An important order of insects (the two-wing flies and gnats), including many significant disease vectors such as the mosquito, tsetse fly, sandfly, and biting midge. [G. di-, two, + pteron, wing]
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Dip·tera 'dip-t(ə-)rə n pl a large order of winged or rarely wingless insects (as the housefly, mosquitoes, midges, and gnats) that have the anterior wings usu. functional and the posterior wings reduced to small club-shaped structures functioning as sensory flight stabilizers and that have a segmented larva often without a head, eyes, or legs
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n.
a large group of insects, including mosquito, gnats, midges, house flies and tsetse flies, that possess a single pair of wings. The mouthparts of many species, e.g. mosquitoes and tsetse flies, are specialized for sucking blood; these forms are important in the transmission of disease (see vector). See also fly.
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Dip·tera (dipґtər-ə) [Gr. dipteros two winged] an order of insects including the flies, gnats, and mosquitoes.Medical dictionary. 2011.