empiformis (Say, 1823 as Ochthera) - ON, IN, MN, WI (MacDonald 1998)
Hemerodromia melanosoma Melander, 1947 - MacDonald 1998
(syn.) Hemerodromia haruspex Melander, 1947
Hemerodromia oratoria (Fallén, 1816 as Tachydromia) - MacDonald 1998
Hemerodromia sufflexa Melander, 1947 - IL, IN, MN, ON, NY
Hemerodromia superstitiosa Say, 1824 - MacDonald 1998
(syn.) Hemerodromia vittata Loew, 1862(syn.) Hemerodromia rogatoris Coquillett, 1895
Hemerodromia vates Melander, 1947 - IN

Metachela Coquillett, 1903*: 253, 263 (Hemerodromiinae, Hemerodromiini)
Lotic-erosional and depositional (also in moss mats at water level, or just above on banks) - sprawlers, burrowers - predators (piercers); most adults are collected by sweep netting riparian vegation, or the use of Malaise traps placed along and across stream (MacDonald 1989*: 514).
Metachela albipes (Walker, 1849*: 505 as Hemerodromia) - northern and western; expect in the UP (MacDonald 1989: 514-518, Fig. 8)


Neoplasta Coquillett, 1895*: 392 (Hemerodromiinae, Hemerodromiini)
Lotic-erosional and depositional (also in moss mats at water level, or just above on banks) - sprawlers, burrowers - predators (piercers)
Neoplasta deyrupi MacDonald & Turner, 1993*: 366 - central-western IN, may be found in s. Lower Peninsula adjacent to Indiana (MacDonald & Turner 1993*: 366)
Neoplasta scapularis (Loew, 1862*: 209 as Hemerodromia) - MacDonald and Turner, 1993*: 371 (possibly a species complex)


Oreogeton Shiner, 1860 (Empidinae, tribe incertae sedis)
Lotic-erosional (moss mats) - sprawlers, burrowers - predators (piercers (Simuliidae, Trichoptera))
Oreogeton obscurus (Lowe, 1864 as Gloma) - NH-AK, widespread north

Rhamphomyia Meigen, 1822*: 42 (Empidinae, Empidini)
Lentic-littoral - sprawlers, burrowers
preliminary list
Rhamphomyia americana Wiedemann, 1830*: 8 - CO-ME, widespread
Rhamphomyia angustipennis Loew, 1861b*: 336 - IL-NH
Rhamphomyia aperta Loew, 1862b*: 199 - IL-ME
Rhamphomyia basalis Loew, 1864a*: 77 - Melander 1965:462
Rhamphomyia brevis Loew, 1861b*: 334 - widespread
Rhamphomyia compta Coquillett, 1895m*: 423 - widespread
Rhamphomyia debilis Loew, 1861b*: 330 - MN, SK-ME
Rhamphomyia dimidiata Loew, 1861b*: 325 - IL, NY
Rhamphomyia effera Coquillett, 1895m*: 427 - CO, MA, RI
Rhamphomyia falcipedia Chillcott, 1959*: 268 - Melander 1965: 463
Rhamphomyia frontalis Loew, 1862b*: 199 - IL, NY
Rhamphomyia fumosa Loew, 1861b*: 327 - UMMZ
Rhamphomyia gilvipilosa Coquillett, 1895m*: 434 - IL, QB
Rhamphomyia gracilis Loew, 1861b*: 329 - UMMZ (8/28/1929 record from Higgins Lake coll. George Steyskal, though species is indicated as eastern by Melander 1965)
Rhamphomyia hirtipes Loew, 1864a*: 80 - UMMZ (4/17/1979 record from St. Joseph Co. coll. H. D. Cameron)
Rhamphomyia irregularis Loew, 1864a*: 81 - UMMZ (5/12/1929 record from Oakland Co. coll. George Steyskal)
Rhamphomyia laevigata Loew, 1861*b: 325 - MT-QB, expect northern UP
Rhamphomyia limbata Loew, 1861*b: 338 - widespread northern

(syn.) Megacyttarus argentea Bigot, 1880b*: xlvii
Rhamphomyia longicauda Loew, 1861b*: 326 - Melander 1965: 464, UMMZ
Rhamphomyia mutabilis Loew, 1862b*: 198 - IL, east
Rhamphomyia nana Loew, 1861*b: 341 - widespread
Rhamphomyia otiosa Coquillett, 1895m*: 425 - CO-QB, NJ
Rhamphomyia phemius Walker, 1849*: 500 - ON, widespread northern
Rhamphomyia piligeronis Coquillett, 1895m*: 432 - IL, ON
Rhamphomyia priapulus Loew, 1861b*: 335 - UMMZ (5/19/1979 record from Washtenaw Co. coll. H. D. Cameron, though species is indicated as eastern by Melander 1965)
Rhamphomyia pulla Loew, 1861*b: 330 - UMMZ (Schoolcraft Co., Washtenaw Co.)
Rhamphomyia rustica Loew, 1864a*: 79 - UMMZ (Arenac Co., Keweenaw Co., though species is indicated as eastern by Melander 1965)
Rhamphomyia setosa Coquillett, 1895m*: 426 - widespread northern
Rhamphomyia sordida Loew, 1861b*: 337 - UMMZ (4/30/1981 record from Washtenaw Co. coll. by H. D. Cameron, though species is indicated as eastern by Melander 1965)
Rhamphomyia vara Loew, 1861b*: 337 - UMMZ (5/29/1918 record from Washtenaw Co. coll. F. M. Gaige)
Rhamphomyia virgata Coquillett, 1895m*: 430 (6/1/1901 record from Washtenaw Co., unknown collector, identified by G. Steyskal)
Rhamphomyia vittata Loew, 1862b*: 197 - UMMZ (7/1/1938 and 6/25/1939 records from Wayne Co. coll. George Steyskal)

Trichoclinocera Collin, 1941*: 237 (Clinocerinae)
Lotic-erosional - clingers - predators (piercers)
Trichoclinocera ctenistes (Melander, 1928*: 234 as Wiedemannia) - Sinclair 1994: 1025, 1043 (Map 3)
Trichoclinocera falcata Sinclair, 1994*: 1028- ON (Sault Ste. Marie), expect in e. UP (Sinclaiir 1994: 1045 (Mpa 9)
Trichoclinocera hamifera Melander, 1928*: 233 - Sinclair 1994: 1045 (Map 10)
(syn.) Wiedemannia (Roederella) saltans Vaillant, 1960a*: 122
(syn.) Seguyella saltans (Vaillant); Vaillant, 1960b*: 180
Trichoclinocera longipes (Walker, 1849*: 504 as Heleodromia) - Sinclair 1994: 1045 (Map 10)
Trichoclinocera pectinifemur Sinclair, 1994*: 1034 - IN, OH, ON, expect in s. LP (Sinclair 1994: 1044 (Map 8)


References - Taxonomic and Distribution

Bigot JMF. 1880. Diagnose de trois genres nouveaux de Diptères. Annales de la Société entomologique de France, Ser. 5 (10): xlvi-xlviii.
Chillcott JG. 1959. Studies on the genus Rhamphomyia Meigen: a revision of the nearctic species of the basalis group of the subgenus Pararhamphomyia Frey (Diptera: Empididae). The Canadian Entomologist 91: 257-275, 28 figs.
Collin JE. 1941. Some Pipunculidae and Empididae from the Ussuri region on the far eastern border of the U.S.S.R. (Diptera). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London (B) 10: 218-248.
Coquillett DW. 1895. Revision of the North American Empididae. A family of two-winged insects. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 18: 387-440.
Coquillett DW. 1903. The genera of the dipterous family Empididae, with notes and new species. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 5: 245-272.
Coquillett DW. 1910. New genera and species of North American Diptera. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 12: 124-131.
Courtney GW, Merritt RW. 2007. Chapter 22. Aquatic Diptera, Part One. Larvae of Aquatic Diptera, pp. 687-771 in Merritt RW, Cummins KW, Berg MB (eds.), An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America. 4th Ed. Kendall Hunt Publishing Co., Dubuque, Iowa. xv + 1158 pp., 39 pls.
Haliday AH. 1833. Catalogue of Diptera occurring about Holywood in Downshire. Entomological Magazine, London, 1: 147-180.
Landry B, Harper PP. 1985. The aquatic dance fly fauna of a subarctic river system in Québec, with the description of a new species of Hemerodromia (Diptera: Empididae). The Canadian Entomologist 117: 1379-1386.
Loew H. 1860. Diptera americana ab Osten-Sackenio collecta. Wiener Entomologische Monatsschrift 4: 79-84.
Loew H. 1861. Beschreibung einiger neuer europäischen Dipteren. Wiener Entomologische Monatschrift: 348-353. Loew H. 1862. Diptera Americae septentrionalis indigena. Centuria secunda. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 6: 185 -232.
Loew H. 1864. Diptera Americae septentrionalis indigena. Centuria quinta. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 8: 49-104.
Loew H. 1876. Beschreibungen neuer amerikanischer Dipteren. Zeitschrift für die Gesamte Naturwissenschaft 48: 317-340.
MacDonald JF. 1989. Review of the nearctic Metachela Coquillett, with description of a new species (Diptera: Empididae; Hemerodromiinae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 91(4): 513-522.
MacDonald JF. 1993. Review of the genus Chelipoda Macquart of America north of Mexico (Diptera: Empididae; Hemerodromiinae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 95(3): 327-350.
MacDonald JF. 1994. Review of the nearctic species of the genus Chelifera Macquart (Diptera: Empididae; Hemerodromiinae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 96(2): 236-275.
MacDonald JF, Turner WJ. 1993. Review of the genus Neoplasta Coquillett of America north of Mexico (Diptera: Empididae; Hemerodromiinae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 95(3): 351-376.
Macquart J. 1823. Monographie des insectes diptères de la famille des empides, observés dans le nord-ouest de la France. Recueil des Travaux de la Société d’Amateurs des Sciences, de l’Agriculture et des Arts à Lille 1822: 137–165.
Meigen JW. 1803. Versuch einer neuen GattungsEintheilung der europäischen zweiflügeligen Insekten. Magazin für Insektenkunde (Illiger) 2: 259-281. VIEW.
Meigen JW. 1804. Klassifikazion und Beschreibung der europäischen zweiflügeligen Insecten (Diptera Linn.). Erster Band. Abt.1. xxviii + 152 pp. Abt.11. vi + pp. 153-314. Reichard, Braunschweig.
Meigen JW. 1822. Systematische Beschreibung der bekannten europäischen zweiflügeligen Insekten. Dritter Theil. Schulz-Wundermann, Hamm, pp. 416.
Meigen JW. 1830. Systematische Beschreibung der bekannten europäischen zweiflügeligen Insekten. Sechster Theil. Schulz-Wundermann, Hamm, pp. 401.
Melander AL. 1902. A monograph of the North American Empididae. Part I. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 28: 195-367.
Melander AL. 1928 (1927). Diptera, Fam. Empididae, pp.l 1-434 in P. Wytsman (ed.), Genera Insectorum. Volume 185.
Melander AL. 1947. Synopsis of the Hemerodromiinae (Diptera: Empididae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 55: 237-273.
Sinclair BJ. 1994. Revision of the nearctic species of Trichoclinocera Collin (Diptera: Empididae; Clinocerinae). The Canadian Entomologist 126: 1007-1059.
Sinclair BJ. 2008. The systematics of New World Clinocera Meigen (Diptera: Empididae: Clinocerinae). NRC Research Press, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, viii+245 pp.
Sinclair BJ, MacDonald JF. 2012. Revision of Dolichocephala of America, north of Mexico (Diptera: Empididae: Clinocerinae). The Canadian Entomologist 144(1): 62-80.
Vaillant F. 1960a. Quelques Empididae Atalantinae des monts des Appalaches [Dipt.]. Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France 65: 117-123.
Vaillant F. 1960b. Quelques Empididae Atalantinae d'Asie russe [Dipt.]. Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France 65: 170-186.
Walker F. 1849. List of the specimens of Dipterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum. Part III. pp. 485-687.
Wiedemann CRW. 1830. Aussereuropäische zweiflügelige Insekten. Vol. 2, xii + 684 pp, 5 pls. Hamm.
Zetterstedt JW. 1838. Diptera. Sectio tertia. Dipterologis scandinaviae: amicis et popularibus carissimis. Pp. 477-868 in Insecta Lapponica. L. Voss, Lipsiae [= Leipzig]. vi + 1140 pp.

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EPHYDRIDAE Zetterstedt, 1837 (Shore flies) (redirect to separate page)

Aquatic MUSCIDAE Latreille, 1802 (Muscoid flies, House flies)

[under construction]

Limnophora Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830
Limnophora discreta Stein, 1898 - UMMZ
Limnophora narona Walker, 1849 - UMMZ
Lispe Latreille, 1797
Lispe albitarsis Stein, 1898 - UMMZ
Lispe brevipes Aldrich, 1913
Lispe cotidiana Snyder, 1954
Lispe nasoni Stein, 1898 - UMMZ
Lispe nudifacies Snyder, 1954
Lispe palposa Walker, 1849 - UMMZ
Lispe sociabilis Loew, 1862 - UMMZ
Lispoides Malloch, 1920
Lispoides aequifrons (Stein, 1895) Limnophora (orig.) - UMMZ

PELECORHYNCHIDAE Enderlein, 1922 (Pelecorhychid snipe flies)

Older literature placed the genus Glutops in Rhagionidae, but a number of phylogenetic analyses of morphological and molecular data have supported Pelecorhynchidae as a distinct clad from Rhagionidae (Wiegmann et al. 2011), and Teskey's (1970a) placement of Glutops in Pelecorhynichidae. Larvae of Glutops are sprawler burrowers, semi-aquatic, collected in damp margins of swampy areas.

Glutops Burgess, 1878: 321
Glutops singularis Burgess, 1878: 322 - eastern (Teskey 1970b: 1178)

References

Burgess E. 1878. Two interesting American Diptera, Glutops singularis and Epibates osten-sackenii. Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History (1876-1878) 19: 320-324, 1 pl.
Teskey HJ. 1970a. The immature stages and phyletic position of Glutops rossi (Diptera: Pelecorhynchidae). The Canadian Entomologist 102: 1130-1135.
Teskey HJ. 1970b. A review of the genus Glutops (Diptera: Pelecorhynchidae), with descriptions of four new species. The Canadian Entomologist 102: 1171-1179.


PHORIDAE Curtis, 1833 (Humpbacked flies)

Phorids are very small flies that are easily recognized by the small head and prominent pronotum, giving them a humpbacked appearance. Only the veins toward the foremargins of the wings are thickened; the others are weak and are not connected by cross veins. The hind femora are laterally flattened. The larvae are slightly flattened larvae and up to 4 mm long (www.entomology.ucr.edu).

The definitive work on aquatic Phoridae is by Disney (1991). Two synanthropic cosmopolitan phorids (Dohmiphora cornuta and Megaselia rufipes) inhabit trickling sanitation filterbeds, and may be commonly encountered public restrooms and homes. Dohrniphora cornuta (Bigot), which is probably tropical in origin but has been transported around the world, has been found in the pitcher-plant species Sarracenia flava L. (Disney 1991) and thus may be found in our native S. purpurea L. (Sarraceniaceae). This species is also associated with animal wastes and agriculture (Barnes 1990). Megaselia orestes Borgmeier has also been found breeding in the western pitcher-plant species Darlingtonia californica (Torrey) (Disney 1991), but this is a western plant species and I am unaware of any records of this fly from Michigan.

Dohrniphora Dahl 1898
Dohrniphora cornuta (Bigot, 1857) Phora (orig.)

Megaselia Rondani, 1856
Megaselia orestes Borgmeier, 1966
Megaselia rufipes (Meigen, 1804) Trineura (orig.)

References - Taxonomic and Distribution

Barnes JK. 1990. Life history of Dohrniphora cornuta (Bigot)(Diptera: Phoridae), a filth-inhabiting humpbacked fly. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 98(4): 474-483.

SARCOPHAGIDAE Macquart, 1834 - Flesh flies

This is overwhelmingly a terrestrial group, but the species of Fletcherimyia Townsend and one species of Sarcophaga Meigen are associated with pitcher plants (Sarracenia). Fletcherimyia larvae are borrowers that mine the bases of pitcher plants, scavaging the trapped remains of drowned invertebrates. Of this principally southeastern genus, one species has been recorded from Michigan.

Fletcherimyia Townsend, 1917 (=Blaesoxipha, in part)
Fletcherimyia fletcheri (Aldrich, 1916) Sarcophaga (orig.) - Wesolek and Bright (publ. in prep), NJ-LB-MB/NWT

SCATHOPHAGIDAE Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 - Dung flies

These flies are generally lentic, shredders of vascular hydrophytes, but are also found in depositional zones of lotic systems. This list is under construction, and a survey of Michigan records and material has not yet been done.

Cordilura Fallén, 1810 - lentic-vascular hydrophytes (emergent zone) - burrowers-miners (plant stems) - shredders-herbivores (miners of Scirpus, Juncus, and Carex), predators (engulfers) of Ceratopogonidae
Hydromyza Fallén, 1813 - lentic-vascular hydrophytes (submerged and floating zones) - burrowers-miners (plant stems and roots) - shredders-herbivores (miners in petioles of Nuphar, roots of Potamogeton)
Orthacheta Becker, 1894 - lentic-vascular hydrophytes (emergent zone) - burrowers-miners (plant stems) - predators (engulfers)
Spaziphora Rondani, 1856 - lentic-littoral (sewage beds in oxidation ponds) - sprawlers - scrapers, collectors-gatherers

SCIOMYZIDAE Fallén, 1820 - Marsh Flies (redirect to separate page)

STRATIOMYIDAE Latreille, 1804 - Soldier Flies (redirect to separate page)

TABANIDAE Latreille, 1802 - Horse and Deer Flies (redirect to separate page)

References

Baier TM. 1999. A revision of the flavidus group of the genus Chrysops Meigen (Diptera: Tabanidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 101(1):175-196.
Borkent A. 1979. Systematics and bionomics of the species of the subgenus Schadonophasma Dyar and Shannon (Chaoborus, Chaoboridae, Diptera). Quaestiones Entomologicae 15(2):122-255.
Cook EF. 1965. Chaoboridae, pp. 102-105 in A Catalog of the Diptera of America North of Mexico. Stone A, Sabrosky CW, Wirth WW, Foote RH, Coulson JR. (Editors). Agricultural Research Service, Agricultural Handbook 267, United States Department of Agriculture. Smithsonian Institution Press 1983 reprint: Washington, D. C. iv + 1696.
Courtney GW. 2000. Revision of the net-winged midges of the genus Blepharicera Macquart (Diptera: Blephariceridae) of eastern North America. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Washington 23: 1-101.
Disney RHL. 1991. The aquatic Phoridae (Diptera). Entomologica scandinavica 22:171-191.
Fisher TW, Orth RE. 1983. The marsh flies of California (Diptera: Sciomyzidae). Bulletin of the California Insect Survey 24. 117 p. Hays KL. 1956. A synopsis of the Tabanidae (Diptera) of Michigan. Miscellaneous Publications, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan 98:1-79.
Hilsenhoff. 1995. Aquatic Insects of Wisconsin. Keys to Wisconsin Genera and Notes on Biology, Habitat, Distribution and Species. Natural History Museums Council Publication Number 3, University of Wisconsin-Madison. 79 p.
Hubert AA. 1965. Dixidae, pp. 100-102 in A Catalog of the Diptera of America North of Mexico. Stone A, Sabrosky CW, Wirth WW, Foote RH, Coulson JR. (Editors). Agricultural Research Service, Agricultural Handbook 267, United States Department of Agriculture. Smithsonian Institution Press 1983 reprint: Washington, D. C. iv + 1696.
Jacobsen AJ. 2010. Phylogenetic analysis of the Nearctic Blepharicera Macquart (Diptera: Blephariceridae) with an emphasis on the eastern Blepharicera tenuipes group Hogue. PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2010. http://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/889.
James, MT. 1965. Stratiomyidae, pp. 299-319 in A Catalog of the Diptera of America North of Mexico. Stone A, Sabrosky CW, Wirth WW, Foote RH, Coulson JR. (Editors). Agricultural Research Service, Agricultural Handbook 267, United States Department of Agriculture. Smithsonian Institution Press 1983 reprint: Washington, D. C. iv + 1696.
Knutson L, Orth RE, Rozkošný R. 1990. New North American Colobaea, with a preliminary analysis of related genera (Diptera: Sciomyzidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 92(3):483-492.
MacDonald JF. 1989. Review of Nearctic Metachela Coquillett, with description of a new species (Diptera; Empididae; Hemerodromiinae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 91(4):513-522.
MacDonald JF. 1994. Review of the Nearctic species of the genus Chelifera Macquart (Diptera; Empididae; Hemerodromiinae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 96(2):236-275.
MacDonald JF, Turner WJ. 1993. Review of the genus Neoplasta Coquillett of America north of Mexico (Diptera; Empididae; Hemerodromiinae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 95(3):351-376.
McFadden, MW. 1967. Soldier fly larvae in America north of Mexico. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 121(3569):1-72.
Merlander AL. 1965. Family Empididae (Empidae, Hybotidae), pp. 446-481 in A Catalog of the Diptera of America North of Mexico. Stone A, Sabrosky CW, Wirth WW, Foote RH, Coulson JR. (Editors). Agricultural Research Service, Agricultural Handbook 267, United States Department of Agriculture. Smithsonian Institution Press 1983 reprint: Washington, D. C. iv + 1696.
Newman E. 1834. Attempted division of British insects into natural orders. Article XXXVII. Entomological Magazine 2: 379-430.
Orth RE, Knutson L. 1987. Systematics of snail-killing flies of the genus Elgiva in North America and biology of E. divisa (Diptera: Sciomyzidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 80(6):829-840.
Pechuman, LL, Webb, DW, Teskey, HJ. 1983. The Diptera, or true flies, of Illinois. I. Tabanidae. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 33(1):1-122.
Peters TM. 1981. Family Dixidae, p. 329-333 in Manual of Nearctic Diptera. Volume 1. McAlpine JF, Peterson BV, Shewell GE, Teskey HJ, Vockeroth JR, Wood DM (cordinators). Research Branch, Agriculture Canada. Monograph 27. Ottawa. vi + 674 p.
Philip, CB. 1965. Tabanidae, pp. 319-342 in A Catalog of the Diptera of America North of Mexico. Stone A, Sabrosky CW, Wirth WW, Foote RH, Coulson JR. (Editors). Agricultural Research Service, Agricultural Handbook 267, United States Department of Agriculture. Smithsonian Institution Press 1983 reprint: Washington, D. C. iv + 1696.
Peters TM, Cook EF. 1966. The Nearctic Dixidae (Diptera). Miscellaneous Publications of the Entomological Society of America 5: 231-78.
Stone A. 1964. Guide to the insects of Connecticut. Part VI. The Diptera or true flies of Connecticut, ninth fascicle. Simuliidae and Thaumaleidae. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut Bulletin 97. vii + 126 pp.

Page edits:

March 26, 2024 - Added Fletchermyia fletcheri (Sarcophagidae) as new state record (Wesolek and Bright (publ. in prep)

May 11, 2019 - Added Moruseodina (Psychodidae) per Bravo et al. 2014, moved Telmatoscopus superbus (Banks, 1894) to this genus

December 09, 2013 - Added Rhamphomyia species, preliminary list based on Melander 1965 and UMMZ records; Removed Neoplasta scapuliformis (Empididae), as it is western (MacDonald and Turner, 1993); Added Sinclair 2008 reference

November 21, 2012 Beginning to keep track of changes to the web site pages; Some families with many species are retained as separate lists (web pages); Removed individual pages for families into one long list, families accessed from left menu via anchor redirects within page

Page created: February 02, 2002; Last edited: March 26, 2024 (EB)