Sphaeroceroidea
Encyclopedia
Sphaeroceroidea is a superfamily
of flies
. It includes the cosmopolitan families of Sphaeroceridae
(small dung flies), Heleomyzidae
, and Chyromyidae
, as well as a few smaller groups.
Taxonomic rank
In biological classification, rank is the level in a taxonomic hierarchy. Examples of taxonomic ranks are species, genus, family, and class. Each rank subsumes under it a number of less general categories...
of flies
Fly
True flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
. It includes the cosmopolitan families of Sphaeroceridae
Sphaeroceridae
Sphaeroceridae are a family of true flies in the order Diptera, often called small dung flies, lesser dung flies or lesser corpse flies due to their saprophagous habits. They belong to the typical fly suborder Brachycera as can be seen by their short antennae, and more precisely they are members of...
(small dung flies), Heleomyzidae
Heleomyzidae
Heleomyzidae is a small family of true flies in the insect order Diptera. There are over 650 described species of Heleomyzidae in about 80 genera and 22 tribes distributed throughout the world; the greatest number occur in the Holarctic Region. Approximately 100 species of Heleomyzidae are found in...
, and Chyromyidae
Chyromyidae
Chyromyidae are small to very small cyclorrhaphous, acalypterate flies currently classified within the Heleomyzoidea by most authors. The majority have a pale yellow integument and bright iridescent green, red or purple eyes. The family is represented in all continents except Antarctica. There are...
, as well as a few smaller groups.