Pipunculidae

Pipunculidae is a family of flies (Diptera) commonly termed big-headed flies, a reference to the large (holoptic) eyes, which cover nearly the entire head. The family is found worldwide and more than 1300 species have been described.

The larvae of Pipunculidae develop as parasitoids almost exclusively in Auchenorrhyncha, the exception being the genus Nephrocerus, whose hosts are adult Tipulidae (crane flies). The larvae develop rapidly within the crane flies before pupating in the soil. In all pipunculids there are only two larval stages. Some species are used as biological control agents in rice fields. <!--==Literature== General
 * Honomichl K, Bellmann H (1994): Biologie und Ökologie der Insekten; CD-Rom, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart.
 * R. Remane, E. Wachmann: Zikaden – kennenlernen, beobachten – Naturbuch Verlag, Augsburg 1993, ISBN 3-89440-044-7
 * Waloff N, Jervis M A (1987): Communities of parasitoids associated with leafhoppers and planthoppers in Europe, Adv Ecol Rs 17 282 – 403

Identification
 * Coe RL (1966): Diptera family Pipunculidae, Handb Ident British Insects 10(2c), London
 * Jervis, M.A. (1992): A taxonomic revision of the pipunculid fly genus Chalarus Walker, with particular reference to the European fauna. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 105: 243–352; London.
 * Kehlmaier, C. (2006): The West-Palaearctic species of Jassidophaga Aczél and Verrallia Mik described up to 1966 (Diptera: Pipunculidae). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde, Serie A (Biologie) 697, 34pp.; Stuttgart.
 * Kuznetzov, S. Y. (1992): The Palaearctic species of the genus Verrallia (Diptera: Pipunculidae). Zoosystematica Rossica 1: 102–116; St. Petersburg.
 * Kehlmaier, C. (2006): The West-Palaearctic species of Jassidophaga Aczél and Verrallia Mik described up to 1966 (Diptera: Pipunculidae). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde, Serie A (Biologie) 697, 34pp.; Stuttgart.
 * Kuznetzov, S. Y. (1992): The Palaearctic species of the genus Verrallia (Diptera: Pipunculidae). Zoosystematica Rossica 1: 102–116; St. Petersburg.
 * Grootaert, P. & De Meyer, M. (1986): On the taxonomy and ecology of Nephrocerus Zetterstedt (Diptera, Pipunculidae) with a redescription of N. lapponicus and a key to the European species. Bulletin van het Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen, Entomologie 56: 85–91.
 * Skevington, J. & Marshall, S. A. (1998): Systematics of New World Pipunculus (Diptera: Pipunculidae). Thomas Say Publications in Entomology: Monographs, 201pp.; Lanham.
 * De Meyer, M. (1989a): The West-Palaearctic species of the pipunculid genera Cephalops and Beckerias (Diptera): classification, phylogeny and geographical distribution. Journal of Natural History 23: 725–765.
 * De Meyer, M. (1989b): Systematics of the Nearctic species of the genus Cephalops Fallén (Diptera, Pipunculidae). Bulletin van het Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen, Entomologie 59: 99–130; Brussels.
 * De Meyer, M. (1989): The West-Palaearctic species of the pipunculid genera Cephalops and Beckerias (Diptera): classification phylogeny and geographical distribution. Journal of Natural History 23: 725–765.
 * Kehlmaier, C. (2005a): Taxonomic revision of European Eudorylini (Insecta, Diptera, Pipunculidae). Verhandlungen des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins in Hamburg (NF) 41: 45–353; Hamburg.
 * Albrecht, A. (1990): Revision, phylogeny and classification of the genus Dorylomorpha (Diptera, Pipunculidae).Acta Zoologica Fennica 188: 1–240; Helsinki.
 * Földvári, M. & De Meyer, M. (1999): Revision of central and west European Tomosvaryella Aczél species (Diptera, Pipunculidae).Acta Zoologica Scientiarum Hungaricae 45 (4): 299–334; Budapest.-->

Evolution
Molecular analysis show that Pipunculidae appeared in the Maastrichtian age of the Cretaceous. The oldest fossils of this group were found in the Eocene formations. North American Metanephrocerus belgardeae and Priabona florissantius were collected from the Ypresian and Priabonian deposits, respectively. Younger specimens of Pipunculidae were discovered in the Miocene Dominican amber.

Taxonomy
Taxonomy as shown at the Tree of life, with modification based on Kehlmaier, Dierick and Skevington (2014). The name Pipunculidae is derived from the type genus Pipunculus which is thought to be derived from Latin pepo for pumpkin, thus pipunculus would mean "little pumpkin", referring to the large heads.

Subfamily Chalarinae Subfamily Nephrocerinae Subfamily Protonephrocerinae Subfamily Pipunculinae
 * Genus Chalarus Walker, 1834
 * Genus Jassidophaga Aczél, 1939
 * Genus Protoverrallia Aczél, 1948 Baltic amber Eocene (Priabonian)
 * Genus Verrallia Mik, 1899
 * Tribe Nephrocerini
 * Genus Nephrocerus Zetterstedt, 1838
 * Tribe incertae sedis
 * Genus Priabona Archibald, Kehlmaier & Mathewes, 2014 Florissant Formation, Eocene (Priabonian)
 * Genus Protonephrocerus Collin, 1931
 * Genus Metanephrocerus Carpenter & Hull, 1939 Klondike Mountain Formation,Washington, Eocene (Ypresian) Baltic amber Eocene (Priabonian)
 * Tribe Cephalopsini
 * Genus Cephalops Fallén, 1810
 * Genus Cephalosphaera Enderlein, 1936
 * Tribe Microcephalopsini
 * Genus Collinias Aczél, 1940
 * Genus Microcephalops De Meyer, 1989
 * Tribe Eudorylini
 * Genus Allomethus Hardy, 1943
 * Genus Amazunculus Rafael, 1986
 * Genus Basileunculus Rafael, 1987
 * Genus Claraeola Aczél, 1940
 * Genus Clistoabdominalis Skevington, 2001
 * Genus Dasydorylas Skevington, 2001
 * Genus Elmohardyia Rafael, 1987
 * Genus Eudorylas Aczél, 1940
 * Tribe Tomosvaryellini
 * Genus Dorylomorpha Aczél, 1939
 * Genus Tomosvaryella Aczél, 1939
 * Tribe Pipunculini
 * Genus Pipunculus Latreille, 1802