Alice Springs Diptera

Alice Springs DipteraGreen Blowfly Australiphthiria sp (Bee Fly) Mydas Fly, Miltinus sp Robber Fly, Bathypogon sp Soldier Flies (Odontomyia) Stiletto Fly (Agapophytus yeatesi) Yellow-shouldered Hover Fly, Ischiodon scutellaris

— also see Syrphidae | Alice Springs Bees | Beetles | Insects ◦

Alice Springs and Central Australia is home to large number of described and undescribed species of true flies in the order Diptera.

Click on the following images to see more information.

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The order Diptera (true flies) is derived from the Greek di – “two”, and pteron “wing”, with insects of this order using only a single pair of wings to fly. The hindwings having evolved into advanced mechanosensory organs known as halteres, which act as high-speed sensors of rotational movement and allow dipterans to perform advanced aerobatics.¹

Diptera is a large order that is estimated to contain an estimated 1,000,000 species, although only about 125,000 species have currently been described.

Included in this group are many insects commonly known as mosquitoes, midges, sand flies, blowflies, crane flies, hoverflies and the house fly.

Some of the common characteristics of the order Diptera include²:

• One pair of wings (forewings)
• Hindwings reduced to club-like halteres
• A large and moveable head
• Compound eyes that are often very large
• Sucking, piercing and sucking or sponge-like mouthparts (all adapted for a liquid diet)
• The mesothorax (middle segment of the thorax or mid-body) is enlarged, with the prothorax and metathorax small
• Complete metamorphosis, with larvae (maggots) that are always legless, with chewing mouthparts or mouth-hooks, and that often pupate within a hardened case (puparium)

Check out some of our listed information under Insects on flies:

• Diptera
  • family Bombyliidae; subfamily Anthracinae; tribe Exoprosopini; genus Balaana;
    • Balaana Beefly (Balaana abscondita), species
  • family Bombyliidae; subfamily Anthracinae; tribe Anthracini;
    • Bee Fly (genus Anthrax sp.)
  • family Bombyliidae; subfamily Anthracinae; genus Ligyra;
    • Bee Fly (Ligyra cingulata), species
  • family Bombyliidae; subfamily Phthiriinae; tribe Phthiriini;
    • Australiphthiria, genus
  • family Calliphoridae; subfamily Chrysomyinae; genus Chrysomya
    • Steelblue Bluebottle (Chrysomya saffranea), species
  • family Muscidae; subfamily Muscinae;
    • Musca, genus
  • family Mydidae, subfamily Apiophorinae. genus Miltinus
    • Mydas Fly (Miltinus sp) species
  • family Psychodidae; genus Clogmia;
    • Australian Drain Fly (Clogmia albipunctata), species
  • family Sarcophagidae; subfamily Sarcophaginae; genus Sarcophaga; subgenus infrageneric Taylorimyia;
    • Grey-striped Fly (Sarcophaga aurifrons), species
  • family Syrphidae; subfamily Eristaliinae; genus Eristalinus
    • Golden Native Drone Fly (Eristalinus punctulatus), species
  • family Therevidae; subfamily Agapophytinae; genus Agapophytus;
    • Stiletto Fly (Agapophytus yeatesi), species

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• Scientific classification
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Superorder: Panorpida
• (unranked): Antliophora
• Order: Diptera

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Alice Springs True Bugs (Heteroptera)Eucalyptus Tip-wilting Bug Ground Shield Bug (Choerocoris paganus) Ippatha australiensis Soapberry Bugs, Leptocoris sp Spilostethus sp Water Scorpion

Alice Springs InsectsAntlion (Heoclisis fundata) Ants (Formicidae) Bees Beetles Butterflies & Moths (Lepidopterans) Diptera Dragonflies Orthoptera True Bugs (Heteroptera) Wasps

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