User:Phoridae/Aenigmatias

Aenigmatias new article content ...

Aenigmatias is a genus of phorid flies (Diptera: Phoridae) found almost exclusively in the Holarctic Region. They are small flies, usually about 1 - 3 mm in length. Females are wingless, limuoid (teardrop shaped, reduced segmentation [no scutellum], reduced body setae), have reduced frontal setae, and an overhanging lateral flange underneath which they can tuck their legs. Males are more normal in appearance and carry the females around in copula. The males have modified setae on the foretibia that fit between microtrichia on the female pleuron in a velcro-like arrangement. Fossils are known from 40 million year old Baltic amber in which females are fully winged and with a scutellum.

Life history
Species of Aenigmatias are parasitoids of pupae of Formica ants, although this has been definitively studied only once.

Economic importance
These flies have no known economic importance.