Organisms

Diptera

An order of the class Insecta. Wings, when present, number two and distinguish Diptera from other so-called flies, while the halteres, or reduced hindwings, separate Diptera from other insects with one pair of wings. The order includes the families Calliphoridae, Oestridae, Phoridae, SARCOPHAGIDAE, Scatophagidae, Sciaridae, SIMULIIDAE, Tabanidae, Therevidae, Trypetidae, CERATOPOGONIDAE; CHIRONOMIDAE; CULICIDAE; DROSOPHILIDAE; GLOSSINIDAE; MUSCIDAE; TEPHRITIDAE; and PSYCHODIDAE. The larval form of Diptera species are called maggots (see LARVA).

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

An order of the class Insecta. Wings, when present, number two and distinguish Diptera from other so-called flies, while the halteres, or reduced hindwings, separate Diptera from other insects with one pair of wings. The order includes the families Calliphoridae, Oestridae, Phoridae, SARCOPHAGIDAE, Scatophagidae, Sciaridae, SIMULIIDAE, Tabanidae, Therevidae, Trypetidae, CERATOPOGONIDAE; CHIRONOMIDAE; CULICIDAE; DROSOPHILIDAE; GLOSSINIDAE; MUSCIDAE; TEPHRITIDAE; and PSYCHODIDAE. The larval form of Diptera species are called maggots (see LARVA).

MeSH Record

Classification

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

7 entry terms
  • Flies
  • Flies, True
  • Dipteras
  • Fly
  • Fly, True
  • True Flies
  • True Fly

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

18 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings anatomy & histology, chemistry, classification, cytology, drug effects, embryology, enzymology, genetics, growth & development, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, parasitology, pathogenicity, physiology, radiation effects, ultrastructure, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

for killing Diptera with insecticides, see note at INSECTICIDES; DRAGONFLIES & DAMSELFLIES see ODONATA , MAYFLIES see EPHEMEROPTERA & FIREFLIES are also available; index caddisfly & stonefly under INSECTS; index sawfly & ichneumon fly under HYMENOPTERA; infestation by fly maggots = MYIASIS

MeSH Record

History Note

81, 63-74; FLIES was heading 1975-80; was see under DIPTERA 1963-74; was see under INSECTS 1974-2017

MeSH Hierarchy

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AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Diptera. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D004175. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D004175
  2. Diptera. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fly
  3. Diptera. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25312