Pipunculidae

Pipunculidae is a family of flies (Diptera) commonly termed big-headed flies, a reference to the large (holoptic) eyes, which cover nearly the entire head. The family is found worldwide and more than 1300 species have been described.

The larvae of Pipunculidae develop as parasitoids almost exclusively in Auchenorrhyncha, the exception being the genus Nephrocerus, whose hosts are adult Tipulidae (crane flies). The larvae develop rapidly within the crane flies before pupating in the soil. In all pipunculids there are only two larval stages. Some species are used as biological control agents in rice fields.

Evolution

Molecular analysis show that Pipunculidae appeared in the Maastrichtian age of the Cretaceous. The oldest fossils of this group were found in the Eocene formations. North American Metanephrocerus belgardeae and Priabona florissantius were collected from the Ypresian and Priabonian deposits, respectively. Younger specimens of Pipunculidae were discovered in the Miocene Dominican amber.

Taxonomy

Taxonomy as shown at the Tree of life, with modification based on Kehlmaier, Dierick and Skevington (2014). The name Pipunculidae is derived from the type genus Pipunculus which is thought to be derived from Latin pepo for pumpkin, thus pipunculus would mean "little pumpkin", referring to the large heads.

Subfamily Chalarinae

Genus Chalarus Walker, 1834
Genus Jassidophaga Aczél, 1939
Genus †Protoverrallia Aczél, 1948 Baltic amber Eocene (Priabonian)
Genus Verrallia Mik, 1899

Subfamily Nephrocerinae

Tribe Nephrocerini
- Genus Nephrocerus Zetterstedt, 1838
Tribe incertae sedis
- Genus †Priabona Archibald, Kehlmaier & Mathewes, 2014 Florissant Formation, Eocene (Priabonian)

Subfamily Protonephrocerinae

Genus Protonephrocerus Collin, 1931
Genus †Metanephrocerus Carpenter & Hull, 1939 Klondike Mountain Formation,Washington, Eocene (Ypresian) Baltic amber Eocene (Priabonian)

Subfamily Pipunculinae

Tribe Cephalopsini
- Genus Cephalops Fallén, 1810
- Genus Cephalosphaera Enderlein, 1936
Tribe Microcephalopsini
- Genus Collinias Aczél, 1940
- Genus Microcephalops De Meyer, 1989
Tribe Eudorylini
- Genus Allomethus Hardy, 1943
- Genus Amazunculus Rafael, 1986
- Genus Basileunculus Rafael, 1987
- Genus Claraeola Aczél, 1940
- Genus Clistoabdominalis Skevington, 2001
- Genus Dasydorylas Skevington, 2001
- Genus Elmohardyia Rafael, 1987
- Genus Eudorylas Aczél, 1940
Tribe Tomosvaryellini
- Genus Dorylomorpha Aczél, 1939
- Genus Tomosvaryella Aczél, 1939
Tribe Pipunculini
- Genus Pipunculus Latreille, 1802