**17. Evolution and paleontology**

Dipteran insects are endopterygotes that go through an essential metamorphosis. The ownership of a single pair of complete wings differentiates maximum of true flies from other insects having the word 'fly' in their names (whiteflies, scorpionflies, hangingflies, caddisflies and butterflies). They belong to the Mecopterida, alongside the Mecoptera. On the other hand, some true flies such as louse flies (Hippoboscidae) have been converted to secondarily wingless. The earliest fly fossils found so far are from the Triassic period [geologic period and system which spans 50.6 million years from the end of the Permian period 251.9 million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic period 201.3 (Mya)], about 240 million years ago. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that flies originated in the Permian period [geologic period and system, which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous period 298.9 million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Triassic period 251.902 (Mya)], about 260 million years ago. Diptera belongs to panorpoid complex that consists of Trichoptera (caddisflies), Mecoptera (scorpionflies), Siphonaptera (fleas), Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and Diptera (true flies). The whole are thought to have grown as of an ancestor, which existed in moss, and four-winged insects that look like crane flies and have been well-maintained as fossils in Permian deposits, rocks set down between 299 million and 251 million years before. Strata of the Lower Jurassic System (from about 201 million to 174 million years back) comprise several true midges. Initial Brachycera initiated to be visible in the Mesozoic Era (about 252 million–66 million years past). Cyclorrhapha seemed in the Cretaceous period (145 million–66 million years back). By the finish of the Eocene Epoch, certain 34 million years before, maximum new families of flies have been developed. Flies in copal and amber dated to the Oligocene Epoch (about 34 million–23 million years past) are related to living genera.

A determined phylogeny for flies delivers a background for developmental, genomic and evolutionary homework by facilitating assessments across model organisms. Up till now, recent research has advocated that fly relations have been out of sight by manifold episodes of fast diversification. A phylogenomic estimate of fly relations based on morphology and molecules has been delivered from 149 of 157 families, comprising 30 kb from complete mitochondrial genomes and 14 nuclear

loci pooled with 371 morphological characters. Manifold studies display support for traditional groups (Brachycera, Cyclorrhapha and Schizophora) and verify contentious discoveries, for instance, the anomalous Deuterophlebiidae as the sister cluster to entire remaining Diptera. Conclusions disclose that the closest lineages of the Drosophilidae are much adjusted parasites (including the wingless Braulidae) of bees and other insects. Moreover, micro-RNAs have been used to decide a node with suggestions for evolution of embryonic development in Diptera. It has been confirmed that flies practiced three episodes of quick radiation of lower Diptera (220 Mya), lower Brachycera (180 Mya) and Schizophora (65 Mya), and a number of life history changeovers to phytophagy, hematophagy and parasitism in the history of fly evolution above 260 million years [101].

to rest or breed, and by not visiting risky places during peak biting hours could be an effective way to reduce their exposure to biting insects and the transmission of

*Typical Flies: Natural History, Lifestyle and Diversity of Diptera*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.91391*

National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad,

© 2020 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,

\*Address all correspondence to: drmsarwar64@gmail.com

provided the original work is properly cited.

diseases.

**Author details**

Pakistan

**43**

Muhammad Sarwar

### **18. Conclusion**

Flies are one of four super radiations of insects (along with beetles, wasps and moths) that account for the majority of animals life on earth. This is one of the largest insect orders in the world and includes many familiar insects such as mosquitoes, midges, sand flies, house flies and blow flies. This handsome book chapter definitive works on creatures of the order Diptera, by combining scholarly thoroughness and new perspective on descriptions, diversity, life histories, behavior, classifying and identifying, interactions with plants and animals, origins and distribution, transmitting diseases, pollinating plants, disposing of dung and carrion, natural life, and gives advice on how to control them as well as a detailed global overview of fly families and subfamilies on the planet. Diptera can be distinguished by the features like one pair of membranous wings, hind wings are reduced to small club like structures called halteres used as stabilizers during flight, sucking mouthparts, large compound eyes and short simple antennae, frilled or bushy in mosquitoes and crane flies. Flies mate while flying, eggs are usually laid on an appropriate food source, larvae complete development where these are laid and pupate in the substrate, which may be soil, plant tissue or animal tissue, organic matter and water. Owing to sucking and piercing mouthparts, adult flies are able to only ingest liquid foods, mostly digestion is to some extent external and salivary secretions are presented to liquefy diet and then softened product is consumed up. Some march flies and mosquitoes with their proboscis, pierce skin of prey and then suck up blood. Larvae of these insects order generally feed on decomposing moist food things such as fungi, carrion, rotting vegetable matter and dung, while some are parasites or predators of other animals. Partakers of this order have the greatest diversity of species and are found in almost all types of terrestrial and freshwater habitats. Diptera includes species known for their ubiquity (*M. domestica* house fly), their role as pests (*Anopheles gambiae* Giles malaria mosquito) and their value as model organisms across the biological sciences (*Drosophila melanogaster* Meigen). Many species of Diptera are important due to the role they play in disease transmission; such as biting midge (no-see-ums, sand flies) attacks in areas of low light without wind; gnats attack at hairline and are active during moist times (early spring); black fly bites during day near streams, is attracted to dark moving objects) and disease vector for onchocerciasis; horse fly, deer fly or gad fly bite on warm, cloudy days; sand fly (small, moth-like insect) bites at night in damp areas and is disease vector for leishmaniasis; snipe fly bites during daytime and is risk of severe allergic reaction; stable fly bites during daytime (especially during thunder storms); and tsetse fly bites during daytime even through clothing and is disease vector for African trypanosomiasis. In practice, protection of communities and animals is sometimes possible by avoiding places where mosquitos and biting flies are known

*Typical Flies: Natural History, Lifestyle and Diversity of Diptera DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.91391*

loci pooled with 371 morphological characters. Manifold studies display support for traditional groups (Brachycera, Cyclorrhapha and Schizophora) and verify contentious discoveries, for instance, the anomalous Deuterophlebiidae as the sister cluster to entire remaining Diptera. Conclusions disclose that the closest lineages of the Drosophilidae are much adjusted parasites (including the wingless Braulidae) of bees and other insects. Moreover, micro-RNAs have been used to decide a node with suggestions for evolution of embryonic development in Diptera. It has been confirmed that flies practiced three episodes of quick radiation of lower Diptera (220 Mya), lower Brachycera (180 Mya) and Schizophora (65 Mya), and a number of life history changeovers to phytophagy, hematophagy and parasitism in the

Flies are one of four super radiations of insects (along with beetles, wasps and moths) that account for the majority of animals life on earth. This is one of the largest insect orders in the world and includes many familiar insects such as mosquitoes, midges, sand flies, house flies and blow flies. This handsome book chapter definitive works on creatures of the order Diptera, by combining scholarly thoroughness and new perspective on descriptions, diversity, life histories, behavior, classifying and identifying, interactions with plants and animals, origins and distribution, transmitting diseases, pollinating plants, disposing of dung and carrion, natural life, and gives advice on how to control them as well as a detailed global overview of fly families and subfamilies on the planet. Diptera can be distinguished by the features like one pair of membranous wings, hind wings are reduced to small club like structures called halteres used as stabilizers during flight, sucking mouthparts, large compound eyes and short simple antennae, frilled or bushy in mosquitoes and crane flies. Flies mate while flying, eggs are usually laid on an appropriate food source, larvae complete development where these are laid and pupate in the substrate, which may be soil, plant tissue or animal tissue, organic matter and water. Owing to sucking and piercing mouthparts, adult flies are able to only ingest liquid foods, mostly digestion is to some extent external and salivary secretions are presented to liquefy diet and then softened product is consumed up. Some march flies and mosquitoes with their proboscis, pierce skin of prey and then suck up blood. Larvae of these insects order generally feed on decomposing moist food things such as fungi, carrion, rotting vegetable matter and dung, while some are parasites or predators of other animals. Partakers of this order have the greatest diversity of species and are found in almost all types of terrestrial and freshwater habitats. Diptera includes species known for their ubiquity (*M. domestica* house fly), their role as pests (*Anopheles gambiae* Giles malaria mosquito) and their value as model organisms across the biological sciences (*Drosophila melanogaster* Meigen). Many species of Diptera are important due to the role they play in disease transmission; such as biting midge (no-see-ums, sand flies) attacks in areas of low light without wind; gnats attack at hairline and are active during moist times (early spring); black fly bites during day near streams, is attracted to dark moving objects) and disease vector for onchocerciasis; horse fly, deer fly or gad fly bite on warm, cloudy days; sand fly (small, moth-like insect) bites at night in damp areas and is disease vector for leishmaniasis; snipe fly bites during daytime and is risk of severe allergic reaction; stable fly bites during daytime (especially during thunder storms); and tsetse fly bites during daytime even through clothing and is disease vector for African trypanosomiasis. In practice, protection of communities and animals is sometimes possible by avoiding places where mosquitos and biting flies are known

history of fly evolution above 260 million years [101].

**18. Conclusion**

*Life Cycle and Development of Diptera*

**42**

to rest or breed, and by not visiting risky places during peak biting hours could be an effective way to reduce their exposure to biting insects and the transmission of diseases.
