Overview
Adults are found in many habitats. Larvae of most species are secondary invaders of damaged plant material, including dying trees and overripe tomatoes.
Description
These are stout, darkly coloured flies of moderate to small size. Some of their main characteristics include:
A large drooping first flagellomere; bristles on the anepisternum (upper anterior and posterior marginal bristles are both present); only one orbital bristle present; female with fused cerci forming part of elongate piercing apparatus.
Distribution
The family is worldwide, but with limited representation in Australia (24 species). McAlpine and Steyskal (1982) gave a key to the world genera of Lonchaeidae.