The 53 valid species of Cephalosphaera are distributed among two subgenera. Nine species are currently unplaced at the subgeneric level (listed as incertae sedis above).

Cephalosphaera are often large, heavily pollinose flies, readily distinguished at the generic level in the field. The following combination of characters allow lab identification of Cephalosphaera specimens: hind margin of eye straight, ocellar bristles reduced (these characters place them within Pipunculinae); propleuron with a fan of setae (includes Collinias, Microcephalops, Pipunculus, Cephalosphaera and Cephalops), frons not swollen, face not narrowed, discal medial cell expanded medially (excludes Collinias and Microcephalops), setae on thorax restricted to two dorsocentral rows and scattered setae along margins (excludes Pipunculus) and Vein M2 present (excludes Cephalops).

  

Cephalosphaera is a well-studied genus on a world scale. The best regional keys to use to identify Cephalosphaera species are as follows: Australia – Skevington (1999), Afrotropical – De Meyer (1992), Costa Rica – Rafael and Menezes (1999), Japan – Morakote and Hirashima (1990), Nearctic - De Meyer (1989a), Neotropics – Rafael (1992), New Guinea – De Meyer (1990), and West-Palaearctic - De Meyer (1989b).

• Cephalosphaera
  • Cephalosphaera (Cephalosphaera)
  • Cephalosphaera (Neocephalosphaera)
  • Cephalosphaera amboinalis
  • Cephalosphaera baltica †
  • Cephalosphaera hikosanus
  • Cephalosphaera honshuensis
  • Cephalosphaera immodica
  • Cephalosphaera kasparjani
  • Cephalosphaera motichoorensis
  • Cephalosphaera prolata
  • Cephalosphaera redunca

De Meyer (1994) provides a phylogenetic analysis for the Cephalopsini.

Collection Sites: world map showing specimen collection locations for Cephalosphaera

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
                                                             

Specimen Records:	19
Specimens with Sequences:	10
Specimens with Barcodes:	10
Public Records:	0
Species:	8
Species With Barcodes:	6

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