The order Diptera, known as true flies, includes insects with a single pair of wings and distinctive halteres, which provide balance during flight. Dipterans exhibit a wide range of mouthparts adapted for sucking, piercing, or lapping, and they play crucial roles in ecosystems as pollinators, decomposers, and pests. With over 150,000 species, Diptera are found worldwide and include familiar insects such as houseflies, mosquitoes, and fruit flies.