Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Diptera is a large order containing an estimated 1,000,000 species of mosquitoes, horseflies,
Mosquitoes (Culicidae) are vectors for malaria, dengue, West Nile virus, yellow fever, encephalitis, and other infectious diseases. Houseflies spread food-borne illnesses. Larger flies such as tsetse fly and screwworm cause significant economic harm to cattle. Well over 3,500 species of mosquitoes were found and described, and new species are about to discover. Sri Lanka is home to 131 species of mosquitoes that included to 16 genera with 17 endemic species.
Blowfly larvae, known as gentles, and other dipteran larvae, known more generally as maggots, are used as fishing bait and as food for carnivorous animals. In medical debridement, wounds are cleaned using maggots.
The exact number of species confined to the country is very difficult to note down, due to few researchers and publications of papers focusing them. Most of the cited references are from way back in 1900s, and very few are from 2010 revisions.
There are more than 1,341 dipterans found in the island, which earns fourth largest insect order found.
Astomella jardineiLasia spinosaOgcodes angustimarginatusOgcodes rufomarginatusPialea jardineiOlbiogaster fulviventrisOlbiogaster orientalisOlbiogaster zeylanicusSylvicola foveatusSylvicola maculipennisEmmesomyia kempiAstochia annulipesAstochia ceylonicusAstochia determinatusAstochia griseaAstochia tarsalisChrysopogon nodulibarbisChrysopogon nodulibarbisChrysopogon nodulibarbisClephydroneura annulatusClephydroneura apicalisClinopogon odontoferusCophinopoda chinensisDamalis felderiDamalis fulvipesDamalis infuscataDamalis kassebeeriDasophrys coetzeeiEmphysomera femorataEmphysomera nigraEuscelidia flavaEuscelidia prolataEuscelidia simplexEutolmus ohiraiHeligmoneura pulcherHeteropogon triticeusLaphystia stigmaticallisMachimus parvusMichotamia aurataMichotamia deceptusMicrostylum rufoabdominalisMicrostylum whiteiNeoitamus ceylonicusNeoitamus pulcherNeoitamus tarsalisNeomochtherus gnavusNusa yerburyiPegesimallus srilankensisPegesimallus yerburyiPhilodicus ceylanicusPhilodicus chinensisPhilodicus hospesPhilodicus meridionalisPhilodicus thoracinusPromachus ceylanicusPromachus pseudomaculatusPromachus yerburiensisSaropogon maculipennisSaropogon srilankaensisScleropogon piceusStenopogon piceusStenopogon variabilisAtherix labiateSuragina elegansSuragina labiataSuragina urumaBombylisoma resplendensDischistus resplendensEuchariomyia divesGeron argentifronsGeron binatusLitorhina larMicomitra vitripennisPetrorossia brunettiiPetrorossia ceylonicaPetrorossia intermediaPetrorossia talawilaSystoechus eupogonatusSystoechus sociusSystoechus srilankaeThyridanthrax absalonThyridanthrax keiseriPlecia mallochiPlecia rufilateraCaiusa indicaCaiusa testaceaAndrodiplosis coccidivora - monotyoic endemicArthrocnodax rutherfordiArthrocnodax walkerianaBryocrypta girafaCalopedila polyalthiaeCecidomyiidi generosiCecidomyiidi hirtaChrysodiplosis squamatipesClinodiplosis ceylonicaCoccomyza donaldiDentifibula obtusilobaeDiadiplosis coccidivoraDidactylomyia ceylanicaDiplecus inconspicuus - monotypic endemicEndaphis hirtaFeltiella acarisugaHallomyia irisLasioptera aeschynanthusperottettiLestodiplosis ceylanicaLestremia ceylanicaMisocosmus ceylanicus - monotypic endemicMycodiplosis simulacriMycodiplosis simulaeriOrseolia ceylanicaOrseolia ceylonicaPlutodiplosis maginificaPlutodiplosis magnificaPseudoperomyia parvolobataTrichoperrisia pipericola - monotypic endemicVanchidiplosis ceylanicaXylodiplosis aestivalisAlluaudomyia marginalisAlluaudomyia spinosipesAlluaudomyia xanthocomaAlluaudomyia bifurcataAlluaudomyia formosanaAlluaudomyia fuscipesAlluaudomyia maculosipennisAtrichopogon schizonyxParabezzia orientalisSiphunculina funicolaSiphunculina intonsaAxinota simulansCurtonotum ceylonenseAmblypsilopus bruneliArgyrochlamys impudicusCampsicnemus crossotibiaDiaphorus detectusDiaphorus maurusDiaphorus nigerrimusDiaphorus rostratusDiaphorus simulansDiaphorus vagansHydrophorus geminusMegistostylus longicornisMesorhaga breviapendiculataMesorhaga breviappendiculataMesorhaga mellavanaMesorhaga nigrobarbataMesorhaga nigroviridisMesorhaga obscuraMesorhaga pseudolataMesorhaga terminalisMesorhaga torquataNeurigona denudataNeurigona exemtaParaclius adligatusParaclius albimanusParaclius callosusParaclius luculentusParaclius maritimusParaclius paraguayensisParaclius trisetosusParaclius viridusPelastoneurus aequalisPelastoneurus crassinervisPelastoneurus potomacusSciapus aequalisSciapus rectusSciapus viridicollisSyntormon edwardsiUrodolichus keiseriAmiota magnaAmiota subradiataCacoxenus asiaticaColocasiomyia minorColocasiomyia nigripennisColocasiomyia zeylanicaChymomyza rufithoraxChymomyza pararufithoraxChymomyza flagellataChymomyza formosanaChymomyza brevisChymomyza cinctifronsChymomyza cirricaudaChymomyza constrictaChymomyza cyaneaCrincosia gugorumDettopsomyia formosaDettopsomyia jacobsoniDettopsomyia preciosaDettopsomyia zeylanicaDiathoneura preciosaDichaetophora cirricaudaDichaetophora constrictaDichaetophora cyaneaDichaetophora fascifronsDichaetophora nigrifronsDichaetophora paraserrataDichaetophora quadrifronsDrosophila melanogasterDrosophila chandleriHirtodrosophila chandleriHirtodrosophila seminigraHirtodrosophila trivittataHypselothyrea varanasiensisLaccodrosophila atraLeucophenga abbreviataLeucophenga acutipollinosaLeucophenga albofasciataLeucophenga angustaLeucophenga argentataLeucophenga atrinervisLeucophenga bellulaLeucophenga digmasomaLeucophenga flavicostaLeucophenga interruptaLeucophenga jacobsoniLeucophenga limbipennisLeucophenga lynettaeLeucophenga maculataLeucophenga meijereiLeucophenga nigripalpisLeucophenga nigroscutellataLeucophenga pectinataLeucophenga quadripunctataLeucophenga setipalpisLeucophenga subpollinosaLeucophenga umbratulaLiodrosophila actiniaLiodrosophila ceylonicaLiodrosophila crescensLiodrosophila globosaLiodrosophila ornataLiodrosophila variansLissocephala metallescensLordiphosa nigrostylaLordiphosa spinopeniculaMicrodrosophila bullataMicrodrosophila conicaMicrodrosophila elongataMicrodrosophila filamenteaMicrodrosophila furcataMicrodrosophila macrocteniaMicrodrosophila matsudairaiMicrodrosophila nigrispinaMicrodrosophila pleurolineataMicrodrosophila sarawakanaMicrodrosophila tectifronsMulgravea asiaticaMulgravea vittataMycodrosophila alienataMycodrosophila amabilisMycodrosophila aquaMycodrosophila ciliophoraMycodrosophila gordoniMycodrosophila gratiosaMycodrosophila parallelinervisParamycodrosophila pictulaPararhinoleucophenga mauraPhortica foliisetaPhortica xyleboriphagaPhorticella bistriataScaptodrosophila anderssoniScaptodrosophila brinckiScaptodrosophila cederholmiScaptodrosophila coniuraScaptodrosophila excavataScaptodrosophila nigrescensScaptodrosophila subminimaScaptomyza biparsScaptomyza brachycercaScaptomyza claviferaScaptomyza devexaScaptomyza elmoiScaptomyza salvadoraeSphaerogastrella javanaStegana castaneaStegana lateralisStegana nigrifronsStegana subconvergensTambourella sphaerogasterZaprionus sepsoidesZapriothrica hirtaZapriothrica nudisetaZygothrica flavociliataZygothrica fuscinaZygothrica vittinubilaHilarempis neptunusWiedemannia submarinaCeropsilopa cupreiventrisChlorichaeta orbaChlorichaeta tuberculosaDiscocerina obscurellaDryxo lispoideaHecamede graniferaHydrellia griseolaHydrellia latipalpisNotiphila dorsopunctataNotiphila indistinctaNotiphila puberulaNotiphila punctumRhynchopsilopa ceylonensisParalimna hirticornisParalimna javanaPsilopa flavimanusRhynchopsilopa ceylonensisAscodipteron emballonuraeBrachytarsina cucullataBrachytarsina modestaBrachytarsina pygialisBrachytarsina speiseriHippobosca longipennisHippobosca variegataLipoptena axisLipoptena efoveaLynchia corvinaLynchia longipalpisMyophthiria reduvioidesMyophthiria zeylanicaOrnithoctona plicataOrnithoica curvataRaymondia pagodarumAcarterus varipesDrapetis basalisDrapetis distinctaDrapetis fulvithoraxDrapetis metatarsataDrapetis nigropunctataDrapetis notatithoraxDrapetis plumicornisElaphropeza pollicataHybos apicisHybos bistosusHybos geniculatusParahybos luteicornisSyneches fuscipennisSyneches helvolusSyneches immaculatusSyneches jardineiSyneches maculithoraxSyneches peradeniyaeSyneches signatusSyneches singatusSyneches varipesBurmacrocera minuta - monotypic genusHeteropterna fenestralisIsoneuromyia annandaleiKeroplatus notaticoxaLaurypta tripunctataMacrocera fryeriOrfelia bibulaOrfelia negotiosaOrfelia saevaOrfelia ventosaPlatyceridion edax - endemic genusPlatyceridion talaroceroidesPlatyura fumipesPlatyura juxtaPlatyura lunifronsPlatyura minutaPlatyura tripunctataProceroplatus poecilopterusProceroplatus pulchripennisRutylapa juxtaSrilankana mirabilis - monotypic endemicTruplaya fumipesXenoplatyura lunifronsAntocha salikensisBaeoura pollicisBaeoura taprobanesBaeoura triquetraConosia irrorataConosia irrorata irrorataConosia minusculaEllipteroides pictilisEllipteroides rohunaEllipteroides thiasodesEpiphragma kempiEupilaria singhalicaEupilaria taprobanicaEupilaria thysanotosGymnastes kandyanusGymnastes mayaGymnastes simhalaeGymnastes violaceusGymnastes violaceus violaceusIdiocera conchiformisIdiocera persimilisOrimarga asignataOrimarga taprobanicaParadelphomyia indulcataParadelphomyia subterminalisPolymera zeylanicaPrionota serraticornisPseudolimnophila zelanicaRhabdomastix schmidianaRhipidia subtesselataStyringomyia ceylonicaStyringomyia flavaStyringomyia fryeriStyringomyia marmorataTasiocerellus kandyensis - endemic genusThrypticomyia apicalisThrypticomyia apicalis apicalisToxorhina yammaLygistorrhina asiaticaAtherigona atripalpisAtherigona bellaAtherigona confusaAtherigona exiguaAtherigona gammaAtherigona laetaAtherigona lamdaAtherigona maculigeraAtherigona naquviiAtherigona naqviiAtherigona oryzaeAtherigona pullaAtherigona punctataAtherigona reversuraAtherigona simplexCaricea tinctipennisCephalispa lataDichaetomyia acrostichalisDichaetomyia apicalisDichaetomyia curvimediaDichaetomyia handschiniDichaetomyia holoxanthaDichaetomyia keiseriDichaetomyia mancaDichaetomyia melanotelaDichaetomyia pallensDichaetomyia pallidorsisDichaetomyia seniorwhiteiDichaetomyia splendidaDichaetomyia tamilGraphomya adumbrataGraphomya atripesGraphomya rufitibiaGymnodia ascendensGymnodia distinctaHaematobia minutaHaematobosca sanguinolentaHebecnema halterataHeliographa ceylanicaHydrotaea australisHydrotaea jacobsoniLispe binotataLispe flavicornisLispe incertaLispe kowarziLispe sericipalpisLispocephala lataLispocephala tinctipennisMitroplatia albisquamaMorellia albisquamaMorellia bisetaMorellia pectinipesMorellia quadriremisMorellia sordidisquamaMusca domesticaMydaea diaphanaMydaea fuscisquamaMydaea morosaMydaea nervosaMydaea pallensMydaea splendidaMydaea tuberculifaciesMyospila argentataMyospila femorataMyospila laveisMyospila morosaMyospila ruficollisAcnemia asiaticaAllodia varicornisAneura pinguisAnomalomyia affinis - endemic genusAnomalomyia basalisAnomalomyia flavicaudaAnomalomyia guttataAnomalomyia immaculataAnomalomyia intermediaAnomalomyia minorAnomalomyia nasutaAnomalomyia obscuraAnomalomyia pictaAnomalomyia subobscuraAnomalomyia thompsoniAnomalomyia viatorisAnthracophaga sulcifronsAzana asiaticaBoraceomyia cajuensisBoraceomyia paulistensisBrevicornu callidumClastobasis fugitivaClastobasis lepidaDocosia caniripesDziedzickia basalisEpicypta bilunulataEpicypta ferrugineaEpicypta flavohirtaEpicypta nigroflavaEpicypta pectenipesEpicypta setosiventrisExechia albicinctaExechia ampullataExechia argenteofasciataExechia boracensisExechia cristataExechia cristatoidesExechia paramirastomaExechia zeylanicaExechiopsis bifidaGreenomyia fugitivaGreenomyia lepidaClastobasis fugitivaClastobasis lepidaLeia annulicornisLeia arcuataManota orientalisManota sespinaeaNeoempheria bifascipennisNeoempheria unifascipennisZygomyia valepedroAtriadops javanaCeyloniola magnifica - monotypic endemic genusHirmoneura brunneaHirmoneura coffeataBasilia amiculataBasilia eileenaeBasilia pumilaBasilia punctataCyclopodia sykesiiEucampsipoda latisternumLeptocyclopodia ferrariiPenicillidia indicaPhthiridium ceylonicumPhthiridium phillipsiHaruka elegansCeylonoxenia bugnioniCeylonoxenia butteliClitelloxenia clitellariaClitelloxenia paradeniyaePuliciphora triscleritaRhynchomicropteron puliciformeSpiniphora conspicuaCephalops magnimembrusTomosvaryella aeneiventrisTomosvaryella singalensisLindneromyia brunettiiLindneromyia cirrhoceraLindneromyia curtaLindneromyia kandyiMicrosania lankaPlatypeza brunettiiPlatypeza nepalensisPolyporivora nepalensisBrunettia albohumeralisBrunettia albonotataBrunettia atrisquamisBrunettia uzeliClogmia albipunctataPhlebotomus argentipesPhlebotomus annandaleiPhlebotomus glaucusPhlebotomus stantoniSergentomyia arborisSergentomyia insularisTelmatoscopus flavicollisTelmatoscopus proximusOdontosciara exactaCordilura lineataCordilura pudicaCordilura punctipesParallelomma banskiColobostema metarhampheColobostema occabipesPsectrosciara brunnescensRhegmoclema hirtipenneScatopse brunnescensScatopse pilosaScatopse zeylanicaParalimosina ceylanicaAcrochaeta dimidiataAdoxomyia heminoplaAllognosta annulifemurAnkylacantha keiseri - endemic genusAtherigona lamda - endemic genusAulana confirmataBeris javanaCibotogaster azureaClitellaria heminoplaGabaza albisetaHermetia sp.Microchrysa flaviventrisMicrochrysa gemmaMicrochrysa vertebrataMassicyta inflataNigritomyia ceylonicaNigritomyia maculipennisOplodontha minutaOplodontha punctifaciesOplodontha rubrithoraxOxycera whiteiProsopochrysa vitripennisPtecticus australisPtecticus cingulatusPtecticus pseudohistrioPtecticus srilankaiPtilocera fastuosaPtilocera fastuosaPtilocera smaragdiferaPtilocera smaragdinaSargus contractusSargus flaviventrisSargus gselliSargus metallinusSargus splendidusStratiomys fenestrataStratiomys minutaStrophognathus argentatus - monotypic endemic genusAllobaccha amphithoeAllobaccha fallaxAllobaccha oldroydiAllobaccha pulchrifronsAllobaccha trianguliferaAsarkina ayyariAsarkina belliAsarkina pitamaraAsarkina porcinaBetasyrphus fletcheriCalcaretropidia trianguliferaCeriana ornatifronsChrysogaster aerosaChrysogaster basalisChrysogaster hirtellaChrysogaster incisaChrysogaster insignisChrysogaster longicornisChrysogaster tarsataChrysotoxum baphyrusCitrogramma henryiDasysyrphus orsuaEpisyrphus nubilipennisEristalinus arvorumEristalinus invirgulatusEristalinus luciliaEristalinus megacephalusEristalinus multifariusEristalinus pariaEristalinus quadristriatusEumerus argentipesEumerus aurifronsEumerus coeruleifronsEumerus figuransEumerus nicobarensisEumerus singhalensisEumerus sitaGraptomyza brevirostrisGraptomyza coomaniHelophilus curvigasterMallota curvigasterMallota vilisMelanostoma scalareMeliscaeva ceylonicaMeliscaeva monticolaParagus auritusParagus rufocinctaParagus yerburiensisPipizella rufocinctaSphaerophoria indianaSphaerophoria macrogasterSyritta proximataSyritta trianguliferaTropidia bambusifoliaTropidia curculigoidesTropidia septemnervisXanthandrus ceylonicusXanthogramma eoaXylota atroparvaAtylotus agrestisCydistomyia brunneaCydistomyia ceylonicusCydistomyia minorCydistomyia philipiCydistomyia pilipennisCydistomyia tibialisDichelacera tetradeltaGastroxides aterGastroxides ornatusHybomitra minshanensisPhiloliche taprobanesPhiloliche zernyiSilviomyza picea - monotypic endemic genusSilvius ceylonicusStenotabanus sphaeriscapusUdenocera brunnea - monotypic endemic genusBactrocera cucurbitaeBactrocera dorsalisBactrocera kandiensisBactrocera nigrofemoralisBactrocera versicolorBactrocera tauBactrocera invadensBactrocera caryeaeBactrocera correctaBactrocera latifronsBactrocera verbascifoliaeBactrocera zonataBactrocera diversaBactrocera trilineataBactrocera caudataBactrocera apicofuscansBactrocera brunneolaBactrocera latifronsDacus discophorusDacus cliatusHolorusia ochripesIndotipula demarcataIndotipula palnicaIndotipula singhalicaPrionota serraticornisPselliophora henryiPselliophora laetaPselliophora laeta laetaPselliophora laeta strigidorsumPselliophora taprobanesTipulodina brunettiellaTipulodina ceylonicaTipulodina gracillimaSolva inamoenaRachicerus aterrimusRachicerus bicolorRachicerus rusticusRachicerus spissusXylophagus brunneus