Limestone-steppe-fauna

Guides

• Pherbellia

  snail-killing flies

  Pherbellia is a genus of marsh flies in the family Sciomyzidae, comprising approximately 95 species with a global distribution except the Subantarctic region. The genus is notable for its specialized malacophagous ecology: larvae are predators or parasitoids of gastropod mollusks. Species exhibit diverse host associations, targeting both terrestrial and freshwater snails across multiple families including land snails (Anguispira, Succinea), glass snails (Zonitoides), pond snails (Stagnicola), and even operculate freshwater snails (Valvata). This genus represents one of the most extensively studied groups within Sciomyzidae regarding life cycle biology.

  DipteraSciomyzidaemalacophagysnail-killing-fliesbiological-controlparasitoidpredatorgastropod-parasiteslimestone-steppe-faunafreshwater-ecologyterrestrial-ecology