About Lauxaniid Flies

Lauxaniidae is a family of acalyptrate flies with around 1500 described species in 126 genera distributed worldwide.

Cephaloconus tenebrosus

Some Lauxaniidae, like this Cephaloconus tenebrosus are unusually shaped and appear to mimic other insects, possibly leafhoppers in this case.

Photo: Robert Whyte

Homoneura sp orange with patterned wings

Lauxaniid flies have wings that are wings often clear, but some groups, such as Homoneura, have patterned wings. The folks at diptera.info have made a positive identification of this fly as being a Homoneura sp.

Photo: Robert Whyte

Homoneura sp black

Also Homoneura sp. They are really diverse in this neck of the woods! (Australia and Southeast Asia) according to Steve Gaimari, Diptera.info.

Photo: Robert Whyte

Sapromyza occipitalis

A Lauxaniid fly of the genus Sapromyza about 3mm in body length hovering around a Syzygium in my garden in Brisbane while I was experimenting with a Pansonic Lumix with Raynox magnifier. It landed on my hand so I was able to manoeuvre it into the sun for this pic. Thanks Steve Gaimari for identification, who notes: “important characteristics – the paired blackish patches on the occiput, the legs and antennae being dark, unmarked wings, 0+3 dc with anterior seta smallest…” 

Photo: Robert Whyte

Sapromyza sciomyzina

Steve Gaimari wrote: Again “Sapromyza”, but this time, it is Sapromyza sciomyzina Schiner. Nice pics! Notice the entirely black frons (in the other – Sapromyza occipitalis – the frons were yellow), the parafacial is silver and the face is black, the thorax is more uniformly orange, the forelegs very dark, the mid and hind femora lighter, etc.

Photo: Robert Whyte

A twinset arrangement of the Sapromyza sciomyzina Schiner above, showing slightly diffferent views. Photo: Robert Whyte

Face on view of what appears again to be Sapromyza sciomyzina, photographed Sunday, 9 November 2008. Body length about 6mm. Photo: Robert Whyte