Phoridae
Guides
Aenigmatias
Aenigmatias is a genus of wingless (apterous) scuttle flies in the family Phoridae, characterized by a distinctive cockroach-like morphology. The genus was originally described from Denmark and long known from only a single specimen found beneath a stone. Subsequent records have documented species across North America (Arizona), Europe, and Asia, with a recent first record in Egypt extending the range to North Africa. The genus belongs to the subfamily Aenigmatiinae and tribe Aenigmatiini, representing an anomalous lineage within Phoridae due to its flightless condition and cryptic habits.
Apocephalus frameatus
Apocephalus frameatus is a species of scuttle fly in the family Phoridae, described by Brown in 2002. Like other members of its genus, it is associated with ants as a host, though specific details of its biology remain undocumented. The genus Apocephalus is notable for including species that exhibit brood parasitism of ants, a behavior that has been video-documented in related species but not specifically for A. frameatus.
Chaetopleurophora
Chaetopleurophora is a genus of scuttle flies (family Phoridae) described by Schmitz in 1922. Members of this genus are small, humpbacked flies characterized by distinctive bristle patterns on the pleura (lateral thoracic sclerites). The genus belongs to the subfamily Phorinae and has been recorded from northern Europe.
Chonocephalinae
Chonocephalinae is a subfamily of scuttle flies within the family Phoridae. Members are characterized by reduced wing venation and are primarily associated with decaying organic matter, including fungi and dung. The subfamily includes the genus Chonocephalus, which is known for its distinctive morphology among phorid flies. These flies are generally small with humpbacked thoraxes typical of the family.
Chonocephalus
Chonocephalus is a genus of scuttle flies in the family Phoridae, first described by Wandolleck in 1898. The genus contains approximately 80 described species distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Members are associated with decaying organic matter and some species have documented relationships with army ants (Ecitoninae). The genus is characterized by distinctive morphological features of the head and antennae.
Coniceromyia
Coniceromyia is a genus of scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) primarily distributed in the Neotropical region. The genus exhibits substantial morphological diversity, with recent taxonomic work describing 41 new species and highlighting complex male secondary sexual characteristics. Species identification relies heavily on male genitalic structures and leg modifications. The true diversity of the genus remains poorly understood due to high rates of singleton and doubleton specimens in collections.
Diplonevra
A genus of scuttle flies in the family Phoridae, established by Lioy in 1864. The genus contains at least eight described species, with recent taxonomic work in South Korea recognizing eight species including three new to science. Species have been recorded across Europe, Asia, and North America.
Diplonevra nitidula
Diplonevra nitidula is a species of scuttle fly in the family Phoridae. It belongs to the subfamily Aenigmatiinae, a group characterized by reduced wing venation and often associated with ant colonies. The species was first described by Meigen in 1830 under the basionym Phora nitidula. Records indicate presence in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Gymnophora
Gymnophora is a genus of scuttle flies in the family Phoridae, established by Macquart in 1835. The genus contains at least 60 described species, though the total number may exceed 69 based on current taxonomic records. Members are small, humpbacked flies characteristic of the Phoridae family.
Hirotophora
Hirotophora is a genus of scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) established in 2015. The genus was originally monotypic but now contains three species following taxonomic revision: the type species, Hirotophora chilensis sp. nov. from Chile, and two species transferred from Chaetopleurophora (C. dividua and C. flavimarginata). Females exhibit greater structural divergence than males, which show minimal differences in terminalia—an unusual pattern for Phorinae that suggests distinctive but currently unknown life history traits.
Hirotophora multiseriata
A small scuttle fly in the family Phoridae, originally described by Aldrich in 1904. The species epithet "multiseriata" refers to multiple rows or series, likely describing a distinctive arrangement of bristles on the body. As with most phorid flies, adults are probably associated with decaying organic matter. The genus Hirotophora was established to accommodate species with particular wing venation and bristle patterns distinct from other Phoridae.
Hypocera
Hypocera is a genus of scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) in the subfamily Hypocerinae. The genus was taxonomically revised in 1998, which clarified species identities and provided new diagnostic characters for distinguishing closely related Nearctic species. At least one species, H. mordellaria, has been documented as a scavenger on dead insects, with its larval stage described.
Megaselia
scuttle flies
Megaselia is a hyperdiverse genus of scuttle flies (Phoridae) containing approximately half of all described species in the family. The genus has been characterized as an 'open-ended' or 'dark' taxon due to its extraordinary species richness and the difficulty of species-level identification using morphology alone. Many species remain undescribed, with estimates suggesting thousands of species worldwide. Recent taxonomic work has increasingly relied on DNA barcoding to delimit species, particularly in species complexes such as the M. sulphurizona group. The genus exhibits remarkable ecological diversity, with species acting as parasitoids, fungivores, saprophages, and predators.
Megaselia globipyga
Megaselia globipyga is a species of scuttle fly in the family Phoridae, described by Borgmeier in 1966. It belongs to the genus Megaselia, which contains approximately half of all described species in the Phoridae family and is characterized as a "dark taxon" due to its extreme diversity and taxonomic complexity. No specific biological or ecological information has been documented for this species.
Megaselia perdita
Megaselia perdita is a species of scuttle fly in the family Phoridae, described by Malloch in 1912. It belongs to the genus Megaselia, which contains approximately half of all described species in the Phoridae family and is characterized as a "dark taxon" due to its extraordinary diversity and taxonomic complexity. The species has been recorded from Santa Catarina, Brazil. Like other members of its genus, it is likely extremely small and morphologically cryptic, contributing to the challenges of species identification without molecular data.
Megaselia rufipes
coffin fly
Megaselia rufipes, commonly known as the coffin fly, is a phorid scuttle fly species first described by Meigen in 1804. It has been recorded as a facultative parasitoid of honey bees (Apis mellifera) and as a pest of oil palm seeds. The species has a broad distribution spanning the Palearctic and Neotropical regions, with records from Europe, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, and the Azores. Its common name derives from its documented presence in cemetery crypts, where it has been collected using carrion-baited traps.
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.
Metopininae
Metopininae is the largest subfamily of scuttle flies (Phoridae), primarily due to the hyperdiverse genus Megaselia. Members exhibit broad ecological diversity, with larvae ranging from saprophagous decomposers to parasitoids of insects and other arthropods. The subfamily includes economically significant pests and is among the most frequently encountered phorid groups worldwide.
Phalacrotophora
scuttle flies
Phalacrotophora is a genus of scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) comprising at least 50 described species. Species in this genus are parasitoids of ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae), attacking host pupae. Documented hosts include Anatis ocellata, Olla v-nigrum, and Harmonia axyridis. The genus has been recorded from Europe and the Pacific region.
Phalacrotophora epeirae
Phalacrotophora epeirae is a species of scuttle fly in the family Phoridae, originally described by Brues in 1902 under the name Phora epeirae. The genus Phalacrotophora is known for species that are parasitoids of spiders, though the specific host relationships of P. epeirae have not been documented in detail. This species belongs to a group of small, humpbacked flies characterized by their distinctive running behavior and reduced wing venation.
Phora
scuttle flies, hump-backed flies
Phora is a genus of scuttle flies in the family Phoridae, containing at least 90 described species. These small, hump-backed flies are characterized by their distinctive thoracic hump and reduced wing venation. The genus has a primarily Holarctic distribution, with records from Scandinavia and other northern regions. Members of this genus are part of the diverse Phoridae family, which includes species with varied ecological roles including decomposers, parasitoids, and associates of social insects.
Phorinae
Phorinae is a subfamily of scuttle flies (family Phoridae) containing at least 90 described species across 13 genera. The group includes the type genus Phora, established by Latreille in 1796. Members of this subfamily are small, humpbacked flies with reduced wing venation characteristic of the family. The subfamily was established by Curtis in 1833.
Platypezoidea
Platypezoidea is a superfamily of true flies within the section Aschiza of the suborder Brachycera. Adults lack the ptilinum—a sac-like structure used by Schizophora to emerge from the puparium—and therefore do not possess the characteristic inverted-U-shaped ptilinal suture above the antennae. The superfamily contains five families: Phoridae (coffin and scuttle flies), Opetiidae (flat-footed flies), Ironomyiidae (ironic flies), Lonchopteridae (spear-winged or pointed-wing flies), and Platypezidae (flat-footed flies). Some classifications separate Ironomyiidae, Lonchopteridae, and Phoridae as the distinct superfamily Phoroidea.
Pseudacteon
Ant-Decapitating Flies
Pseudacteon is a genus of phorid flies comprising over 70 described species, commonly known as ant-decapitating flies. These parasitoids are specialized on ants, particularly Solenopsis fire ants, with females injecting eggs directly into host workers. The larval development occurs entirely within the ant's head capsule, culminating in decapitation and pupation inside the detached head. Several species have been introduced to the United States as biological control agents against invasive red imported fire ants.
Pseudacteon curvatus
fire ant decapitating fly, little decapitating fly
Pseudacteon curvatus is a small phorid fly parasitoid known as the 'little decapitating fly' due to its life cycle in which mature larvae cause decapitation of host fire ants upon emergence. Native to South America, it has been introduced to the United States as a classical biological control agent against invasive imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta and S. richteri). The species exhibits host specificity toward Solenopsis fire ants and has been the subject of extensive research on laboratory rearing methods, host preference behavior, and field establishment following releases.
Puliciphora borinquenensis
Puliciphora borinquenensis is a species of scuttle fly in the family Phoridae, described by Wheeler in 1906. The species has been recorded from the Galápagos Islands and multiple states in Brazil, with some doubtful or rare records from Europe. As with other phorid flies, it is likely associated with decaying organic matter, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented. The species epithet references Borinquen, the indigenous Taíno name for Puerto Rico, suggesting a possible Caribbean origin for the type specimen.
Rhyncophoromyia
Rhyncophoromyia is a genus of scuttle flies in the family Phoridae, first described by Malloch in 1923. The genus comprises at least twelve described species distributed primarily in the Neotropical region. At least one species, R. maculineura, has been documented as an ant parasite. The genus belongs to the subfamily Metopininae, a group characterized by reduced wing venation and often associated with social insect hosts.
Spiniphora
Spiniphora is a genus of scuttle flies (Phoridae) established by Malloch in 1909. The genus includes saprophagous species, with Spiniphora genitalis documented as a decomposer of mollusc carrion and vertebrate remains. Species in this genus complete development on decaying organic matter and have been recorded from the Oriental region, parts of the Australian region, and introduced populations in Hawaii. Larvae exhibit distinct morphological features including ventral flattening, segmented bodies with tubercles and spinulose formations, and respiratory transitions between instars.
Trophodeinus
Trophodeinus is a genus of scuttle flies in the family Phoridae, subfamily Metopininae. The genus was established by Borgmeier in 1960 and contains eight described species distributed primarily in the Americas. Members of this genus are small, humpbacked flies characteristic of the phorid family morphology. Little is known about the biology or ecology of most species in this genus.
Xanionotum
Xanionotum is a genus of scuttle flies in the family Phoridae, subfamily Metopininae. The genus was established by Brues in 1902 and contains approximately 14 described species distributed primarily in the Neotropical region. Species in this genus are characterized by distinctive setal arrangements and structural modifications of the body, particularly on the legs and thorax. The genus name refers to the unusual or remarkable nature of the notum (dorsal thoracic surface).