Hangingfly
Bittacidae is a family of scorpionflies commonly called hangingflies or hanging scorpionflies.
The genus Bittacus, comprising approximately 75% of all species within the family, occurs worldwide. Other genera are mostly confined to South America or Australia. Members of this family may be confused with crane flies, in the order Diptera, but can be distinguished by their two pairs of wings and lack of halteres.
They are distinguished in the fact that during mating the male captures a prey insect and offers it to the female as a nuptial gift. The larger the prey item is, the more receptive the female will be to mating.
Genera
This list is based on The World Checklist of extant Mecoptera Species. Presumably complete up to 1997, it is updated as needed. The number of species in each genus are in parentheses. A number of extinct genera have been described from the fossil record.Anabittacus Kimmins, 1929 Anomalobittacus Kimmins, 1928 Apterobittacus MacLachlan, 1893 Austrobittacus Riek, 1954 Bittacus Latreille, 1805 Edriobittacus Byers, 1974 Harpobittacus Gerstaecker, 1885 Hylobittacus Byers, 1979 Issikiella Byers, 1972 Kalobittacus Esben-Petersen, 1914 Nannobittacus Esben-Petersen, 1927 Neobittacus Esben-Petersen, 1914 Orobittacus Villegas & Byers, 1982 Pazius Navás, 1913 Symbittacus Byers, 1986 Tytthobittacus Smithers, 1973Extinct genera
- †Antiquanabittacus Petrulevicius and Jarzembowski 2004 Weald Clay, United Kingdom, Early Cretaceous
- †Archebittacus Riek, 1955
- †Asiobittacus Novokshonov 1993 Sagul Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Early Jurassic
- †Baissobittacus Novokshonov 1997 Zaza Formation, Russia, Early Cretaceous
- †Burmobittacus Zhao et al. 2016 Burmese amber, Myanmar, mid Cretaceous
- †Composibittacus Liu et al. 2016 Daohugou, China, Middle Jurassic
- †Cretobittacus Novokshonov 1993 Zaza Formation, Russia, Aptian
- †Decoribittacus Li and Ren 2009 Daohugou, China, Callovian
- †Exilibittacus Yang et al. 2012 Daohugou, China, Callovian
- †Formosibittacus Li, Ren & Shih, 2008 Daohugou, China, Callovian
- †Haplobittacus
- †Jurahylobittacus Li, Ren & Shih, 2008 Daohugou, China, Callovian
- †Karattacus Novokshonov 1997 Daohugou, China, Callovian Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic
- †Liaobittacus Ren 1993 Haifanggou Formation, China, Callovian
- †Mesobittacus Handlirsch 1939 Posidonia Shale, "Green Series", Germany, Toarcian, Itat Formation, Russia, Middle Jurassic
- †Mongolbittacus Petrulevicius, Huang & Ren, 2007 Daohugou, China, Callovian
- †Neorthophlebia Handlirsch 1906 Dzhil Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Early Jurassic Posidonia Shale, "Green Series", Germany, Sulyukta Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Toarcian, Tugnuy Formation, Russia, Upper Jurassic, Tuodian Formation, China, Late Jurassic
- †Orobittacus Villegas and Byers 1981 Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic, Sharteg, Mongolia, Late Jurassic
- †Orthobittacus Willmann 1989 Kyzyl-Kiya, Kyrgyzstan, Early Jurassic, Daohugou, China, Callovian, Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic
- †Palaeobittacus Carpenter 1928 Green River Formation, Colorado, Eocene
- †Parabittacus Handlirsch 1939 Posidonia Shale, "Green Series", Germany, Toarcian
- †Pleobittacus Bode 1953 Posidonia Shale, Germany, Toarcian
- †Plesiobittacus Novokshonov 1997 Sagul Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Toarcian
- †Preanabittacus Novokshonov 1993 Daohugou, China, Callovian Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic
- †Probittacus Martynov 1927 Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic
- †Prohylobittacus Novokshonov 1993 Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic
- †Scharabittacus Novokshonov 1993 Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic Sharteg, Mongolia, Tithonian
- †Sibirobittacus Sukacheva 1990 Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Late Jurassic Glushkovo Formation, Russia, Tithonian, Yixian Formation, China, Aptian