Nobody Flies are an enigmatic family of rarely seen or collected minute flies (0.8-2.5mm). The type genus Nemo (Latin for ‘nobody’), and all 6 current Australian species, were first described by McAlpine in 1983. The adults appear to prefer smooth substrates, such as broad leaves and smooth barked tree trunks, and have been observed walking about in disjointed zig-zag fashion while maintaining a particular orientation, not unlike Upside Down Flies (Neurochaetidae) except the orientation is not restricted to ‘upside down’. The fact the flies are rarely encountered and manage to avoid targeted collection suggests not only very short activity periods but perhaps also restricted or inconsistent localities. Neminidae larva are completely unknown. The family extends to Papua New Guinea, Madagascar and southern Africa.
References
Barraclough, D. A. 1999. The Southern African species of Neminidae (Diptera: Schizophora). Annals of the Natal Museum 40: 31-45.
Marshall, S. A. 2012. Flies – The Natural History and Diversity of Diptera. Firefly Books Ltd.
McAlpine, D. K. 1983. A new subfamily of Aulacigastridae (Diptera: Schizophora), with a discussion of aulacigastrid classification. Australian Journal of Zoology 31: 55-78.