ENT 3010 Taxa
[Site home]Sight ID characters for many taxa you'll encounter (and some you probably won't)!
Note: this page is MUCH better on a computer than a mobile device or (probably) a tablet.
Order | Family | Common Name | Characters |
---|---|---|---|
Protura | Coneheads | wingless; no antennae, forelegs held as "pseudo-antennae"; minute | |
Collembola | Springtails | wingless; forked "tail" (furcula) near end of abdomen; "peg" (collophore) on venter of 1st abdominal segment | |
Entomobryidae | Slender springtails | slender; pronotum poorly developed; 4th tergum 2x length of 3rd | |
Sminthuridae | Puppy springtails | globular | |
Diplura | Two-pronged bristletails | wingless; cerci present (elongate or forceps-like); median caudal filament absent | |
Archaeognatha (Microcoryphia) | Jumping bristletails | wingless; cerci and median caudal filament present (3 "tails"); humpbacked; large contiguous eyes | |
Zygentoma (Thysanura) | Silverfish | wingless; overlapping thoracic nota; flattened; cerci and median caudal filament present (3 "tails"); small separate eyes | |
Ephemeroptera | Mayflies | wings held vertically over back, hind wings (often very) reduced | |
Ephemeridae | Common burrower mayflies | large; hind wing well developed; MP2 and CuA bent sharply downward | |
Baetidae | Small minnow mayflies | small; hind wing tiny/absent; short paired veinlets between major veins at wing margins; median caudal filament reduced/absent | |
Odonata | Dragonflies, damselflies | wings held spread-eagle or vertically over back; pterostigma on all wings; short bristle-like antennae | |
== Anisoptera | Dragonflies | hind wing broader at base than fore wing; compound eyes large and close together; wings held spread-eagle at rest | |
Aeshnidae | Darners | hind wing lacking anal loop; compound eyes contiguous | |
Libellulidae | Skimmers | hind wing with anal loop with boot-like toe; compound eyes separated | |
==Zygoptera | Damselflies | all wings rougly equal in size at base, sometimes "stalked"; wings held more or less vertically over back at rest; compound eyes small and separated (hammerhead) | |
Calopterygidae | Broad-winged damselflies | 10 or more antenodal crossveins | |
Coenagrionidae | Narrow-winged damselflies | 2-3 antenodal crossveins; M3 arriving nearer nodus than arculus | |
Zoraptera | Angel insects | short, 1-segmented cerci; moniliform antennae; polymorphic, may have wings or may be without | |
Dermaptera | Earwigs | anal forceps (cerci) present | |
Plecoptera | Stoneflies | "ladder" of veins and crossveins running diagonally across fore wings; wings held flat and extending past tip of abdomen at rest; long filiform antennae | |
Perlidae | Common Stoneflies | cubito-anal crossveins of fore wing very close to anal cell; remnants of gills on thorax | |
Orthoptera | Grasshoppers, crickets, katydids | saltatorial hind legs; leathery thickened fore wings (tegmina) | |
==Caelifera | Grasshoppers, locusts | short antennae; ovipositor unclear, not obvious | |
Acrididae | Short-horned grasshoppers | tympana on sides of abdomen near thorax; 3-3-3 tarsal formula; short antennae | |
Tetrigidae | Pygmy grasshoppers | pronotum extended to cover wings and abdomen | |
Tridactylidae | Pygmy mole crickets | small; fossorial forelimbs; 2-2-1 or 2-2-0 tarsal formula | |
==Ensifera | Crickets and katydids | long antennae; ovipositor easily visible | |
Gryllidae | True crickets | 3-3-3 tarsal formula; spear-shaped ovipositor; wings usually flat over back | |
Gryllotalpidae | Mole crickets | fossorial forelegs | |
Tettigoniidae | Katydids | 4-4-4 tarsal formula; sword-shaped ovipositor; wings usually angled over back | |
Phasmida (Phasmatodea) | Walking sticks | prothorax shorter than meso- or metathorax; wings reduced/absent | |
Diapheromeridae | Common walking sticks | thin and stick-like | |
Pseudophasmatidae | Striped walking sticks | short and fat; often striped | |
Mantodea | Mantids | elongate prothorax; raptorial forelimbs; triangular face | |
Blattodea | Cockroaches, termites | ||
Blattidae | Common roaches | head covered by pronotum; long filiform antennae; leathery fore wings overlapping across back | |
Rhinotermitidae | Subterranean termites | termite-shaped; soft and white (usually); found in colonies | |
Thysanoptera | Thrips | small; body widest in middle, tapering towards both ends; wings slender and fringed with hair | |
Aeolothripidae | Predatory thrips | fore wings broad, with rounded tips | |
Phlaeothripidae | Tube-tailed thrips | fore wings narrow; body dark; last abdominal segment tubular | |
Hemiptera ("Homoptera", Heteroptera) | True bugs | piercing-sucking beak | |
== "Homoptera" | beak arises near back of head (opisthognathous); fore wings uniform in texture, held tent-like over back | ||
Aleyrodidae | Whiteflies | wings uniformly opaque white; miniscule; often in greenhouses | |
Aphididae | Aphids | cornicles on abdomen; soft-bodied; rounded abdomen | |
Cercopidae | Froghoppers/spittlebugs | hind tibiae with circlet/crown of spines at tip (compare to Cicadellidae with row of spines); short bristle-like antennae; wedge-shaped head | |
Cicadellidae | Leafhoppers | hind tibiae with comblike row of spines along length (compare to Cercopidae with crown of spines); short bristle-like antennae; wedge-shaped head | |
Cicadidae | Cicadas | large membranous fore wings; 3 ocelli; stout-bodied | |
Coccidae | Scale insects | Legs and antennae not apparent; anal opening with 2 triangular plates and anal cleft; usually sessile on plants | |
Membracidae | Treehoppers | pronotum extends over wings and abdomen, often intricately shaped; often somewhat triangular in side view | |
== Heteroptera | fore wings leathery at base, membranous towards tip | ||
Acanthosomatidae | Parent bugs | 5-segmented antennae; body somewhat shield-shaped; scutellum usually triangular; 2-segmented tarsi (compare to 3-segmented tarsi in Pentatomidae); tibiae weakly spined | |
Aradidae | Flat bugs | abdomen extends beyond wings in all directions; flat and bark-like in appearance | |
Belostomatidae | Giant water bugs | strap-like respiratory tubes at end of abdomen; flattened hind legs; dorsal outline of head broken by eyes (compare to smooth outline in Naucoridae); thick forefemora; elongated ovoid body; aquatic | |
Berytidae | Stilt bugs | all legs long and thin; antennae clubbed; head not elongated; body thin and short | |
Cimicidae | Bed bugs | wingless; flattened body; 3-segmented beak does not fit into prosternal groove | |
Coreidae | Leaf-footed bugs | 4-segmented antennae; head narrower and shorter than pronotum; scent gland openings present between meso- and metacoxae; many parallel veins in fore wing membrane | |
Corixidae | Water boatmen | Scoop-like front tarsi; beak usually not visible, reduced; sternum lighter than dorsum; aquatic | |
Gelastocoridae | Toad bugs | eyes protruding; body warty, toad-shaped; aquatic/riparian | |
Gerridae | Water striders | hind femur extends past tip of abdomen (compare to ending before tip of abdomen in Veliidae); anteapical tarsal claws; body usually dark black, wings difficult to distinguish or absent; aquatic (surface) | |
Hydrometridae | Water measurers | slender body; head as long as thorax, with slightly rounded tip, resembling a "clown nose"; eyes on sides of head; aquatic (usually surface) | |
Lygaeidae | Seed bugs | 4-segmented antennae; ocelli present; only 4 or 5 strong veins in fore wing membrane; all abdominal spiracles dorsal | |
Miridae | Plant bugs | cuneus present; 4-segmented beak; ocelli absent | |
Nabidae | Damsel bugs | very long, skinny beak; body usually elongate; raptorial fore legs; numerous closed cells around margin of fore wing membrane; can be riparian | |
Nepidae | Water scorpions | long respiratory "tube" at end of abdomen; either slender-bodied & elongate with long raptorial fore legs OR compact & ovoid, resembling Belostomatidae; aquatic | |
Pentatomidae | Stink bugs | 5-segmented antennae; usually shield-shaped; scutellum usually triangular; 3-segmented tarsi (compare to 2-segmented tarsi in Acanthosomatidae); tibiae weakly spined | |
Reduviidae | Assassin bugs | 3-segmented beak fitting into prosternal groove; prosternal groove with transverse striations; raptorial fore legs | |
==Emesinae | Thread-legged bugs | threadlike mid and hind legs, raptorial fore legs; body narrow, elongated | |
==Phymatinae | Ambush bugs | last antennal segment swollen; 3-segmented antennae; chelate (crab-claw) fore legs | |
Rhopalidae | Scentless plant bugs | similar to Lygaeidae, but with more than 5 parallel veins in fore wing membrane | |
Tingidae | Lace bugs | fore wings heavily sculptured, somewhat hardened, with a "lacy" appearance; 4-segmented slightly clubbed antennae; ocelli absent | |
Veliidae | Small water striders | hind femora ending before tip of abdomen (compare to extending beyond the abdomen in Gerridae); anteapical tarsal claws; aquatic (surface) | |
Psocodea | Barklice, booklice, parasitic lice | thread-like antennae; "neck" between head and thorax (bark/booklice) OR small, wingless, bristly (parasitic lice) | |
Psocidae | Common barklice | thorax broader than abdomen; broad head with long filiform antennae; wings held tent-like over abdomen | |
Pediculidae | Body lice | thorax narrower than abdomen; compound eyes present | |
Coleoptera | Beetles | fore wings hardened, meeting in a straight line to cover the abdomen and hind wings; prothorax usually large and distinct | |
==Adephaga | 1st abdominal sternum divided by hind coxae | ||
Carabidae | Ground beetles | foretibiae with antennal cleaner; hind trochanters large and offset from femora | |
Dytiscidae | Predacious diving beetles | flat swimming hind tarsi; short maxillary palps (compare to very long palps in Hydrophilidae); single tibial claw on hind leg; rounded on bottom ("watermelon seed") | |
==Polyphaga | 1st abdominal sternum undivided by hind coxae | ||
Brentidae | Primitive weevils | rostrate; non-elbowed antennae (compare to elbowed antennae in Curculionidae) | |
Buprestidae | Metallic wood-boring beetles | 1st and 2nd abdominal segments fused; elongate, bullet-shaped body; many metallic | |
Cantharidae | Soldier beetles | head visible from above (compare to Lampyridae with head hidden by pronotum); elytra soft | |
Cerambycidae | Longhorned beetles | antennae at least 0.5x body length, often much longer; eye elongate, usually wrapping around antennal bases; 3rd tarsomere on each leg bilobed | |
Chrysomelidae | Leaf and flea beetles | short, nonclubbed antennae; 3rd tarsomere on each leg bilobed | |
Cleridae | Checkered beetles | pronotum narrower than base of elytra; 5-5-5 tarsal formula with lobed tarsomeres, 4th typically difficult to distinguish; often pubescent | |
Coccinellidae | Lady beetles | very rounded, domed elytra; terminal palpal segment hatchet-shaped; antennae clavate, very short | |
Curculionidae | Weevils | rostrate; elbowed antennae (compare to Brentidae with non-elbowed antennae) | |
==Platypodinae | Ambrosia beetles | reddish-gold; long and rectangular; metasternum often very long (hind legs appearing as if on abdomen; squared-off end of abdomen; convex round eyes; tibiae longer than tarsi | |
==Scolytinae | Bark beetles | squat; long flat oval eyes; body roughly cylindrical; head somewhat withdrawn into prothorax | |
Dermestidae | Carpet beetles | tip of abdomen extends beyond elytra; last tarsel segment longer than others; antennae capitate with 3-segmented club | |
Elateridae | Click beetles | anterolateral corners of pronotum pointed; prosternal spine and mesosternal groove usually present | |
Erotylidae | Pleasing fungus beetles | shiny, glabrous elytra; antennal club broad, flat, 3-segmented | |
Geotrupidae | Round earth-boring beetles | rounded; grooved elytra; lamellate antennae; no constriction between thorax and abdomen; appear very similar to Scarabaeidae | |
Heteroceridae | Variegated marsh-loving beetles | brown-and-tan blotched elytra; very short antennae; fossorial and strongly spined foretibiae | |
Histeridae | Clown beetles | 2 abdominal tergites exposed beyond elytra; body greatly rounded, with grooves to receive appendages (legs, antennae); antennae short with abrupt 3-segmented club | |
Hydrophilidae | maxillary palps longer than antennae (compare to short palps in Dytiscidae); antennae short and clubbed; flat on bottom (not "watermelon seed"); some with sternal ridge/keel | ||
Lampyridae | Fireflies | head mostly to entirely hidden beneath pronotum when viewed from above (compare to visible head in Cantharidae); elytra soft; many (not all) with pale sternites at tip of abdomen | |
Lucanidae | Stag beetles | 10-segmented, lamellate antennae with space between segments of club | |
Lycidae | Net-winged beetles | elytra strongly ridged with veins and crossveins; serrate antennae | |
Meloidae | Blister beetles | cleft tarsal claws (appears to have 4 per leg); pronotum narrower than head and elytra; elytra separated (diverging) at tips | |
Mordellidae | Tumbling flower beetles | tip of abdomen long, pointed, extending beyond elytra; humped back | |
Passalidae | Bess beetles | one forward-pointing horn on head; strongly grooved elytra; narrow constriction between pronotum and rest of body; lamellate antennae; shiny black bodies with short red-golden hairs closely appressed to anterior edge of thorax | |
Scarabaeidae | Scarab beetles | lamellate antennae with compact club; 5-5-5 tarsal formula; fossorial foretibiae; strongly resemble Geotrupidae | |
Silphidae (now Staphylinidae) | Carrion and burying beetles | antennae with noncompactible club; 5-5-5 tarsal formula; tip of abdomen extending slightly beyond elytra | |
Staphylinidae | Rove beetles | elytra leaving (usually) at least 4 abdominal tergites exposed, often squared-off; body (usually) elongate; highly variable family, good luck | |
Tenebrionidae | Darkling beetles | 5-5-4 tarsal formula; elytra wrapping slightly around sides of abdomen; 11-segmented antennae arising from frontal ridge anterior to eyes | |
Trogossitidae | Bark-gnawing beetles | head visible from above; anterolateral corners of pronotum projecting, rounded | |
Megaloptera | Dobsonflies, fishflies, alderflies | many crossveins along leading edges of wings; hind wings pleated for folding | |
Corydalidae | Dobsonflies | plumose antennae; ocelli present; wings clear or partially smoky; sturdy mandibles, very elongated and slender (males) OR short and stout (females) | |
Sialidae | Alderflies | small; no ocelli present | |
Neuroptera | Lacewings and allies | many crossveins along leading edges of wings; all wings similar in size and shape | |
Ascalaphidae | Owlflies | resemble dragonflies with long knobbed antennae | |
Berothidae | Beaded lacewings | brown; long forked costal crossveins; small dots along wing veins | |
Chrysopidae | Green lacewings | green/pale, unforked costal crossveins | )|
Hemerobiidae | Brown lacewings | brown; short forked costal crossveins | |
Mantispidae | Mantisflies | elongate prothorax; numerous crossveins near leading edge of wing; raptorial forelimbs | |
Myrmeleontidae | Antlions | resemble damselflies with short clubbed antennae | |
Lepidoptera | Butterflies and moths | body and wings covered in small scales; mouthparts modified into coiled proboscis | |
Cossidae | Carpenter and leopard moths | streamlined wings appearing dull and greasy; mouthparts vestigial except for palps; usually stout-bodied | |
Erebidae | Underwings, tiger moths, tussock moths, etc. | quadrifid venation in both fore and hind wings | |
==Arctiinae | Tiger moths | leopard-like spots on fore wings | |
==Erebinae | Underwings | hind wings marked with concentric bands of contrasting colors | |
Geometridae | Geometer moths | lined pattern on wings continuous from fore to hind wings; trifid venation in fore and hind wigns; tympana on 1st abdominal segment | |
Lasiocampidae | Tent caterpillar and lappet moths | frenulum absent; hind wing with 2 humeral veins | |
Noctuidae | Owlet moths | 3 medio-cubital veins reaching distal margin of hind wing; good luck | |
Saturniidae | Giant silk moths | large lobed wings; vestigial mouthparts; stout-bodied | |
Sesiidae | Clearwinged moths | wasp mimics (look for siphoning mouthparts); wings lack pigmented scales; fore wing narrow, hind wing broad | |
Sphingidae | Sphinx and hawk moths | thick streamlined body; hind wings shorter than fore wings; wings often held in an inverted "V" shape along the body | |
Yponomeutidae (incl. Attevidae) | Ermine moths | wings narrow, colorful, rolled at rest | |
==Papilionoidea | Butterflies | Clubbed antennae | |
Hesperiidae | Skippers | antennae apically recurved and basally widely separated; head about as wide as thorax | |
Lycaenidae | Blues, coppers, hairstreaks | antennae with alternating black and white bands; sturdy, hairy, extended palps; delicate wings; eye often surrounded by white ring | |
Nymphalidae | Brush-footed butterflies | front legs generally reduced and lacking claws; monarchs and friends, wood-satyrs | |
Papilionidae | Swallowtails and parmassians | "tail" (swallowtails) or red/orange spot (parmassians) on hind wing; cubitus in front wing appearing 4-branched | |
Pieridae | Yellows, whites, sulphurs | well-developed front legs; bifid tarsal claws; usually white/yellow/orange with black markings | |
Trichoptera | Caddisflies | wings held tent-like over body; wing scales modified into hairs; mouthparts not modified into coiled proboscis | |
Mecoptera | Scorpionflies, hangingflies, fleas | rostrate "horse" head; fore and hind wings extend beyond abdomen (Mecoptera) OR laterally flattened; long saltatorial hind legs; bristly ("Siphonaptera") | |
Bittacidae | Hangingflies | delicate, slender bodies and legs; grasping hind tarsi; resemble 4-winged crane flies | |
Boreidae | Snow scorpionflies | small; wingless; heavily sclerotized, dark; elongate rostrum | |
Panorpidae | Common scorpionflies | elongate rostrum; wings usually spotted or banded; body typically yellow-brown or red-brown; males with upwardly-hooked, bulbed abdomen, resembling scorpion's tail | |
(formerly) Siphonaptera | Pulicidae | Fleas | wingless; laterally flattened; saltatorial, bristly hind legs; body covered in bristles pointing towards the head |
Hymenoptera | Bees, ants, wasps | hamuli on costa of hind wing; triangular stigma present in fore wing ("Symphyta", some Apocrita) OR "wasp-waist" present (Apocrita) | |
==Symphyta | Sawflies and horntails | thorax broadly joined to abdomen; triangular stigma present in fore wing | |
Siricidae | Horntails | front tibiae with 1 very noticeable preapical spur; ovipositor appears to begin in center of abdomen (females); tip of abdomen extended into a dorsal spur (both sexes) | |
Tenthredinidae | Common sawflies | thick filiform antennae; tibiae with 2 preapical spurs | |
==Apocrita | thorax constricted before abdomen ("wasp-waist"), with first abdominal segment appressed to thorax (propodeum) and followed by a petiole | ||
==="Parasitica" | Parasitoid wasps | ||
Braconidae | Braconid wasps | 1 recurrent vein in fore wing (i.e. no costal cell); no "horse head" present in fore wing (compare to horse head, 2 recurrent veins/costal cell present in Ichneumonidae); 2-segmented hind trochanters with 1st segment expanded; 2 small cells below stigma of fore wing | |
Chalcidoidea (superfam.) | Chalcidoid wasps | venation in fore wings highly reduced or absent; wings often lightly bristly; pronotum triangular in lateral view | |
Chrysididae | Cuckoo wasps | metallic blue/green with coarse sculpturing over body; 3 or 4 abdominal segments visible externally | |
Evaniidae | Ensign wasps | small ovoid abdomen; abdomen attached high above hind coxae, appearing as a "signal flag" | |
Ichneumonidae | Ichneumonid/Darwin wasps | 2 recurrent veins in fore wing (costal cell present); "horse head" present in fore wing (compare to 1 recurrent vein, no horse head in Braconidae); hind trochanters 2-segmented with 1st segment expanded | |
===Aculeata | Aculeate/stinging wasps | ovipositor of female modified into stinger | |
Andrenidae | Mining bees | fore wing with free section of M straight; 2 subantennal sutures beneath each antennal socket (hard to see); in teaching collection, many golden hairs on face | |
Apidae | Stereotypical bees | 1st segment of hind tarsi enlarged and flattened to form scopa (pollen-carrying structure); hairs, if present, branched (can be hard to see) | |
Colletidae | Polyester bees | jugal lobe in hind wing longer than submedian cell | |
Crabronidae | "Former Sphecidae" | pronotum anteriorly rounded; thumb-shaped lobe not reaching tegula; abdomen attached to thorax with short to very short stalk; difficult to differentiate from Sphecidae, good luck | |
Formicidae | Ants | geniculate antennae; petiole with 1 or 2 nodes | |
Halictidae | Sweat bees | three submarginal cells in fore wing AND basal vein in fore wing strongly arched; often metallic, but with more than 3 abdominal segments visible and not roughly sculptured (compare to Chrysididae with few abdominal segments and rough texture) | |
Megachilidae | Mason bees | fore wings with 2 submarginal cells roughly equal in length; abdomen slightly heart-shaped; scopa on ventral side of abdomen (long rigid hairs) | |
Mutillidae | Velvet ants | densely pubescent; females resemble ants without nodes; felt lines on 2nd abdominal tergum; males winged, females unwinged | |
Pompilidae | Spider wasps | hind femur reaching tip of abdomen; tibiae with 2 large apical spurs; mesopleuron bisected by transverse suture; can be mistaken for Sphecidae if abdomen petiolate | |
Scoliidae | Scoliid wasps | many small longitudinal wrinkles on wings; wings usually darkened; no closed cells at apex of fore wings (veins end before apex of wing) | |
Sphecidae | Thread-waisted wasps | stalked abdomen, with petiole composed of only sternite; middle tibiae with 2 apical spurs; pronotum rounded anteriorly, with thumb-shaped lobe not reaching tegula; difficult to differentiate from Crabronidae and some Pompilidae) | |
Thynnidae/Tiphiidae | Flower wasps | 2 posteriorly pointing lobes on mesosternum, between trochanters of middle legs | |
Vespidae | Stereotypical wasps | fore wings folded longitudinally at rest ("hot dog"); posterior margin of pronotum distinctly U-shaped | |
Diptera | True flies | fore wings membranous; hind wings reduced to club-like halteres | |
=="Nematocera" | antennae with >6 distinct segments; usually slender, frail-bodied | ||
Bibionidae | March flies | ocelli present; antennae short, stout, low on face; usually black-bodied and black-winged | |
Ceratopogonidae | No-see-ums | very small; ocelli absent; costa and Rs well-developed, other veins weak | |
Chironomidae | Midges | plumose antennae; M unforked; chewing mouthparts | |
Culicidae | Mosquitoes | plumose antennae; scales on wing veins; hump-backed thorax; piercing-sucking long proboscis | |
Ptychopteridae | Phantom crane flies | one anal vein reaching wing margin (compare to two in Tipulidae); halteres with small process at back | |
Simuliidae | Black flies | broad wings; posterior wing veins poorly developed | |
Tipulidae | Crane flies | V-shaped suture on mesonotum; two anal veins reaching wing margin (compare to one in Ptychopteridae); prominent halteres | |
==Brachycera | antennae with 3-4 segments; last antennal segment annulated/stylate | ||
Asilidae | Robber flies | beard (mystax) on face; vertex sunken | |
Bombyliidae | Bee flies | long proboscis; R2+3 and R4 sinuate; usually fuzzy-bodied | |
Dolichopodidae | Long-legged flies | small, delicate, long legs; Rs 2-branched; often metallic | |
Stratiomyidae | Soldier flies | circular discal cell near wing center | |
Tabanidae | Horse/deer flies | R4 and R5 enclose wing tip in Y-shape; third antennal segment elongate, annulated; large compound eyes | |
===Cyclorrhapha | Higher flies | antennae with 3 segments and arista | |
Calliphoridae | Blow flies | hypopleuron and pteropleuron with bristles; notopleuron with 2 bristles; arista plumose to tip; postscutellum absent | |
Hippoboscidae | Keds | flat and tick-like; coxae widely separated | |
Muscidae | House flies and kin | hypopleuron without bristles; arista plumose to tip; Cu2 + 2A never reaches wing margin | |
Oestridae | Bot flies | large; hairy; mouthparts absent | |
Phoridae | Scuttle flies | humpbacked; hind femora laterally compressed | |
Sarcophagidae | Flesh flies | arista bare OR plumose only in basal half; hypopleuron and pteropleuron with bristles; notopleuron with 4 bristles | |
Syrphidae | Hover flies | spurious vein bisecting r-m crossvein; abdomen usually dorsoventrally flattened; often mimic wasps | |
Tachinidae | Parasitic flies | postscutellum bulging; abdomen with stout bristles; arista bare and unbranched; hypopleuron and pteropleuron with bristles | |
Ulidiidae | Picture-winged flies | costa unbroken near end of Sc; wings often patterned; somewhat slender, often orangeish |
Hypopleuron | Pteropleuron | Notopleuron | Postscutellum | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Muscidae | no | X | X | absent/inconspicuous |
Calliphoridae | yes | yes | 2 | absent/inconspicuous |
Sarcophagidae | yes | yes | 4 | absent/inconspicuous |
Tachinidae | yes | yes | X | bulging |