An overview of the world fauna
The family has two sub-families, Dasiopinae which contains the single genus Dasiops and the Lonchaeinae which contains eight genera. This taxonomic structure has been relatively stable for some time. Czerny (1934) raised the genus Chaetolonchaea, Protoearomyia was added by McAlpine in 1962 and Setisquamalonchaea was added by Morge in 1963, since that time there have been no further changes at the generic level.
Dasiopinae
Dasiops Rondani, 1856
The second largest genus in the family, its named members are found most frequently in the Nearctic with about some 40 species identified to date, some 15 are known from the Palearctic with relatively few being recorded from Afirca, Asia and Australasia
Lonchaeinae
Earomyia Zetterstedt, 1842
Thirteen species are known from the Palaearctic and eight from the Nearctic; it is not presently recorded from other geographical areas.
Setisquamalonchaea Morge, 1963
At present there are only two species recognised in this genus, S. fumosa (Egger) and S. retalionis McAlpine both of which are known from the Palaearctic.
Lonchaea Fallén, 1820
The largest genus with the greatest number of species present in northern woodland zones in the Palaearctic and North America. At present there are approximately 65 species known from Europe and 72 from the Nearctic.
Protearomyia McAlpine, 1962
This genus has at present relatively few known representatives with some four species recorded from the Nearctic and only two known from Europe.
Lamprolonchaea Bezzi, 1920
This genus of brightly coloured metallic species has a mainly Oriental and Australasian distribution with two species known from Africa. There are at present 17 named species. One species L. smaragdi (Walker), has been found in the Mediterranean region and from northern Europe (Netherlands and Germany) where it occurs in association with imported fruit
Silba Macquart, 1851
This genus, with approximately 90 named species, is primarily African, Oriental and Australasian in distribution with at least one species known from South America. Two species are known from Europe, S. adipata McAlpine and S. virescens Macquart both of which occur in the Mediterranean area. The majority of rearing records are from various species of fruit but species have also been recorded from the stems of sugar cane. More detailed species information
Chaetolonchaea Czerny, 1934
Another small genus known at present only from the Nearctic and Palaearctic. Three species have been recorded from central Europe. And two from the Nearctic.
Neosilba McAlpine
This genus represents a New World counterpart to the Old World genus Silba, which is similar in appearance and ecology. Known species are mainly recorded from the Caribbean, Mexico, Colombia and Brazil and two occur in the Nearctic. Some 15 species are known and at least a further 60 unnamed species await description (McAlpine and Steyskal 1982). The larvae infest a range of fruit and vegetables either as primary invaders or perhaps more commonly as secondary invaders after attack by other dipteran groups such as Tephritidae. Not recorded from the Palaearctic apart from accidentals imported with fruit.