anthomyiidae
|an-tho-my-i-i-dae|
/ˌænθəˈmaɪɪdiː/
family of flies (Anthomyia-related)
Etymology
'anthomyiidae' originates from New Latin, specifically from the genus name 'Anthomyia', where the Greek elements 'anthos' meant 'flower' and 'myia' meant 'fly', combined with the zoological family suffix '-idae'.
'anthomyiidae' was formed in scientific taxonomy by adding the family-forming suffix '-idae' to the genus name 'Anthomyia' and became established as the family name in entomological literature in the 19th century.
Initially it referred to flies associated with flowers (from the genus name's sense), but over time it evolved to denote the specific taxonomic family 'Anthomyiidae', which includes species with a range of life histories (e.g., root-maggots).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a taxonomic family of true flies (order Diptera) that includes species often called anthomyiid flies or root-maggot flies; members vary in ecology, with many larvae feeding on plant tissues or decaying organic matter.
anthomyiidae includes species whose larvae are important agricultural pests, such as root-maggots.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/24 15:44