Overview
The family is poorly represented in Australia, with some 10 species in three genera. Three are well known, cosmopolitan species.
Larvae live in decomposing organic matter and most adults are rarely encountered. However, those of the Lesser Housefly,
Fannia canicularis
(L.), may enter houses in considerable numbers but are relatively innocuous. The latter species is commonly associated with poultry farms.
Description
The adults are almost unique in possessing a true dorsal submedian bristle on the hind tibia; also, the very short vein A1+CuA2, of which an imaginary extension would intersect an extension of the curved vein A2. The larvae are characteristic: dorsoventrally flattened with a pair of dorsolateral processes on each segment.
Distribution
The two species of
Australofannia
are endemic and restricted to southern Australia, as are four of the seven species of
Fannia
. The other
Fannia
(
scalaris
(Fabr.),
canicularis
(L.), and
leucosticta
(Meig.)) are cosmopolitan, as is
Euryomma peregrinum
(Meig.).
Two species of
Fannia
are also endemic to Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands.