aerobisena

Aerobisena is a genus of extinct flies in the order Diptera, known from fossil remains dating to the mid- to late Eocene. Fossils have been found in Europe and North America, suggesting a broad temperate distribution during that period.

The name combines the Greek aero- 'air' with bios 'life', reflecting its aerial lifestyle.

Specimens are small to medium-sized, with slender bodies and wings that are longer than the body. Adults show typical dipteran features such as well-developed halteres, and a wing venation pattern that indicates agile flight. Body length is commonly about 5–8 mm.

The paleoenvironments inferred from associated flora and other fauna point to temperate forests with intermittent wetlands. Adults were probably nectar- or sap-feeders; larval ecology remains unknown due to the rarity of well-preserved larvae.

Taxonomically, Aerobisena is placed in Diptera, with tentative affinities to early Empidoidea, though exact relationships are debated. The scarcity of specimens limits resolution of its phylogeny.

The genus currently includes two described species: Aerobisena alta and Aerobisena borealis.

Discovery and significance: The genus was first described in the early 1990s from Baltic amber fossils; subsequent discoveries expanded its geographic range. Aerobisena provides insights into early wing evolution among brachyceran flies and the diversity of Paleogene forests.

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