BRACHYCERA, Muscomorpha Schizophora Acalyptratae, Tephritoidea

Number of British species: 20

Size: S-M

Difficulty: 1-2 Scheme

Small to large (2.5-11 mm), moderately robust flies, colour varying from partially yellow and dark to all black, in some cases grey or metallic. Arista bare to long pubescent; ocelli present; in a few species all bristles on the head are reduced or absent, but the usual bristle configuration is: Ocellar bristles present, Postvertical bristles parallel to diverging, 1-2 pairs of frontal bristles, scattered interfrontal setulae present, and vibrissal absent. Wing usually with a pattern of spots or stripes or with a spot at the wing tip, rarely all clear; costa with or without a subcostal and/or a humeral break; vein Sc complete; crossvein BM-Cu present; cell cup closed. Tibiae usually without dorsal preapical bristle. Female with oviscape, non retractable basal segment of the ovipositor.

The biology of most species is little known. Larvae are found in rotting vegetable matter, leaf litter, fruit, dung, sap exuding from tree wounds and underneath tree bark; some species are fully phytophagous, feeding on sugar beet, onions, maize, etc. Adults are found in various habitats ranging from saline biotopes to sandy areas or moist and marshy grounds, on flowers, tree trunks or on excrement.

Clements (1990), Clements & Merz (1998)