Coelopidae

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Coelopidae (kelp flies, seaweed flies; order Diptera, suborder Cyclorrapha) Small family of true flies which are often hairy or bristly, and somewhat flattened. The antennae are often held in hollows, and the post-vertical bristles are convergent. The legs may be bristly, or woolly with pre-apical bristles. These flies are usually associated with the seashore, as their larvae feed on rotting seaweed on the strand-line. Some species make short mass migrations, and may also be attracted to aromatic chemicals. Only 48 species have been described.

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