Diptera: Suborders and notable families
The order Diptera ('di' meaning 'two', and 'ptera' meaning 'wings') are distinguished from other insect orders by the development of their hind wings into 'halteres', which the insect uses to detect body rotation during flight, and their larval stage, which lacks true legs (Cranston & Gullen, 2010). They are often called the 'true flies', and contain over 100,000 described living species (Cranstom & Gullen, 2010).
The most recent classification of the order Diptera recognises two suborders: Nematocera (including midgies, mosquitoes, gnats and crane flies) and Brachycera (inlcuding flies, blow flies and dung flies) (Cranston & Gullan, 2010). These two groups are separated by their body shape and antenna segmentation, where Nematocera are slender with multisegmented antennae, and Brachycera are stouter and have antenna with fewer segments (Cranston & Gullan, 2010). The following families are among the most forensically important:
Using the life history and ecology of these insects assists forensic entomologists from determining not only the post-mortem interval (PMI), but also the place, and perhaps something of the manner of death (Wallman & Donnellan, 2001). |
A pictorial review of some of the insect families within the
order Diptera.
(Image by Richard E. White, 1970.)
order Diptera.
(Image by Richard E. White, 1970.)