Canthyloscelidae

Canthyloscelidae; Temporal range: Middle Jurassic–Recent PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Suborder:	Nematocera
Infraorder:	Bibionomorpha
Superfamily:	Scatopsoidea
Family:	Canthyloscelidae; Enderlein, 1912
Subfamilies
	Canthyloscelinae;
Synonyms
	Canthyloscelididae; Hyperoscelididae; Synneuridae;

The Canthyloscelidae are a small family of midges closely related to the Scatopsidae.

Adults are small to medium-sized (2.5-9.0 mm) flies, relatively stout, usually dark coloured Nematocera with stout legs. They are associated with ancient woodland. Larvae are xylosaprophagous and live in the moist, rotting wood of stumps and fallen trees.^[1]

Most are considered endangered due to the vulnerability of their habitat.

Fifteen described species live in New Zealand, North America, South America, Japan and Russia, and one is known from the Jurassic fossil record.

^ Hutson A.M. (1977). "A revision of the families Synneuridae and Canthyloscelidae (Diptera)". Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology. 35 (3). London: British Museum (Natural History): 67–100. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.4753.

[1] Hutson A.M. (1977). "A revision of the families Synneuridae and Canthyloscelidae (Diptera)". Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology. 35 (3). London: British Museum (Natural History): 67–100. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.4753.

[1]