Marsh-flies
Guides
Anticheta
Anticheta is a genus of marsh flies in the family Sciomyzidae, commonly known as snail-killing flies. The genus comprises 15 described species divided into two subgenera: Anticheta (14 species) and Paranticheta (1 species). Species within this genus are associated with moist habitats and share the family-wide trait of predation on gastropods. The genus was established by Haliday in 1839 and has a primarily Holarctic distribution.
Elgiva solicita
Elgiva solicita is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, distributed across the Palearctic region from Western Europe to Eastern Asia. Adults are medium-sized flies, 6.5–8 mm in length, with distinctive reddish coloration and characteristic markings on the head and abdomen. The species is known from a broad geographic range including most of Europe, North Africa, and extending into Russia and the Eastern Palearctic.
Euthycera
Euthycera is a genus of marsh flies in the family Sciomyzidae, commonly known as snail-killing flies. The genus contains approximately 30 described species distributed primarily across the Palearctic region. Members of this genus are predators or parasitoids of freshwater snails and slugs, making them significant biological control agents. The genus was established by Latreille in 1829 and is classified within the tribe Tetanocerini.
Hoplodictya
marsh flies
Hoplodictya is a genus of marsh flies (family Sciomyzidae) established by Cresson in 1920. The genus contains five described species distributed across North and South America. As members of Sciomyzidae, these flies are associated with wetland and marsh habitats. The genus is placed in the tribe Tetanocerini, a group characterized by predatory or parasitoid larvae that develop in mollusk hosts.
Pherbellia nana
Pherbellia nana is a minute species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, measuring approximately 3 mm in length. It is distributed across the Palearctic region, with confirmed records from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The species has been included in molecular barcode studies to help clarify phylogenetic relationships within the genus.
Renocera johnsoni
Renocera johnsoni is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, described by Cresson in 1920. It belongs to the genus Renocera, a group of dipterans commonly known as snail-killing flies due to the predatory or parasitic habits of their larvae on molluscs. The species is currently accepted in taxonomic databases, though some sources list it as a synonym. Very little specific information is documented about this particular species beyond its taxonomic placement.
Sciomyza
snail-killing flies
Sciomyza is a genus of marsh flies (Sciomyzidae) whose larvae are specialized predators or parasitoids of freshwater snails. Adults inhabit moist environments near gastropod populations. The genus includes seven described species distributed across northern Europe and North America.
Sciomyzidae
Marsh Flies, Snail-killing Flies
Sciomyzidae is a family of acalyptrate flies in the order Diptera, commonly known as marsh flies or snail-killing flies. The family contains 543 extant species in 63 genera with worldwide distribution, though poorly represented in the Australasian and Oceanian realms. Adults are small to medium-sized flies (2–14 mm) typically found in wet habitats. The larvae are predominantly predators or parasites of freshwater and terrestrial mollusks, particularly snails and slugs, making this family notable for its specialized feeding biology.
Sciomyzoidea
Kelp, Marsh, Thick-headed Flies and Allies
Sciomyzoidea is a superfamily of acalyptrate flies (Diptera: Acalyptratae) comprising at least 11 families, including the well-known Sciomyzidae (snail-killing or marsh flies), Sepsidae (scavenger flies), and Coelopidae (seaweed flies). The superfamily exhibits diverse ecological specializations, with some families associated with marine or coastal habitats and others with freshwater or terrestrial environments. The family Sciomyzidae is particularly notable for its larval predation and parasitism on gastropods.
Sepedomerus
marsh flies
Sepedomerus is a genus of marsh flies in the family Sciomyzidae, established by Steyskal in 1973. The genus contains at least four described species distributed across multiple continents. One species, S. macropus, has been documented as a predator of liver fluke snails, indicating a role in biological control of trematode parasites. Members of this genus are part of the diverse Tetanocerini tribe within the marsh fly family.
Sepedon
Snail-killing Flies
Sepedon is a genus of marsh flies in the family Sciomyzidae, commonly known as snail-killing flies. The genus contains approximately 70 described species distributed across multiple subgenera. All species share a distinctive life history: larvae are obligate predators or parasitoids of aquatic pulmonate snails. Adults are slender, elongate flies found in association with freshwater habitats. Several species have been investigated as potential biological control agents for snails that serve as intermediate hosts of schistosomes and other trematode parasites.
Tetanocera
marsh flies, snail-killing flies, slug-killing flies
Tetanocera is a genus of marsh flies (family Sciomyzidae) comprising at least 50 described species distributed across temperate regions. Larvae exhibit diverse ecological strategies: some are aquatic predators of snails, others are terrestrial predators of slugs, and some species show transitional life histories with parasitoid early instars becoming free-living predators in later instars. The genus has undergone at least three independent transitions from aquatic to terrestrial habitats, with associated parallel evolution in larval morphology. Several species, particularly T. elata, have been investigated as potential biological control agents for agricultural pest molluscs.
Trypetoptera
marsh flies
Trypetoptera is a genus of marsh flies within the family Sciomyzidae, established by Hendel in 1900. The genus contains at least two described species: T. punctulata and T. canadensis. Members of this genus are part of the diverse assemblage of snail-killing flies, a group characterized by their ecological association with molluscan hosts. The genus is distributed across parts of Europe and North America.