Atelestidae

Taxobox
name = Atelestidae


image_caption =
image_width = 225px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
subphylum = Hexapoda
classis = Insecta
subclassis = Pterygota
infraclassis = Neoptera
superordo = Endopterygota|
ordo = Diptera
subordo = Brachycera
infraordo = Asilomorpha
superfamilia = Empidoidea
familia = Atelestidae
familia_authority =
synonyms =
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = *"Acarteroptera"
*"Atelestus" Walker, 1837
*"Meghyperus"
*"Nemedina"

Atelestidae is a family of true flies in the superfamily Empidoidea. These four genera were placed in a separate family in 1983 [Chvála (1983)] . They were formerly either in Platypezidae (which are not even particularly closely related) or considered "incertae cedis". But while they are doubtless the most basal of the living Empidoidea, the monophyly of the family is not fully proven [Moulton & Wiegmann (2007)] . The genus "Nemedina" seems to represent a most ancient lineage among the entire superfamily, while "Meghyperus" is probably not monophyletic in its present delimitation, and it is liable to be split up eventually, with some species being placed elsewhere [ToL (2007)] .

Atelestidae are small (2-3 mm) greyish-dusted flies. They have a disjunct distribution, being found in both the Holarctic and southern Neotropical regions (Chile).

Footnotes

References

* (1983): The Empidoidea (Diptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark. II. General Part. The families Hybotidae, Atelestidae and Microphoridae. "Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica" 12: 1–279.
* (2007): The phylogenetic relationships of flies in the superfamily Empidoidea (Insecta: Diptera). "Mol. Phylogenet. Evol." 43(3): 701-713. doi|10.1016/j.ympev.2007.02.029 (HTML abstract)
* (2007): [http://tolweb.org/Atelestidae/23901/2007.11.29 Atelestidae] . Version of 2007-NOV-29. Retrieved 2008-JUL-30.

External Links

* [http://www.dipteristsforum.org.uk/wiki/families:brachycera:old_brachycera:atelestidae Dipterists Forum]
* [http://www.diptera.info/photogallery.php?album_id=77 Diptera.info] Images.