CanFlyet: Habitat Zone and Diet Trait Dataset for Diptera Species of Canada and Greenland

Abstract

True flies (Diptera) are an ecologically important group that play a role in agriculture, public health and ecosystem functioning. As researchers continue to investigate this order, it is beneficial to link the growing occurrence data to biological traits. However, large-scale ecological trait data are not readily available for fly species. While some databases and datasets include fly data, many ecologically relevant traits for taxa of interest are not included. In this study we create a dataset containing ecological traits (habitat and diet) for fly species of Canada and Greenland having occurrence records on the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD). We present a dataset containing trait information for 983 Diptera species. Diptera were chosen for the dataset based on the occurrence records available for Diptera species from Canada and Greenland on the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD). Trait data were then compiled based on literature searches conducted from April 2021 - January 2023 and assigned at the lowest taxonomic level possible. Three biological traits were included: habitat, larval diet, and adult diet. The dataset contains traits for 983 species across 380 genera, 25 subfamilies, and 61 families. This dataset allows for assignment of traits to occurrence data for Diptera species and can be used for further research into the ecology, evolution, and conservation of this order.