Diptera

DipteraDiptera – image index Flies Pollinators and Flies Australian Sheep Blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) Australian Drain Fly Balaana Beefly Bat Flies Bee Flies Bee Fly (Anthrax) Ligyra Australiphthiria Chrysomya saffranea Eristalinus punctulatus Musca Odontomyia (Soldier Flies) Robber Flies Sarcophaga aurifrons Soldier Fly Syrphids

— also see Syrphidae

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 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 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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DipteraDiptera – image index Flies Pollinators and Flies Australian Sheep Blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) Australian Drain Fly Balaana Beefly Bat Flies Bee Flies Bee Fly (Anthrax) Ligyra Australiphthiria Chrysomya saffranea Eristalinus punctulatus Musca Odontomyia (Soldier Flies) Robber Flies Sarcophaga aurifrons Soldier Fly Syrphids

InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera (True Bugs) Mango Planthopper Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Syrphidae Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub