Family Sciomyzidae - Marsh Flies, Snail-killing Flies

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · See Also · Works Cited

Trypetoptera canadensis? - Trypetoptera canadensis - male

I believe this is a specimen of Euthycera arcuata; positive i.d. requested. - Euthycera flavescens

I'm at a loss for the identification of this insect. Any help would be appreciated - Dictya

marsh fly with lots of little white dots on wings - Euthycera

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon ("Acalyptratae")

Superfamily Sciomyzoidea

Family Sciomyzidae (Marsh Flies, Snail-killing Flies)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

northeastern fauna reviewed in (1)

Explanation of Names

Sciomyzidae Fallén 1820

Numbers

almost 200 spp. in >20 genera in our area(2), all in the nominate subfamily; ~540 spp. in 62 genera total(3)

Size

5-10 mm

Identification

body yellowish, brownish, or grayish; antennae extend forward noticeably, a distinctive feature; wings often spotted or otherwise marked

northeastern spp., in (1); CA spp., in (4); Indiana spp., in (3)

Range

throughout NA and the world

Habitat

adults around marshes, lakes, ponds, or wooded areas; larvae are aquatic

Food

larvae parasitize or prey on freshwater or terrestrial snails(5)

See Also

Dryomyzidae are similar but have a well-developed clypeus

Works Cited

1.	Sciomyzidae of northeastern North America Schorno S., Marshall S.A., Murphy W.L., Muzzatti M. 2019. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification 35: 1-331.

2.	Nearctic Diptera (Discover Life's IDnature guide)

3.	Comprehensive taxonomic, faunistic, biological, and biogeographic inventory and analysis of the snail-killing flies...of Indiana Murphy, William L. 2021. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science, Vol. 129 (2), p143-265. 123p. .

4.	The marsh flies of California: (Diptera, Sciomyzidae) Fisher T.W., Orth R.E. 1983. Bull. Cal. Insect Survey 24, vii+117 pp.

5.	American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.

Contributed by Richard Leung on 8 October, 2004 - 7:16pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Bbarnd, Aaron Schusteff, ceiseman, v belov
Last updated 23 May, 2023 - 8:51pm

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