Calliphora terraenovae

Macquart, 1851

New World blue bottle fly

Calliphora terraenovae is a of blow fly in the Calliphoridae, commonly known as the New World blue bottle fly. It is native to North America and serves as an important decomposer in investigations. The species is closely related to other blue bottle flies in the Calliphora, including the widespread Palearctic species C. vicina, with which it shares ecological and morphological similarities.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Calliphora terraenovae: /ˌkælɪˈfɔːrə ˌtɛrɑːˈnoʊviː/

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Distribution

Native to North America. The specific epithet "terraenovae" (Latin for "new land") reflects its New World distribution, distinguishing it from related Palearctic .

Human Relevance

Important to as a decomposer that colonizes corpses. Like other blow flies in the Calliphora, are attracted to and lay on carrion, making their presence valuable for estimating post-mortem intervals in criminal investigations.

Similar Taxa

  • Calliphora vicinaClosely related Palearctic blue bottle fly with similar and . The two can be difficult to distinguish without careful examination, though they occupy different geographic ranges.
  • Calliphora vomitoriaAnother blue bottle fly with similar and general appearance. C. terraenovae can be distinguished by its New World distribution and subtle morphological differences in thoracic and abdominal coloration.

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