Tanypezidae

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
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: Diopsoidea

Familia: Tanypezidae
Genera (2): Neotanypeza – Tanypeza

[source: Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist]
References

Lonsdale, O.; Apigian, K. 2010: Description of the first known fossil representative of the family Tanypezidae (Diptera: Schizophora). Tijdschrift voor entomologie, 153(2): 213–216. abstract only seen
Wolff, M.I. & Grisales, D. 2016. FAMILY TANYPEZIDAE. In Wolff, M.I., Nihei, S.S. & Carvalho, C.J.B. de (eds.), Catalogue of Diptera of Colombia. Zootaxa 4122(1): 555–557. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4122.1.42. Reference page.

The Tanypezidae, known as the “stretched-foot flies”, are small family of acalyptrate Diptera (Schizophora, Brachycera). The 28 species are found mostly in the New World, divided between two genera: Tanypeza (2 species) is found in North America, with the type species (T. longimana Fallén) extending into the Palaearctic, and Neotanypeza (26 species) is neotropical in distribution and includes one species known only from Dominican amber from 17–20 million years ago, N. dominicana Lonsdale & Apigian.[2] This distribution contrasts that of its sister family, the Strongylophthalmyiidae, which is mostly East Asian in distribution.

The family was recently treated by Lonsdale (2013),[3] who redefined the family and its genera, synonymizing all other neotropical tanypezid genera in Neotanypeza. Lonsdale (2014)[4] also provided a full catalogue for the family.

Species of Tanypezidae are relatively large and have semispherical heads and stout bodies that are perched atop long, thin legs, the latter of which have sometimes allied them with the families Neriidae and Micropezidae. The head and thorax are also often very dark with contrasting silver- (sometimes golden-) haired stripes and spots. Furthermore, apical convergence of wing veins R4+5 and M1 occurs, and no vibrissae, setulae on the upper surface of vein R1, and a large, flat ocellar disc behind the ocelli. Little is known of the biology of tanypezid species, but T. longimana is known from low vegetation in humid deciduous woodlands, often around running water.
References

Hendel, Friedrich Georg (1903). "Ueber die systematische Stellung von Tanypeza Fall. (Dipt.)". Wiener Entomologische Zeitung. 22 (201–205). Retrieved 30 May 2018.
Lonsdale, O; Apigian, K (2010). "Description of the First Known Fossil Representative of the Family Tanypezidae (Diptera: Schizophora)". Tijdschrift voor Entomologie. 153 (2): 213–216. doi:10.1163/22119434-900000299.
Lonsdale, O (2013). "Review of the families Tanypezidae and Strongylophthalmyiidae, with a revision of Neotanypeza Hendel (Diptera: Schizophora)". Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. 641 (1): 1–60. doi:10.5479/si.19436696.641.1.
Lonsdale, O (2014). "World Catalogue of the Family Tanypezidae (Diptera: Schizophora)". Zootaxa. 3857 (3): 412–422. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3857.3.4.