Megaselia scalaris
| Megaselia scalaris | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Suborder: | Brachycera |
| Family: | Phoridae |
| Genus: | Megaselia |
| Species: | M. scalaris |
| Binomial name | |
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Megaselia scalaris Loew, 1866 |
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The fly Megaselia scalaris (laboratory fly) is a member of the order Diptera and the family Phoridae, widely distributed in warm regions of the world. The family members are commonly known as the "humpbacked fly", the "coffin fly", and the "scuttle fly". The name "scuttle fly" derives from the jerky, short bursts of running, characteristic to the adult fly. The name "coffin fly" is due to their being found in coffins, digging six feet deep in order to reach buried corpses. It is one of the more common species found within the family Phoridae; more than 370 species have been identified within North America.
Megaselia scalaris was described by the German entomologist Hermann Loew in 1866.
Much of the anatomy of this fly is common to the family Phoridae. Megaselia scalaris flies are blackish, brownish, yellowish minute flies with a small, rather flattened head.Ommatrichia or hair-like processes, are located between the facets of the compound eye. The lower facial margin and clypeus are sometimes enlarged or distinctively shaped, especially in females. The antennae are sometimes hidden by first flagellomere.
The thorax is large and frequently described as having a “humpbacked structure.” Major bristles of body are characteristically feathered in this region; this is a characteristic unique to M. scalaris. Legs are attached to the thorax. They are usually well developed with a stout, enlarged, laterally compressed hind femur. A variety of sensory organs are present on the posterior surface. The tibia is frequently composed of short, closely set setae. The wings are also attached to the thoracic region. M. scalaris’ wings are usually large and fringed with short to long setae. Several tiny pore-like sensory organs, not associated with bristles or setae, are present at various places on the anterior veins. The distributional pattern is generally evident.
The abdomen is the third body region. It is well developed with typically three to six tergites and seven spiracles present.
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