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I've noticed that numerous members of the Stratiomyidae featured in the Gallery have backward pointing spines emanating from the scutellum. Is this feature diagnostic of this Family? Is the arrangement and number of spines considered by the experts to be diagnostic to Tribe or Genus level?

The reason I ask what some may consider to be an elementary question (I am after all an amateur Dipterist), is that in accounts of Stratiomyid taxonomy, I cannot recall seeing this feature being mentioned. Much is devoted towing venation and antennal structure (which of course are important diagnostic features for many taxa right across the Diptera), but I find it puzzling that a feature as easy to spot in the field as this, seems to have received no attention in the admittedly few examples of the literature I've read.

If a specialist in this clade can enlighten me, I'll be grateful. :)