Sepsidae

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Panorpida
Cladus: Antliophora
Ordo: Diptera
Subordo: Brachycera
Infraordo: Muscomorpha
Sectio: Schizophora
Subsectio: Acalyptrata
Superfamilia: Sciomyzoidea

Familia: Sepsidae
Genera (31): Adriapontia – Afrosepsis – ?Allosepsis – Archisepsis – Australosepsis – Brachythoracosepsis – Decachaetophora – Dicranosepsis – Idiosepsis – Lasionemopoda – Leptomerosepsis – Meropliosepsis – Meroplius – Microsepsis – Mucha – Nemopoda – Ortalischema – Orygma – Palaeosepsioides – Palaeosepsis – Parapalaeosepsis – Paratoxopoda – Perochaeta – Pseudopalaeosepsis – Saltella – Sepsis – Susanomira – Themira – Toxopoda – Xenosepsis – Zuskamira

Name

Sepsidae Walker, 1833
References

Ang, Y. et al. 2013: A plea for digital reference collections and other science-based digitization initiatives in taxonomy: Sepsidnet as exemplar: Digital reference collections such as Sepsidnet. Systematic entomology, 38(3): 637–644. DOI: 10.1111/syen.12015 Reference page.
Ang, Y.; Meier, R. 2010: Five additions to the list of Sepsidae (Diptera) for Vietnam: Perochaeta cuirassa sp. n., Perochaeta lobo sp. n., Sepsis spura sp. n., Sepsis sepsi Ozerov, 2003 and Sepsis monostigma Thompson, 1869. ZooKeys, 70: 41–56. ISSN: 1313-2970 (online) ISSN: 1313-2989 (print) DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.70.766.
Ang, Y-C., Meier, R., Su, K.F-Y. & Rajaratnam, G. 2017. Hidden in the urban parks of New York City: Themira lohmanus, a new species of Sepsidae described based on morphology, DNA sequences, mating behavior, and reproductive isolation (Sepsidae, Diptera). ZooKeys 698: 95—111. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.698.13411. Reference page.
Ang, Y. ; Puniamoorthy, N. & R. Meier, 2008: Secondarily reduced foreleg armature in Perochaeta dikowi sp.n. (Diptera: Cyclorrhapha: Sepsidae) due to a novel mounting technique. Systematic Entomology 33 (3): 552–559. Abstract: DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3113.2008.00422.x.
Colless, D.H., 1980: Biogeography of Australian Sepsidae (Diptera). Australian Journal of Zoology 28(1): 65 - 78. DOI: 10.1071/ZO9800065.
Iwasa, M., 1980: Studies on the Sepsidae from Japan (Diptera) : I. Revision of the Genus Sepsis Fallen, with a Key to the Japanese Genera. Kontyû 48 (3): 402–412. Abstract and full article: [1].
Iwasa, M., 1982: A new Oriental species of the genus Sepsis from Taiwan and Indonesia (Diptera: Sepsidae). Pacific Insects 24 (3-4): 232–234. Full article: [2].
Iwasa, M. & T.H. Thinh, 2012: Taxonomic and faunistic studies of the Sepsidae (Diptera) from Vietnam, with descriptions of six new species. Entomologcal Science 15 (1): 99–114. Abstract: DOI: 10.1111/j.1479-8298.2011.00482.x.
Ozerov, A.L., 2010: Three new species of Sepsidae (Diptera). Far Eastern Entomologist N 209: 1–6. Full article: [3].
Ozerov, A.L. 2005. World Catalogue of the family Sepsidae (Insecta: Diptera). Zoologicheskie issledovania 8: 74. full article (PDF) Reference page.
Ozerov, A.L. 2018. Contribution to the fauna of the genus Meroplius Rondani, 1874 (Diptera, Sepsidae) of the Australasian/Oceanian region. Zootaxa 4438(1): 195–200. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4438.1.13 Paywall Reference page.

Additional references

Ang, Y-C., Rohner, P.T. & Meier, R. 2015. Across the Baltic: a new record for an enigmatic black scavenger fly, Zuskamira inexpectata (Pont, 1987) (Sepsidae) in Finland. Biodiversity Data Journal 3: e4308. DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.3.e4308. Reference page.
Silva, V.C. 2016. FAMILY SEPSIDAE. In Wolff, M.I., Nihei, S.S. & Carvalho, C.J.B. de (eds.), Catalogue of Diptera of Colombia. Zootaxa 4122(1): 648–652. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4122.1.54. Reference page.

Vernacular names
English: black scavenger flies
中文: 艳细蝇科

The Sepsidae are a family of flies, commonly called the black scavenger flies or ensign flies. Over 300 species are described worldwide.[1] They are usually found around dung or decaying plant and animal material. Many species resemble ants, having a "waist" and glossy black body. Many Sepsidae have a curious wing-waving habit made more apparent by dark patches at the wing end.

Many species have a very wide distribution, reflecting the coprophagous habit of most Sepsidae. Some species have been spread over large territories in association with livestock. Adult flies are found mostly on mammal excrement, including that of humans (less often on other rotting organic matter), where eggs are laid and larvae develop, and on nearby vegetation, carrion, fermenting tree sap, and shrubs and herbs.

Many Sepsidae apparently play an important biological role as decomposers of mammal and other animal excrement. Some species may have a limited hygienic importance because of their association with human feces. Others are useful tools in forensic entomology.

Description
Sepsis sp. on grass (video, 59 sec)

For terms, see Morphology of Diptera.
Sepsids are slender flies that resemble minute, winged ants. They are usually black in color, sometimes lustrous, and sometimes with silvery hairs on the thorax. The head is rounded. Sepsids have one or more bristles at the posteroventral margin of the posterior spiracle of the thorax, a character that distinguishes the family from other acalyptrates. The postvertical bristles are divergent or sometimes absent. Up to three pairs of frontal bristles are seen. They have ocelli with ocellar bristles. Vibrissae and palpi are poorly developed. The front legs of the male often have extrusions, spurs, teeth, or other ornamentation. The tibia has a dorsal preapical bristle in most genera. The abdomen is usually constricted in the basal part.

The larva is slender, tapering at the front end, and smooth except for ventral creeping welts. The larva is amphipneustic: it has two pairs of spiracles, one toward the head and one at the tail. The bulbous posterior end with its pair of spiracles distinguishes it from the larvae of other acalyptrates.

The pupa is enclosed within a puparium.
Classification
Sepsidae morphology

Genera include:[2]

Adriapontia Ozerov, 1996[3]
Afromeroplius Ozerov, 1996[3]
Afronemopoda Ozerov, 2004[4]
Afrosepsis Ozerov, 1996[3]
Archisepsis Silva, 1993[5]
Australosepsis Malloch, 1925[6]
Brachythoracosepsis Ozerov, 1996[3]
Decachaetophora Duda, 1926[7]
Diploosmeteriosepsis Ozerov, 1996[3]
Dicranosepsis Duda, 1926[7]
Dudamira Ozerov, 1996[3]
Idiosepsis Ozerov, 1990[8]
Lasionemopoda Duda, 1926[7]
Lasiosepsis Duda, 1926[7]
Lateosepsis Ozerov, 2004[4]
Leptomerosepsis Duda, 1926[7]
Meropliosepsis Duda, 1926[7]
Meroplius Róndani, 1874
Microsepsis Silva, 1993[5]
Mucha Ozerov, 1992[9]
Nemopoda Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830[10]
Ortalischema Frey, 1925[11]
Orygma Meigen, 1830[12]
Palaeosepsioides Ozerov, 1992[13]
Palaeosepsis Duda, 1926[7]
Parapalaeosepsis Duda, 1926[7]
Paratoxopoda Duda, 1926[7]
Perochaeta Duda, 1926[7]
†Protorygma Hennig, 1965[14]
Pseudonemopoda Duda, 1926[7]
Pseudopalaeosepsis Ozerov, 1992[13]
Saltella Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830[10]
Sepsis Fallén, 1810[15]
Susanomira Pont, 1987[16]
Themira Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830[10]
Toxopoda Macquart, 1851[17]
Xenosepsis Malloch, 1925[6]
Zuskamira Pont, 1987[16]

See also

List of sepsid fly species recorded in Europe

References

Ang, Y. and R. Meier. (2010). Five additions to the list of Sepsidae (Diptera) for Vietnam: Perochaeta cuirassa sp. n., Perochaeta lobo sp. n., Sepsis spura sp. n., Sepsis sepsi Ozerov, 2003 and Sepsis monostigma Thompson, 1869. ZooKeys 70 41-56.
Ozerov, A.L. (2005). World catalogue of the family Sepsidae (Insecta: Diptera) (PDF). Zoologicheskiĭ muzeĭ, Moscow.
Ozerov, A.L. (1996). "To the fauna and taxonomy of African Sepsidae (Diptera)". Russian Entomological Journal. 4[1995]: 127–144.
Ozerov, A.L. (2004). "New genera and species of Sepsidae (Diptera)". Russian Entomological Journal. 12 (4): 399–420.
Silva, V. C. (1993). "Revisao da familia Sepsidae na regiao Neotropical. Iii. Os generos Palaeosepsis Duda, 1926, Archisepsis Gen. N. e Microsepsis Gen. N., Chave para os Generos Neotropicais (Diptera, Schizophora)". Iheringia, Série Zoologia. 75: 117–170.
Malloch, J.R. (1925). "Notes on Australian Diptera. No. vii". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 50: 311–340.
Duda, Oswald (1926). "Monographie der Sepsiden (Dipt.). I.". Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien. 39(1925): 1–153, 7 pls.
Ozerov, A.L. (1990). "New data on the fauna and taxonomy of the African Dipterans of the family Sepsidae (Diptera)". Vest. Zool. (in Russian). 1990 (2): 15–20.
Ozerov, A.L. (1992). "New genus and three new species of sepsid flies (Diptera, Sepsidae) from Vietnam". Zoologicheskii Zhurnal (in Russian). 71: 147–150.
Robineau-Desvoidy, André Jean Baptiste (1830). "Essai sur les myodaires". Mémoires presentés à l'Institut des Sciences, Lettres et Arts, par divers savants et lus dans ses assemblées: Sciences, Mathématiques et Physique. 2 (2): 1–813. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
Frey, R. (1925). "Zur Systematik der Diptera Haplostomata. II. Fam. Sepsidae". Notulae Ent. 5: 69–76.
Meigen, J.W. (1830). Systematische Beschreibung der bekannten europäische n zweiflugeligen Insekten. Hamm: Sechster Theil. Schulz. pp. xi + 401 +[3] pp.
Ozerov, A.L. (1992). "New data on the neotropical sepsids (Diptera Sepsidae)". Russian Entomological Journal. 1 (1): 81–86.
Hennig, W. (1965). "Die Acalyptratae des Baltischen Bernsteins und ihre Bedeutung fur die Erforschung der phylogenetischen Entwicklung dieser Dipteren-Gruppe". Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde. 145 (1–215). Retrieved 13 January 2022.
Fallen, C.F. (1810). Specim. entomolog. novam Diptera disponendi methodum exhibens. Lund: Berlingianis. pp. 26 pp., 1 pl. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
Pont, A.C. (1987). "Two new genera of West Palaearctic Sepsidae (Diptera)". Entomologica Scandinavica. 18 (3): 265–272. doi:10.1163/187631287X00124. Retrieved 11 January 2022.

Macquart, P. J. M. (1851). "Dipteres exotiques nouveaux ou peu connus. Suite du 4e supplement publie dans les memoires de 1849". Mémoires de la Société (Royale) des sciences, de l'agriculture et des arts à Lille. 1850: 134–294. Retrieved 28 March 2021.