Abdomen is with five visible ventral sclerites, procoxal cavities internally open.

Necrophilinae is attracted to decaying material including carrion, rotting fungi and dung, in the vicinity of temperate forests.

Agyrtinae have a diverse variety of habits, with the genus Lyrosoma being found on cold beaches of the North Pacific rim, where they have been found feeding on kelp and dead seabirds, while Ipelates is associated with decaying logs and fungi, leaf litter, vegetation and flowers.

Pterolomatinae appears to be active predators, with Pteroloma having been found in wet and boggy habitats, especially cold mountain streams.

[2] The oldest unambiguous members of the family are from the Early Cretaceous of Asia, including Ponomarenkia from the Turga Formation and Palаeonecrophilus from the Khasurty locality, both of which are located in Buryatia in Russia, and date the Aptian stage (~125–113 million years ago).