Lesser Dung Flies

Sphaeroceridae

Classification

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Sphaeroceridae: /sfɪəˌrɒsəˈraɪdiː/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Coproica.ferruginata2.-.lindsey by James K. Lindsey. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.
Sphaerocera curvipes (Sphaeroceridae) - (female imago), Nijmegen, the Netherlands - 2 by This image is created by user B. Schoenmakers at Waarneming.nl, a source of nature observations in the Netherlands. . Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.
Sphaerocera curvipes (Sphaeroceridae) - (female imago), Nijmegen, the Netherlands by This image is created by user B. Schoenmakers at Waarneming.nl, a source of nature observations in the Netherlands. . Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.
Sphaerocera curvipes Latreille 1805 ♀ adult by Elena Regina. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
Sphaerocera curvipes Latreille, 1805 by Stho002. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
Sphaeocera curvipes as S. subsultans (Francis Walker Insecta Britanica Vol 2 page 321 plate XIV) by Walker, F. 1851-1856. Insecta Britannica: Diptera, Vols. 2. Plate XIV, p. 321. Lovell Reeve, London.. Used under a Public domain license.

Summary

Sphaeroceridae, commonly known as lesser dung flies, are a family of small flies associated with decaying organic matter. They play a vital role in the nutrient cycle but are often unnoticed despite their abundance.

Physical Characteristics

Small to minute, usually dull-colored flies with characteristically thickened first tarsomere of the posterior leg. The first tarsal segment is less than 1.5 times as long as the second tarsal segment and dilated. The crossvein separating the second basal and discal cells is missing. Veins four and five often fade apically.

Identification Tips

Look for small flies with black wings and interrupted costa, and the characteristic thickened first tarsomere of the posterior leg.

Habitat

Associated with all kinds of sufficiently moist decaying organic matter, including manure, decaying plants, fungi, and seaweed.

Distribution

Worldwide except in regions with permanent ice-cover; ca. 280 species in 30 genera known north of Mexico as of 2000; worldwide approximately 1,600 species in about 140 genera.

Diet

Larvae feed on manure, decaying matter, seaweed, or fungi.

Life Cycle

Details about the life cycle are poorly known, but larvae are microbial grazers found in decomposing organic materials.

Reproduction

Some species are known to be parthenogenetic; details on reproduction are limited.

Predators

Sphaerocerids are prey for mites and beetles, which also feed on the immatures of muscoid flies, helping control problematic muscoid populations.

Ecosystem Role

Part of the nutrient cycle, associated with decaying organic matter; they are important components of the carrion-insect community.

Economic Impact

Little is known about their economic impact, but some species indicate poor hygiene and waste accumulation in food-processing plants.

Cultural Significance

They may act as indicators of blocked drains and waste accumulation in various environments; some species are involved in forensic entomology.

Health Concerns

They may carry pathogenic microorganisms and can present a public health hazard in certain conditions; some species have been implicated in human intestinal myiasis.

Collecting Methods

  • Pan traps
  • Light traps

Preservation Methods

  • Ethanol preservation
  • Pinned specimens

Evolution

Sphaeroceridae is part of the order Diptera, section Schizophora, and are closely related to Heleomyzidae within the superfamily Sphaeroceroidea.

Similar Taxa

Misconceptions

Few, if any, other insects are as common or as rarely noticed as sphaerocerids, leading to a lack of awareness of their ecological role.

Tags

  • Lesser Dung Flies
  • Sphaeroceridae
  • Diptera
  • Ecology