List of obsolete names in Diptera

The higher-level classification of the insect order Diptera is in a constant state of flux, and over the last several decades, a vast number of names have been variously proposed, rejected, had their definitions changed, or altered spelling. Keeping track of all of these names is a challenging task, especially as there is no consensus as to the proper classification that should be used for this order, as well as reflecting a more fundamental challenge to the entire underlying principles of classification, which is especially evident among Dipteran systematists. The purpose of this article is to serve as a reference in situations where a reader may encounter an obsolete name in a printed or online resource, and otherwise be unable to find it.

Secondarily, this list also contains names referring to fossil taxa, whose placement into modern classifications is generally untenable, as classifications increasingly rely on molecular phylogenetics, which excludes fossils from consideration.

Family names in Nematocera
Families in the list below marked with a plus sign are extinct.


 * +Ansorgiidae
 * +Antefungivoridae
 * Baenotidae - rank (genus) in Cecidomyiidae
 * +Boholdoyidae
 * Cecidomyidae - misspelling for Cecidomyiidae
 * Cramptonomyiidae - rank in Pachyneuridae
 * +Crosaphididae
 * +Dixamimidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic) rank in Chaoboridae
 * +Elliidae
 * +Gracilitipulidae
 * +Grauvogeliidae
 * +Hennigmatidae
 * Hyperoscelididae - rank in Canthyloscelidae
 * Leptoconopidae - rank in Ceratopogonidae
 * Lestremiidae - rank in Cecidomyiidae
 * +Limnorhyphidae
 * +Luanpingitidae
 * Macroceridae - rank in Keroplatidae
 * +Mesosciophilidae
 * Mycetobiidae - rank in Anisopodidae
 * +Nadipteridae
 * Nemopalpidae - rank in Psychodidae
 * Olbiogastridae - rank in Anisopodidae
 * +Oreodomyiidae
 * Orphnephilidae - rank in Thaumaleidae
 * +Parapleciidae
 * Penthrediidae - rank in Bibionidae
 * Phlebotomidae - rank in Psychodidae
 * +Phragmoligoneuridae - synonym for +Protopliciidae
 * Pleciidae - rank in Bibionidae
 * +Procramptonomyiidae
 * +Protopliciidae
 * +Rhaetomyiidae extinct (Upper Triassic) rank in Chaoboridae
 * Rhyphidae - rank in Anisopodidae
 * +Serendipidae
 * +Siberhyphidae
 * +Sinotendipedidae
 * Synneuridae - rank in Canthyloscelidae
 * +Zhangobiidae

Non-cyclorrhaphan Brachycera

 * Acanthomeridae - rank in Pantophthalmidae
 * +Alinkidae - extinct (Triassic)
 * +Archisargidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic)
 * Coenomyiidae - rank in Xylophagidae
 * Cyrtosiidae - rank in Mythicomyiidae
 * +Eomyiidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic)
 * +Eostratiomyiidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic)
 * +Eremochaetidae - extinct (Cretaceous, Jurassic)
 * Exeretonevridae - rank in Xylophagidae
 * Glutopidae - rank in Pelecorhychidae
 * Heterostomidae - rank in Xylophagidae
 * Microphoridae - rank in Dolichopodidae
 * Mydaidae - misspelling of Mydidae
 * +Palaeostratiomyiidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic) rank in Rhagionidae
 * +Protempididae - extinct (Upper Jurassic)
 * +Protobrachycerontidae - extinct (Lower Jurassic) rank in Vermileonidae
 * +Protocyrtidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic) rank in Heloridae, Hymenoptera - originally misidentified as Diptera
 * +Protomphralidae - extinct (Middle Jurassic)
 * Rachiceridae - rank in Xylophagidae
 * +Rhagionempididae - extinct (Middle Jurassic)
 * Solvidae - rank in Xylomyidae
 * Stratiomyiidae - misspelling for Stratiomyidae
 * Systropodidae - rank in Bombyliidae
 * Usiidae - rank in Bombyliidae

Cyclorrhapha - Aschiza

 * Aenigmatiidae - rank in Phoridae
 * Microdontidae - rank in Syrphidae
 * Sciadoceridae - rank in Phoridae
 * Termitoxeniidae - rank in Phoridae
 * Thaumatoxenidae - rank in Phoridae

Cyclorrhapha - Acalyptratae

 * Borboridae - synonym for Sphaeroceridae
 * Borboropsidae - rank in Heleomyzidae
 * Calobatidae - rank in Micropezidae
 * Campichoetidae - rank in Diastatidae
 * Canaceidae - misspelling of Canacidae
 * Centrioncidae - rank in Diopsidae
 * Chiropteromyzidae - rank in Heleomyzidae
 * Cnemospathidae - rank in Heleomyzidae
 * Cremifaniidae - rank in Chamaemyiidae
 * Cypselidae - synonym for Sphaeroceridae
 * Diopseidae - misspelling of Diopsidae
 * Eurychoromyiidae rank in Lauxaniidae
 * Eurygnathomyidae - rank in Pallopteridae
 * Euxestidae - rank in Ulidiidae
 * Heteromyzidae - rank in Heleomyzidae
 * Mindidae - synonym for Chloropidae
 * Neottiophilidae - rank in Piophilidae
 * Notomyzidae - rank in Heleomyzidae
 * Otitidae - rank in Ulidiidae
 * Phycodromidae - synonym for Coelopidae
 * Proneottiophilidae - rank in Psilidae
 * Pterocallidae - rank in Ulidiidae
 * Rhinotoridae - rank in Heleomyzidae
 * Rhopalomeridae - misspelling of Ropalomeridae
 * Risidae - rank in Ephydridae
 * Sapromyzidae - rank in Lauxaniidae
 * Sepsididae - misspelling of Sepsidae
 * Siphonellopsidae - rank in Chloropidae
 * Stenomicridae - rank in Persicelididae
 * Strongylophthalmidae - misspelling of Strongylophthalmyiidae
 * Strongylophthalmyiidae - rank in Tanypezidae
 * Stylogastridae (or Stylogasteridae) - rank in Conopidae
 * Taeniapteridae - rank in Micropezidae
 * Tetanoceridae - rank in Sciomyzidae
 * Thyreophoridae - rank in Piophilidae
 * Trixoscelididae - rank in Heleomyzidae
 * Trypetidae - rank in Tephritidae
 * Tunisimyiidae - rank in Xenasteiidae
 * Tylidae - rank in Micropezidae

Cyclorrhapha - Calyptratae

 * Acridomyiidae - rank in Anthomyiidae
 * Anthomylidae (or Anthomyidae) - misspelling of Anthomyiidae
 * Axiniidae - rank in Rhinophoridae
 * Cordyluridae - rank in Scathophagidae
 * Cuterebridae - rank in Oestridae
 * Dexiidae - rank in Tachinidae
 * Eginiidae - rank in Muscidae
 * Gastrophilidae - rank in Oestridae
 * Hypodermatidae - rank in Oestridae
 * Leucostomatidae - rank in Sarcophagidae
 * Mesembrinellidae - rank in Calliphoridae
 * Phasiidae - rank in Tachinidae
 * Scatophagidae - misspelling of Scathophagidae; Scatophagidae is a family of fish
 * Stackelbergomyiidae - rank in Tachinidae
 * Villeneuviellidae - rank in Calliphoridae

Higher level invalid names

 * Anthomyiidea - superfamily, now in Muscoidea
 * Asilidea - rank in Asiloidea
 * Bibionidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha
 * Bolitophilidea - invalid superfamily in Bibionomorpha
 * Bombyliidea - rank in Asiloidea
 * Borboridea - rank in family Stratiomyomorpha
 * Braulomorpha - infraorder, now in superfamily Carnoidea
 * Chironomidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha
 * Chloropidea - superfamily, now in Carnoidea
 * Conopidea - rank in Conopoidea
 * Culicidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha
 * Culicimorpha - misspelling? of Culicomorpha
 * Dixidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha
 * Drosophiloidea - superfamily, roughly equivalent to Ephydroidea
 * Empididea - rank in Empidoidea
 * Gastrophilidea - rank in family Oestridae
 * Glossinidea - rank in superfamily Hippoboscoidea
 * Heleomyzidea - superfamily, redistributed to Sphaeroceroidea, Sciomyzoidea and Opomyzoidea
 * Hippoboscidea - rank in superfamily Hippoboscoidea
 * Mesophantasmatidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha
 * Muscidea - rank in superfamily Muscoidea
 * Musidoromorpha - rank in superfamily Platypezoidea
 * Myiomorpha - infraorder, roughly equivalent to Cyclorrhapha
 * Nycteribiomorpha - rank in superfamily Hippoboscoidea
 * Oestridea - rank in superfamily Oestroidea
 * Orphnephilidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha
 * Pachyneuridea - invalid superfamily in Bibionomorpha
 * Phoromorpha - rank in superfamily Platypezoidea
 * Phragmoligoneuridea - extinct rank in infraorder Culicomorpha
 * Platypezidea - rank in superfamily Platypezoidea
 * Psilidea - superfamily, redistributed to Diopsoidea and Nerioidea
 * Pupipara - archaic equivalent of superfamily Hippoboscoidea
 * Rhaetomyiidea - rank in infraorder Culicomorpha
 * Rhyphidea - rank in infraorder Bibionomorpha
 * Sapromyzidea - superfamily, redistributed between Lauxanioidea and Tephritoidea
 * Sarcophagidea - rank in superfamily Oestroidea
 * Somatiidea - superfamily, now in Diopsoidea
 * Stratiomyidea - synonym for superfamily Stratiomyomorpha
 * Streblomorpha - rank in superfamily Hippoboscoidea
 * Syrphidea - rank in superfamily Syrphoidea
 * Tabanidea - synonym for superfamily Tabanomorpha
 * Tachinidea - rank in superfamily Oestroidea
 * Termitoxeniomorpha - rank in superfamily Platypezoidea
 * Trypetidea - superfamily, now in superfamily Tephritoidea