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Family Phoridae - Scuttle Flies
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon (Aschiza)
Family Phoridae (Scuttle Flies)
Other Common Names Humpbacked Flies
Coffin Flies Explanation of Names SCUTTLE FLIES: refers to their habit of running quickly in short bursts, followed by short pauses
COFFIN FLIES: larvae can be a pest in mausoleums, entering coffins and feeding on the bodies inside Numbers 376 described species in 50 genera in North America ( nearctica.com); half of these species are in one genus, Megaselia
about 3,000 described species worldwide, and probably ten times that number undescribed Size adult length 1-7 mm; many are in the 2-4 mm range
larvae to 4 mm Identification tiny black, brown, or yellowish flies with a humped back, a low small head, and dark eyes; costal vein extends only about halfway along anterior wing margin; two strong longitudinal veins anteriorly (in costal area), and 4-5 weak veins posteriorly, not connected by cross-veins; hind femora enlarged and flattened, and hind legs long; antennae appear 1-segmented Habitat larvae live in a variety of habitats: moist decaying plant or animal material, sanitation filter beds, sludge in sewer pipes and trash cans in public washrooms and homes, lab cultures of Drosophila, fresh or fermenting fruit, tanks of pitcherplants, nests of termites and ants, and sometimes in external wounds or in the digestive tract of animals, including humans Season year-round indoors Food larvae of most species are scavengers on decaying organic material; some species are parasites of other insects, tarantulas and other spiders, millipedes, and snails Life Cycle A female is capable of laying 20 eggs at a time and about 500 in her lifetime. Eggs are laid near suitable host material and larvae hatch in 24 hours. The larvae feed for 8 to 16 days and then crawl to a drier spot to pupate. The life cycle can be completed in 14 days under ideal conditions, but it can take a long as 37 days.
[text by Louisiana State U.] See Also "fruit flies" such as Drosophila are similar in body size (see comparison photos of D. melanogaster and Megaselia scalaris on page 4 of this PDF doc) but have a larger head and bright red eyes in life and crossveins in their wings. Internet References pinned adult images of undetermined Megaselia species (Insects of Cedar Creek, Minnesota)
close-up images of undetermined adult Megaselia species (Alan Hadley, micropics.org, UK)
Questions and Answers on phorid flies (Brian Brown, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, phorid.net)
overview of habits and biology and common name reference [Scuttle Flies] (Alan Christensen, U. of Nebraska)
aquatic phoridae description, biology, and common name reference [Humpbacked Flies] (Ethan Bright, U. of Michigan)
origin of the name Coffin Flies (Australian Museum, deathonline.net)
general overview of habits, description, biology, and control (Louisiana State U.)
account of myiasis [invasion of living tissue by dipteran larvae] by Megaselia scalaris in wounds of hospital patient (P.R. Hira et al, Kuwait U., Kuwait, courtesy of US National Institutes of Health)
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