They are xylophagous and are associated with dead or dying wood.

[4] For terms see Morphology of Diptera.

These flies are 4 to 14 millimeters long.

They have spurs on the mid and hind tibiae.

[7][5] These include: Xylomyidae subfamily Xylomyinae of Stratiomyidae in older works Stratiomyidae Pantophthalmidae