Overview
In Australia the species of
Physiphora
are often found near human habitation and their larvae live in decaying vegetable matter.
Pseudeuxesta prima
(Osten Sacken) inhabits tropical shorelines and
Acrosticta apicalis
Williston has been found in or near wet tropical and subtropical forests.
Description
The main diagnostic features include:
Face uniformly sclerotised; mid femur with a series of long posteroventral bristles; pre-apical dorsal tibial bristles absent; vein Sc complete and gradually approaching vein C; wing vein R1 without setulae (in Australian taxa); transverse section of wing vein CuA2 indented so that cell cup is acutely prolonged posterodistally.
Distribution
This family is best represented in the Neotropical and Holarctic Regions. There four species in Australia, none of which are endemic.