Diopsids, commonly known as stalkeyed flies, are generally distributed
throughout the Old World tropics, with 1 species found in North America.
Adults are easily identified by their characteristic eye stalks, which are
found in all taxa, although the stalk lengths vary considerably. The subfamily
Centrioncinae, an Afrotropical group consisting of taxa without eye stalks,
has recently been given family status (Feijen 1983). The family is largely
African and Madagascan in origin, but considerable speciation has evidently
taken place in the predominantly Oriental Teleopsis.
Little is known of their biology. Larvae of some African species have been
recorded as shoot borers of rice (Descamps 1957, Morgan & Abu 1973,
Scheibelreiter 1974, Feijen 1979).
Refs.: Shillito (1960, 1976, bibliogr.), Tan (1967, Cyrtodiopsis immat. biol.), Steyskal (1972a, world cat., key), Ferrar (1987, immat.),
Peterson (1987, rev. Nearctic spp.).
CYRTODIOPSIS Frey, 1928a: 70. Type species: Diopsis dalmanni Wiedemann, 1830, orig. des.
dalmanni Wiedemann, 1830a: 560 (Diopsis). Indonesia (Java);
Indonesia
(Maluku); widesp. SE Asia.
EURYDIOPSIS Frey, 1928a: 70. Type species: Diopsis subnotata Westwood, 1847, orig des.
subnotata Westwood, 1847: 37 (Diopsis). Philippines; Indonesia
(Irian
Jaya); Indonesia (Sulawesi), Laos, Malaysia (Pen), Philippines, Thailand,
Vietnam.
TELEOPSIS Rondani, 1875: 442. Type species: Diopsis sykesii Westwood, 1837, orig des.
Undetermined sp.--Indonesia (Irian Jaya).
PSEUDODIOPSIS Hendel, 1917: 33. Type species: Sphyracephala
cothurnata Bigot, 1874 [= Diopsis detrahens Walker, 1860], orig
des.
detrahens Walker, 1860a: 161 (Diopsis). Indonesia (Sulawesi);
Indonesia (Irian Jaya), PNG (Bismarck Arch, Bougainville I, PNG), Solomon
Is; China (Hainan I), Hong Kong, Laos, Malaysia, Ryukyus, Taiwan, Thailand.