Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 01-09-2006 14:48
#4
Kahis wrote:
A quick count of Geller-Grimms list (http://www.geller-grimm.de/famil.htm) gives
Nematocera: 40 familes
Brachycera 'Orthorrhapha': 30 families
Brachycera 'Cyclorrhapha': 103 families
Total: 173
Counted by hand so the number is probably off by a few. And some family divisions are not universally accepted. Since families are a 100% artificial classification scheme there will probably never be a official number of families.
Agree totally! Of course, the number will be always different. New classifications, new specimens, new reclassifications, corrections, etc etc will give us different numbers and never a fix one. The only natural taxon is perhaps specie. :)
It is just to have an idea of familes known by approximity. ;)
But for spiders, there is more consense than for dipters. :)
Thank you!