With an estimated 150,000 described species, the insect order Diptera (true flies), is one of the most diverse branches on the Tree of Life. Although the family Therevidae occupies only a relatively small portion of that tree, our study of the family combines revisionary taxonomic work with morphological and molecular phylogenetic data collection to assess relationships within the family, and among its closest relatives.
Find out what phylogeny is and something about the world of phylogenetic systematics.
Tree of Life’s Diptera Pages & Therevidae ToL
Relevant Publications:
- Irwin, M.E. and Wiegmann, B.M. (2001). A review of the southern African genus Tongamya (Diptera: Asiloidea: Mydidae: Megascelinae), with a molecular assessment of the phylogenetic placement of Tongamya and the Megascelinae. African Invert. 42:225-253.
- Wiegmann, B.M., Tsaur, S.C., Webb, D.W., Yeates, D.K. and Cassel, B.K. (2000). Monophyly and relationships of the Tabanomorpha (Diptera: Brachycera) based on 28S ribosomal gene sequences. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 93: 1031-1038.
- Winterton, S.L., Yang, L., Wiegmann, B.M. and Yeates, D.K. (2001) Phylogenetic revision of the Agapophytinae subfam. n. (Diptera: Therevidae) based on molecular and morphological evidence. Syst. Entomol. 26: 173-211.
- Yang, L., Wiegmann, B.M., Yeates, D.K. and Irwin, M.E. (2000). Higher-level phylogenetic reconstruction of the Therevidae based on nucleotide sequence data. Mol. Phyl. Evol. 15: 440-451.
- Yeates, D.K. (2002). Relationships of extant lower brachycera (Diptera): a quantitative synthesis of morphological characters. Zool. Scripta 31: 105-121.
- Yeates, D.K. and Wiegmann, B.M. (1999). Congruence and controversy: toward a higher-level phylogeny of the Diptera. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 44: 397-428.