Scuttle flies

Definition

Common name for adult flies of the family Phoridae (order Diptera), referring to their distinctive locomotion: rapid, jerky bursts of running rather than sustained flight. The term emphasizes a behavioral trait shared across the family, though individual species vary in ecology from saprophagy and necrophagy to parasitism and myrmecophily.

Etymology

From the verb scuttle, describing quick, hurried movement; refers to the characteristic short, darting runs of adult phorids.

Example

When disturbed, scuttle flies such as Megaselia scalaris typically fold their wings and run in rapid, erratic bursts across substrate rather than taking flight, a behavior that aids identification in the field.

Synonyms

• humpbacked flies
• coffin flies

Related Terms

• Phoridae
• Megaselia scalaris
• coffin fly
• humpbacked fly
• myrmecophile
• necrophagy

Usage Notes

Applied at family level; not all Phoridae are equally inclined to run, but the trait is family-wide enough to serve as a field character. Contrast with coffin fly, which emphasizes habitat (burial sites, corpses) rather than behavior. The humpbacked profile (from the elevated scutellum) provides a separate visual cue.