Muscidae

Muscidae
	Musca domestica
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
(unranked):	Eremoneura
(unranked):	Cyclorrhapha
Section:	Schizophora
Subsection:	Calyptratae
Superfamily:	Muscoidea
Family:	Muscidae; Latreille,1802
Subfamilies
	Atherigoninae; Azeliinae; Coenosiinae; Cyrtoneurininae; Muscinae; Mydaeinae; Phaoniinae;

Muscidaeare a family offliesfound in the superfamilyMuscoidea.

Muscidae, some of which are commonly known ashouse fliesorstable fliesdue to theirsynanthropy,are worldwide in distribution and contain almost 4,000 described species in over 100 genera.

Most species are not synanthropic. Adults can be predatory,hematophagous,saprophagous,or feed on a number of types of plant and animalexudates.They can be attracted to various substances including sugar, sweat, tears[1]and blood. Larvae occur in various habitats including decaying vegetation, dry and wet soil, nests of insects and birds, fresh water, and carrion.

Thehousefly,Musca domestica,is the best known and most important species.

Some, from the generaHydrotaeaandMuscina,are involved in forensic case studies.

Identifying characteristics

The antennae are three-segmented and aristate; vein Rs is two-branched, afrontalsuture is present, and thecalyptersare well developed. Thearistais often plumose for the entire length. The hypopleuron is usually without bristles; generally, more than onesternopleuralbristle is present. The R5 cell is either parallel-sided or narrowed distally. Vein 2A is short and does not reach the wing margin.

TheFanniidae,which used to be a subfamily (Fanniinae) of the Muscidae, share these characters, but may be separated from them by the absence of the identifying characteristics for the family Fanniidae.

Biology

Larvae mainly develop in decaying plant material or manure.

Health and economic importance

Adults of many species are passive vectors of pathogens for diseases such astyphoid fever,dysentery,anthrax,andAfrican sleeping sickness.

Larvae of someAtherigonaspecies are important pests in cultivation of cereals, like rice and maize.

Evolution

Seven species in six described genera have been recorded from the fossil record. Lambrecht (1980: 369) estimated that the family Muscidae originated as long ago as thePermian,although no fossil record exists for the family any older than theEocene.

Genera

List of genera according to theCatalogue of Life:^[1]

Types

Typesin theNatural History Museum of Berlin^[2]

Images

Mydaeinae sp.
Musca domestica
Stable fly,Stomoxys calcitrans,Albuquerque
Muscidae sp.
Limnophorasp.
Graphomya eustolia
Pygophora apicalis

Links to Genera and species lists

References

^Bisby F.A., Roskov Y.R., Orrell T.M., Nicolson D., Paglinawan L.E., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., Baillargeon G., Ouvrard D. (red.) (2011)."Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist".Species 2000: Reading, UK.Retrieved24 September2012.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Pont, Adrian C.; Werner, Doreen (2006). "The Types of Fanniidae and Muscidae (Diptera) in the Museum für Naturkunde, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany".Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin – Zoologische Reihe.82:3–139.doi:10.1002/mmnz.200600001.

External links

[COL-1] Bisby F.A., Roskov Y.R., Orrell T.M., Nicolson D., Paglinawan L.E., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., Baillargeon G., Ouvrard D. (red.) (2011)."Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist".Species 2000: Reading, UK.Retrieved24 September2012.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[2] Pont, Adrian C.; Werner, Doreen (2006). "The Types of Fanniidae and Muscidae (Diptera) in the Museum für Naturkunde, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany".Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin – Zoologische Reihe.82:3–139.doi:10.1002/mmnz.200600001.

[1]

[2]