Diptera37 species

Family Small-headed Flies (Acroceridae)

Acroceridae is a family in the order Diptera. Browse 37 named species recorded in this family, or open an individual profile for its available identification and natural-history information.

Species in Acroceridae (37)

Acrocera bakeri

Identification: Wing with R2+3 well developed, mesonotum fully black, coxae yellow, dorsum of abdomen predominately yellow with median triangles not reaching posterior margin of tergites.

Acrocera orbicula

Identification: large, round Acrocera are often mistaken for Ladybird Beetles in the field

Top-horned Hunchback

Acrocera orbiculus

Acrocera orbiculus is one of three British Acroceridae species. They are small, dumpy flies with a strongly domed thorax, relatively small head and large squamae. Acrocera orbiculus is easily distinguished from the other two acrocerids by the fact th

Acrocera stansburyi

The original description by C. W. Johnson is quite informative and can be read here . Regarding size, the following quote is from pg. 400 of Sabrosky (1948): "All specimens that I have seen are of small size, only 3 mm. at most, whereas the others ra

Acrocera subfasciata

Identification: Small colorful acrocerids. This species can be told by the orange color and fasciated thorax. The lateral fasciae on the thorax extend almost to the scutellum. The male has a more triangular abdomen than the female and reduced marking

Acrocera unguiculata

Identification: The reduced venation in hyaline wings; dark head and thorax; and abdomen with vague orangish-brown spots along the posterior margins of the dorsal segments of the abdomen; and the pale squamae, legs, and coxae all point to a female A.

Eulonchus marialiciae

This is the only Eulonchus species known from the eastern United States. There are 5 other species distributed more widely in the western U.S. (mostly from British Columbia to California, but extending to the Rocky Mountains...see map here ).

Ogcodes dispar

Identification: Widely distributed in eastern North America, though uncommonly encountered. Males are typically bright yellow-orange all over, the female is darker (especially the abdomen). In O. rufoabdominalis both sexes should have a black thorax

Ogcodes incultus

Identification: Overall habitus black (or black-brown): including head, mesonotum, scutellum, and ground color on dorsum of abdomen. The wings are distinctly darkened (especially in the area between the costa and the radial vein), vein M1 is present

Pterodontia johnsoni

This is a western species that is virtually entirely black (with some reddish-brown undertones/tints).

Pterodontia notomaculata

This is the only known Pterodontia species with substantial yellow-orange coloration on the thorax (at anterior corners of the mesonotum, and on the anterior half of the mesopleura). All other species have almost the entire thorax black.

Pterodontia westwoodi

Identification: The distinguishing characters of this species in the genus are: discal cell open; 3rd and 4th vein both present, forming a fork in the apical portion of the wing; 3rd antennal segment slender, clavate (= "club-shaped"), 3 or more time

Turbopsebius diligens

Identification: Body covered with dense white to orangish pile; female wings infuscated. Detailed description in Figs. from[Cite:1029610] T. diligens has a floating, undulating sort of flight and the habit of buzzing around in circles when it falls o

Turbopsebius sulphuripes

Identification: Anal vein reaches wing margin, so anal cell widely open ; in T. diligens , anal cell may be open or closed, but anal vein never touches wing margin