Phorid-fly
Guides
Apocephalus coquilletti
scuttle fly
Apocephalus coquilletti is a species of scuttle fly in the family Phoridae, first described by Malloch in 1912. The genus Apocephalus is notable for its parasitic species that attack ants, with A. coquilletti specifically documented attacking ants of the genus Camponotus. Like other phorid flies, adults are characterized by a distinctive humpbacked thorax and reduced wing venation.
Conicera
coffin flies
Conicera is a genus of phorid flies in the subfamily Conicerinae, commonly referred to as coffin flies. The genus is notable for species such as Conicera tibialis, which are associated with buried human cadavers and have exceptional abilities to colonize underground environments. Adult females can burrow through soil to access enclosed spaces such as coffins. Some species can complete multiple generations entirely underground without surfacing.
Conicera tibialis
coffin fly
Conicera tibialis, commonly known as the coffin fly, is a phorid fly species known for its unique association with buried human cadavers. Adult females possess the remarkable ability to burrow through soil to access coffins and lay eggs on or near corpses. The species has been documented completing multiple generations entirely underground without surfacing, and has been found on cadavers years after death, with one recorded case of activity 18 years postmortem.
Megaselia barberi
scuttle fly
Megaselia barberi is a species of scuttle fly in the family Phoridae, originally described as Aphiochaeta barberi by Malloch in 1912. The genus Megaselia is extremely species-rich, containing approximately half of all described phorid fly species, with many remaining undescribed. Like other members of this genus, M. barberi is likely small-bodied and exhibits the characteristic humpbacked appearance and scuttling locomotion typical of the family.
Megaselia nantucketensis
Megaselia nantucketensis is a species of scuttle fly in the family Phoridae, described by Eiseman and Hartop in 2015. The species epithet indicates its association with Nantucket. Like other members of the genus Megaselia, it belongs to one of the most species-rich genera of flies, characterized by small body size and rapid, erratic running behavior. The species was described using modern taxonomic methods, though detailed biological information remains limited.
Megaselia ventralis
scuttle fly
Megaselia ventralis is a species of phorid fly (family Phoridae) described by Borgmeier in 1963. It belongs to the genus Megaselia, which comprises approximately half of all species in the Phoridae family and is characterized as a 'dark taxon' due to its extraordinary species diversity and taxonomic complexity. The species name 'ventralis' refers to a ventral character state, though specific details of this feature are not documented in the provided sources.