Mydas fly

Mydas coerulescens

The Mydidae are a family of two-winged flies (Diptera ) and are among the flies ( Brachycera ). Worldwide there are about 350 species in 63 genera before.

The representatives of the Mydidae are relatively large, which may be their body length 9-60 mm. The neotropical species Gauromydas heros is classified as the largest known species of fly at all. Despite its size, the animals are largely unknown, an indication is also the lack of German trivial name.

There has been described a type of Mydidae the first time in 1773. It was named by its discoverer Drury as Musca clavata and 1794 slammed by Fabricius of the newly created genus of him mydas. 1809 created Latreille then own family " Mydasii ", which was later renamed " Mydidae ", the named type is, according to today mydas clavata.

The Mydidae are spread worldwide, prefer as their close relatives, the robber flies ( Asilidae ), but desert and semi- desert areas with loose vegetation, including about the Namib in Africa. However, we find some species in the tropical rainforest, the cloud forest is an ecological barrier for this animal. Most often you can observe the animals ( and catch ) when the hottest hours of the day are reached. Then you usually sit on the ground in direct sunlight. Their activity period is usually very short, some desert species are found only for about two weeks a year.

The Mydidae were probably formed in the Mesozoic, around the time of the transition from Jurassic to Cretaceous. There is only one fossil Mydidae known mydas miocenicus from the Oligocene, found in 1913 in the United States.