Family: Platystomatidae (platystomatid flies)

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Phylum: Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata > Panhexapoda > Hexapoda > Insecta (insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota > Metapterygota > Neoptera > Eumetabola > Holometabola > Panorpida > Antliophora > Diptera (flies) > Brachycera > Muscomorpha > Eremoneura > Cyclorrapha > Schizophora > Tephritoidea

Bromophila caffra, Satara Camp, Kruger National Park. A distinctive, large fly often found in aggregations. [photo Hamish Robertson]

Platystomatids vary greatly in size and shape and mainly occur in tropical and subtropical regions. Larvae feed in decaying organic matter. A total of 38 species have been recorded from South Africa (SA Animal Checklist).