Scarab-beetle-parasite
Guides
Cryptomeigenia
Cryptomeigenia is a genus of tachinid flies comprising 17 described species. Members are parasitoids of adult scarab beetles, with documented host specificity to Phyllophaga rufotestacea in at least one studied population. The genus was established by Brauer & Bergenstamm in 1891 and is classified within the tribe Blondeliini.
Pyrgotella chagnoni
Pyrgotella chagnoni is a species of fly in the family Pyrgotidae, a group commonly known as pyrgotid flies. The family is characterized by parasitoid larvae that develop inside scarab beetles. This species was described by Johnson in 1900. Like other members of its genus, it likely exhibits the distinctive head morphology and wing venation typical of Pyrgotidae.
Pyrgotidae
Scarab Pursuing Flies, Pyrgotid Flies
Pyrgotidae is a family of endoparasitoid flies within the superfamily Tephritoidea. Unusual among Cyclorrhapha, they lack ocelli entirely—one of only two families with this trait. Most species display patterned wings with bands or spots. Females pursue scarab beetles in flight to deposit eggs beneath the elytra, where larvae develop internally and eventually kill the host. The family has a worldwide distribution with approximately 67 species in Australia alone and 59 species in 13 genera in the Neotropics.
Sphecomyiella valida
Sphecomyiella valida is a species of fly in the family Pyrgotidae, a group of parasitic flies commonly known as pyrgotid flies. The species was originally described by Harris in 1841 under the name Pyrgota valida and has since been reclassified into the genus Sphecomyiella. Pyrgotidae flies are known for their distinctive biology, with larvae typically developing as parasitoids of scarab beetles. The species has been documented through over 1,000 observations on iNaturalist, indicating it is relatively well-recorded among pyrgotid flies.