The larval stage is thought to play a significant role in radiations of Diptera (Insecta), but for the Cyclorrhapha (Diptera), a well-supported and diversified clade, evaluating larval roles is hindered by low taxon sampling, unresolved morphology and presumed similarity. This paper reviews investigations of the cyclorrhaphan larval head based on wider taxon sampling and functional assessment. It examines whether misunderstandings and superficial levels of analysis may have overestimated these difficulties. Functional assessment is a technique for investigating larvae and begins the process of making larvae better known as living organisms. For instance, functional assessments of larvae in the lower Cyclorrhapha helps resolve structures including the antenna and mandible whose homology is unclear. The levels of sclerotisation, alignment and fusion of head structures can predict feeding mechanisms and help turn the enigmatic cyclorrhaphan larval head into an analysable component.

幼虫阶段被认为在双翅目（昆虫纲）的辐射中起着重要作用，但对于 Cyclorrhapha（双翅目）这种支持良好且多样化的进化枝，评估幼虫作用受到低分类单元采样、未解决的形态学和假定的相似性的阻碍。本文回顾了基于更广泛的分类单元抽样和功能评估的环拉蛱蝶幼虫头部调查。它考察了误解和肤浅的分析是否高估了这些困难。功能评估是一种研究幼虫的技术，并开始了使幼虫更好地被称为活生物体的过程。例如，下 Cyclorrhapha 幼虫的功能评估有助于解决包括触角和下颌骨在内的结构，其同源性尚不清楚。硬化水平，